Greenday 21st Century Breakdown 21st Century Breakdown 2009 Reprise Records Submitted by: paramore_fans@yahoo.com There are 2 versions of this song The Demo Version and the Album version Key: C# then Ab Tuning: Standard EADGBe Chords used: C# - x46664 G# - 466544 F# - 244322 Bbm - x13321 Ab/C - x365xx G#7 - 466574 A. Demo Version Intro: Piano: C#--G#-F# x10 C# Ab F# e|--------16-----16----|-16--18-|-16----------| B|-----18-----18----18-|--------|-----19-18---| G|-18------------------|--------|-------------| D|---------------------|--------|-------------| A|-16------------------|--------|-------------| E|---------------------|--------|-------------| | x2 C# Ab F# | e|--------16-----16----|-16--18-|-16----------| B|-----18-----18----18-|--------|-----19-18---| G|-18------------------|--------|-------------| D|---------------------|--------|-------------| A|---------------------|--------|-------------| E|---------------------|--------|-------------| C# Ab F# e|--------16-----16----|-16--18-|-16--------| B|-----18-----18----18-|--------|-----19-18-| G|-18------------------|--------|-----------| D|---------------------|--------|-----------| x6 A|-16------------------|--------|-----------| E|---------------------|-16-----|-14--------| Distortion: C#--G#-F# x2 Verse 1: C# Ab F# Born into Nixon I was raised in hell C# Ab F# A welfare child where the teamsters dwelled C# Ab F# The last one born and the first one to run C# Ab F# My town was blind from refinery sun Refrain: Bbm F# My generation is zero Bbm F# Ab I never made it as a working class hero Guitar 2: Refrain Bbm F# Bbm F# Ab e|---------|-6-----6h7p6---|---------|---------|------| B|---------|---7---------7-|---------|---------|------| G|-3-3-3-3-|-----6---------|-3-3-3-3-|---------|------| D|-3-3-3-3-|---------------|-3-3-3-3-|-4-4-4-4-|-6--6-| A|-1-1-1-1-|---------------|-1-1-1-1-|-4-4-4-4-|-6--6-| E|---------|---------------|---------|-2-2-2-2-|-4--4-| Chorus 1: C# Ab F# 21st century breakdown C# I once was lost Ab F# but never was found C# I think I'm losing Ab F# what's left of my mind C# Ab F# to the 20th century deadline Interlude: C#--G#-F#- x2 Guitar 2: C# Ab F# e|------4----4---|-4--6-|-4------| B|----6----6---6-|------|----7-6-| G|-6-------------|------|--------| D|---------------|------|--------| A|---------------|------|--------| E|---------------|------|--------| Verse 2: C# Ab F# I was made of poison and blood C# Ab F# Combination is what I understood C# Ab F# From Mexico to the Berlin Wall C# Ab F# Homeland security could kill us all (Repeat Refrain and Chorus 1) Interlude: Beat Changes from slow to fast G#-- x8 Guitar 2: Ab e|----------------------------------| B|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4-----| G|----5-5-5------5-5-5----------6-5-| D|-6--------------------------------| x4 A|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------| Bridge: Ab C# We are the cries of the class of '13 Ab C# Born in the year of humility Ab C# we are the desperate in the decline G# C#--- x4 Raised by the bastards of 1969 Guitar 2: C# e|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4-----| B|----6-6-6------6-6-6----------7-6-| G|-6--------------------------------| D|----------------------------------| x4 A|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------| Verse 3: C# My name is 'No one' F# Ab C# your long lost son C# Ab Born on the 4th of July C# Raised in the barnyards F# Ab C# of he-roes and cons C# Ab Left me for dead or alive Verse 4: C# There is a war that's F# Ab C# inside my head C# That questions the Ab results and lies C# I'm breaking my back F# Ab C# till I'm better off dead C# We are not payed Ab enough to survive Interlude: C#---F#- x4 Guitar 2: C# F# e|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4---|---| B|----6-6-6------6-6-6----------7-|-6-| G|-6------------------------------|---| D|--------------------------------|---| x4 A|--------------------------------|---| E|--------------------------------|---| Verse 5: C# I am an engine F# Ab C# A worker A pawn C# Ab My debt to the status quo C# The scars on my hands F# Ab C# and a means to an end C# Ab It's all that I have to show Verse 6: C# F# Ab C# I'm taking a loan on my sa-ni-ty C# Ab For the redemption of my soul C# F# Ab C# well I am exempt from this tra-ge-dy C# Ab And the 21st century fall Chorus 2: F# Ab C# F# Ab C# I praise liberty the freedom to o--bey F# Ab C# It's a song that strangles me F# C# Ab Well don't cross the line F#-F#-C#-G# x3, G#(hold)--G#(hold)--G#7(hold) Guitar Solo: C#--G#/C--Bbm--G#--F#--A--C# Guitar 2: C# Ab/C Bbm Ab A C# e|-------|---------|-----|-------|----------|---------|--------| B|-6---6-|-4--6--4-|-----|-4-----|-2--------|---------|--------| G|-------|---------|-6---|---5---|---3------|-2--1----|-1------| D|-------|---------|-----|-----6-|-----4--4-|-------4-|----3---| A|-------|---------|-----|-------|----------|---------|------4-| E|-------|---------|-----|-------|----------|---------|--------| Outro: C# Ab/C Bbm Oh, dream, American dream Ab F# I can't even sleep A C# from rainstorms till dawn C# Ab/C Bbm Oh, bleed, America bleed Ab F# Believe what you read A(hold) from heroes and cons B. Album Version Intro: Piano/Acoustic Guitar: Same Intro to the song See The Light C#--G#-- x8 Guitar 2: e|-11-----11-----11-----11-----11-------| B|----9------9------9------9------9---9-| G|------8------8------8------8------8---| D|--------------------------------------| x8 A|--------------------------------------| E|--------------------------------------| Distortion: C#--G#-F# x2 Verse 1: C# Ab F# Born into Nixon I was raised in hell C# Ab F# A welfare child where the teamsters dwelled C# Ab F# The last one born and the first one to run C# Ab F# My town was blind from refinery sun Refrain: Bbm F# My generation is zero Bbm F# Ab I never made it as a working class hero Guitar 2: Refrain Bbm F# Bbm F# Ab e|---------|-6-----6h7p6---|---------|---------|------| B|---------|---7---------7-|---------|---------|------| G|-3-3-3-3-|-----6---------|-3-3-3-3-|---------|------| D|-3-3-3-3-|---------------|-3-3-3-3-|-4-4-4-4-|-6--6-| A|-1-1-1-1-|---------------|-1-1-1-1-|-4-4-4-4-|-6--6-| E|---------|---------------|---------|-2-2-2-2-|-4--4-| Chorus 1: C# Ab F# 21st century breakdown C# I once was lost Ab F# but never was found C# I think I'm losing Ab F# what's left of my mind C# Ab F# to the 20th century deadline Interlude: C#--G#-F#- x2 Guitar 2: C# Ab F# e|------4----4---|-4--6-|-4------| B|----6----6---6-|------|----7-6-| G|-6-------------|------|--------| D|---------------|------|--------| A|---------------|------|--------| E|---------------|------|--------| Verse 2: C# Ab F# I was made of poison and blood C# Ab F# Condemnation is what I understood C# Ab F# Video games to the tower's fall C# Ab F# Homeland Security could kill us all (Repeat Refrain and Chorus 1) Interlude: Beat Changes from slow to fast G#-- x8 Guitar 2: Ab e|----------------------------------| B|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4-----| G|----5-5-5------5-5-5----------6-5-| D|-6--------------------------------| x4 A|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------| Bridge: Ab C# We are the cries of the class of '13 Ab C# Born in the year of humility Ab C# we are the desperate in the decline G# C#--- x4 Raised by the bastards of 1969 Guitar 2: C# e|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4-----| B|----6-6-6------6-6-6----------7-6-| G|-6--------------------------------| D|----------------------------------| x4 A|----------------------------------| E|----------------------------------| Verse 3: C# My name is 'No one' F# Ab C# your long lost son C# Ab Born on the 4th of July C# Raised in the barnyards F# Ab C# of he-roes and cons C# Ab Left me for dead or alive Verse 4: C# I Am A nation F# Ab C# A worker of pride C# Ab My debt to the status quo C# The scars on my hands F# Ab C# And the means to an end C# Ab Is all that I have to show Interlude: C#---F#- x4 Guitar 2: C# F# e|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4---|---| B|----6-6-6------6-6-6----------7-|-6-| G|-6------------------------------|---| D|--------------------------------|---| x4 A|--------------------------------|---| E|--------------------------------|---| Verse 5: C# I swallowed my pride F# Ab C# And I choked on my faith C# I've given my heart and my Ab C# soul I've broken my fingers F# Ab C# And lied through my teeth C# Ab The pillar of damage control Verse 6: C# I've been to the edge F# Ab C# And I've thrown the bouquet C# Ab Of flowers left over the grave C# I sat in the waiting F# Ab C# room Wasting my time C# Ab And waiting for judgement day Chorus 2: F# Ab C# F# Ab C# I praise liberty the freedom to o--bey F# Ab C# It's a song that strangles me F# C# Ab Well don't cross the line F#-F#-C#-Ab x3 G#(hold)--G#(hold)--G#(hold)-------| G#(hold)--G#(hold)--G#7(hold)--G#7-|(hold) Guitar 2: Ab Ab7 e|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------| B|----------4-4--------4-4--6-4---------------4-4--------|-7-7-7-7-7-7-| G|----5-5-5------5-5-5----------6-5-----5-5-5------5-5-5-|-------------| D|-6---------------------------------6-------------------|-------------| A|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------| E|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------| Guitar Solo: C#--G#/C--Bbm--G#--F#--A--C# Guitar 2: C# Ab/C Bbm Ab F# A C# e|-13---13-|-11--13--11-|----|-11-------|-9-----------|-----------|----------| B|---------|------------|-14-|----13----|---11--------|-10--9-----|-9--------| G|---------|------------|----|-------13-|------11--11-|--------11-|----10----| D|---------|------------|----|----------|-------------|-----------|-------11-| A|---------|------------|----|----------|-------------|-----------|----------| E|---------|------------|----|----------|-------------|-----------|----------| Outro: C# Ab/C Bbm Oh Dream America dream Ab F# I can't even sleep A C# From the lights early dawn C# Ab/C Bbm Oh Scream America scream Ab F# Believe what you see A(hold) From heroes and cons?