Song Meaning & Analysis: Boulevard Of Broken Dreams by Green Day

ARTIST: GREEN DAY | ALBUM: American idiot | RELEASED: 2004

Heartfelt song from heavy-hitting American Idiot album showcases some of Billy Joe Armstrong's best writings. Coinciding with recurring themes of the album, such as anti-establishment, anti-war, and exposure of biased media of the US, "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" sings about a person's adversity as a consequence of thereof.

The music video depicts the band members walking on a devastated, inhabitable neighborhood. It's very reminiscent to the devastation brought upon as a result of Hurricane Katrina. But it's important to state the fact that the album was released a year prior. Nevertheless, what's interesting is that, in the following weeks and months, the Bush Administration was harshly criticized for its lack response to the outcry of the hurricane victims. Criticizing the President Bush is a recurring theme of American Idiot, highlighted by songs like "Holiday." So it was very fitting that Green Day chose to do such music video for this song, even though it wasn't a response to the events following the disaster.

The song remains one of Green Day's signature ones. It enjoyed much critical acclaim, highlighted by winning a Grammy for the Record of the Year. As a result of its enormous mainstream success, it has a become a fixture of the band's live performances, as well as on pop and rock radio. 

Let me know what you think of the song by making a comment below. I read all of the comments( or most of them ), and any valuable suggestions will be added to the post later on.

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1. I walk a lonely road
2. The only one that I have ever known
3. Don't know where it goes
4. But it's home to me and I walk alone
5. 
   
6. I walk this empty street
7. On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
8. When the city sleeps
9. And I'm the only one and I walk alone
10. 
    
11. I walk alone
12. I walk alone
13. I walk alone
14. I walk a...
15. 
    
16. My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
17. My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
18. Sometimes I wish someone up there will find me
19. 'til then I walk alone
20. 
    
21. Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, aaah-ah,
22. Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah
23. 
    
24. I'm walking down the line
25. That divides me somewhere in my mind
26. On the border line
27. Of the edge and where I walk alone
28. 
    
29. Read between the lines
30. What's fucked up and everything's alright
31. Check my vital signs
32. To know I'm still alive and I walk alone
33. 
    
34. I walk alone
35. I walk alone
36. I walk alone
37. I walk a...
38. 
    
39. My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
40. My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
41. Sometimes I wish someone up there will find me
42. 'til then I walk alone
43. 
    
44. Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, aaah-ah
45. Ah-ah, ah-ah
46. 
    
47. I walk alone
48. I walk a...
49. 
    
50. I walk this empty street
51. On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
52. When the city sleeps
53. And I'm the only one and I walk a...
54. 
    
55. My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
56. My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
57. Sometimes I wish someone up there will find me
58. 'til then I walk alone...

Lyrics from: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/greenday/boulevardofbrokendreams.html