Release Date: November 17, 2017
Length: 75:58
Label: Reprise Records
Notes: The band’s second greatest hits compilation following International Superhits! which was released in 2001. The name of the album comes from a joke made when the band appeared on The Colbert Show and were announced as “God’s Favorite Band”. The Colbert reference was likely inspired by Tre Cool’s quote in Bullet In A Bible that the clouds had cleared because “God wants to watch his favorite band again.”
Tracklist:
- 2000 Light Years Away (Kerplunk)
- Longview (Dookie)
- Welcome To Paradise (Dookie)
- Basket Case (Dookie)
- When I Come Around (Dookie)
- She (Dookie)
- Brain Stew (Insomniac)
- Hitchin’ A Ride (Nimrod)
- Good Riddance (Nimrod.)
- Minority (Warning)
- Warning (Warning)
- American Idiot (American Idiot)
- Holiday (American Idiot)
- Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (American Idiot)
- Wake Me Up When September Ends (American Idiot)
- Know Your Enemy (21st Century Breakdown)
- 21 Guns (21st Century Breakdown)
- Oh Love (¡Uno!)
- Bang Bang (Revolution Radio)
- Still Breathing (Revolution Radio)
- Ordinary World (New Version)
- Back In The USA (New)
21. Ordinary World ft. Miranda Lambert
Armstrong wrote this ballad for his movie of the same name, where he stars as a failed rocker turned family man after director Lee Kirk asked him for a poignant song that his character might’ve written. It took him a couple of tries, but he ended up with a song so strong that he wanted it on Green Day’s new album, as well. The final line gives the album a happy ending: “Baby, I don’t have much,” Armstrong sings over acoustic strumming and a gently chiming electric guitar, “but what we have is more than enough/Ordinary world.”
The song basically sums up the realization that regardless of what’s happening or what we plan to do, that sometimes living in an ordinary world is all that we need.
The song starts off with the author’s hopes and dreams (where can I find the city of shining light) how he yearns to make it big and find a lavish place to live in. He plans to make an impact or leave a legacy on the world before he dies (how can I leave a buried treasure behind) but over time (days into years roll by) the author realizes no matter how big or small he is, he is going to live and die just like everyone else in this world.
He begins to look at other people, what their desires are (what would you wish) as the author finds himself lost even after spending most of his life searching for a reason to live (walk to the end of the earth and afar). He comes to the conclusion that life isn’t about trying to make it big and die as a superstar but rather; is something to be valued and appreciated for the little things (baby I don’t have much but what we have is more than enough).
– song meaning written by u/potlah on r/GreenDay
Where can I find the city of shining light
In an ordinary world
How can I leave a buried treasure behind
In an ordinary world
The days into years roll by
It’s where I live until I die
Ordinary world
What would you wish if you saw a shooting star
In an ordinary world
I’d walk to the end of the earth and afar
In an ordinary world
Baby, I don’t have much
But what we have is more than enough
Ordinary world
Where can I find the city of shining light
In an ordinary world
How can I leave a buried treasure behind
In an ordinary world
Baby, I don’t have much
But what we have is more than enough
Ordinary world
22. Back In The USA
The author begins with a reference to Noah’s Ark (perhaps as a sign of hope) to contrast with how things currently are (a bitter storm). However, it seems as those instead of hope, we get riot gears signifying that the hope we see and believe in is nothing more than a Trojan Horse. The author possibly refers to the politicians being ignorant to the people and going as they like (like dogs that shit on your neighbour’s lawn), doing things as they deemed necessary rather than in the interests of the people.
The politicians are catering to the majority of crazy people through media (let freedom ring with all the crazies) whilst the ignorant and ill-informed are fed these lies and believe them too along with the crazy majority (let them eat poison and it tastes like lemonade). Despite it being a festivity to return home (back in the USA with fireworks on display) the author seems solemn at the state of his home. He seems to have a military background and has been made homeless after fighting for his country (tonight, it’s a hero’s welcome home and there’s no place else to go).
The author then moves to the general public and how people are content with their lives so they don’t bother or refuse to look further to see if anything could be improved or they could offer any help to the country and the people in need (the saddest story ever told is feeling safe in our suburban homes). The author makes examples on modern day issues such as people too busy in their own struggles to bother with anything else (soldiers of an endless war) and religious people drinking problems away (church having liquor stores) which goes against Christianity itself.
– song meaning written by u/potlah on r/GreenDay
I woke up to a bitter stormﾠ
And Noah’s Ark came washed up on the shore
The riot gear has lined the dawnﾠ
Like dogs that shit on your neighbor’s lawn
Let freedom ring with all the crazies on parade
Let them eat poison and it tastes like lemonade
Back in the USA
For a small town serenade
With fireworks on display
Tonight, it’s a hero’s welcome home
And there’s no place else to go
And I’m taking it to the grave
Back in the USA
The saddest story ever toldﾠ
Is feeling safe in our suburban homes
Like soldiers of an endless war
Every church can have a liquor store
Let freedom ring with all the crazies on parade
Let them eat poison and it tastes like lemonade
Back in the USA
For a small town serenade
With fireworks on display
Tonight, it’s a hero’s welcome home
And there’s no place else to go
And I’m taking it to the grave
Back in the USA