The sounds of English…
a listening experience
Boulevard of broken dreams Green Day
Queretaro Historical Center, Queretaro, Mexico
Boulevard of broken dreams Green Day
In “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”, the album’s main character, Jesus of Suburbia, is out alone, on the cold streets, with nothing to do and nowhere to go. After leaving suburbia on “Jesus of Suburbia” and venturing into the city in “Holiday”, he is left alone in the dark city streets dwindling with his thoughts.
In this dark forlorn song, Jesus of Suburbia is struggling with depression as he feels alone; As he walks through the streets while everyone’s asleep he realizes no one can care for him, so he just… walks…
This was Green Day’s most successful song on the Billboard charts, reaching #2 at the Hot 100 and selling over 5 million copies. It also won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
(https://genius.com/Green-day-boulevard-of-broken-dreams-lyrics)
The lyrics
Boulevard of broken dreams
[Verse 1]
I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don’t know where it goes
But it’s home to me, and I walk alone
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I’m the only one, and I walk alone
I walk alone, I walk alone
I walk alone, I walk a-
[Chorus]
My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
‘Til then I walk alone
[Post-Chorus]
Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah
[Verse 2]
I’m walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the borderline
Of the edge and where I walk alone
Read between the lines
What’s fucked up, and everything’s all right
Check my vital signs
To know I’m still alive, and I walk alone
I walk alone, I walk alone
I walk alone, I walk a-
[Chorus]
My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
‘Til then I walk alone
[Post-Chorus]
Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah
I walk alone, I walk a-
[Guitar Solo]
[Bridge]
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I’m the only one, and I walk a-
[Chorus]
My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
‘Til then I walk alone.
Vocabulary
Suburbia The collection of suburbs or suburbanites of a city. It also refers to the social or cultural aspects of life in suburbs. He was tired of the life in Suburbia.
Boulevard A wide road in a town or city, often with trees along it They walk home on the boulevard, talking about long lost times.
Shallow (personality) Not interested in serious ideas, strong feelings, or other important things. Rosie is such a shallow person that after talking to her for five minutes you don’t have much more to say to her.
Broken dreams Dreams or goals that may never come true. Jerry’s life is a series of broken dreams.
Read between the lines To understand what someone really means, or what is really happening in a situation, even though it is not stated openly or clearly. Looking at all my things packed up, I read between the lines that my parents were clearly telling me to go live somewhere else.
Vital signs The signs that show you are alive, for example your breathing or your heartbeat. The medic was checking his vital signs when I arrived to the hospital.
Borderline An indefinite area intermediate between two qualities or conditions. There is a thin borderline between love and hate.
The Listening Exercises
Green Day Boulevard of broken dreams
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” is a song by American rock band Green Day. It is the fourth track from their seventh studio album American Idiot (2004). Reprise Records released “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” as the second single from American Idiot. The song’s lyrics were written by lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong, and the music was composed by the band.”Boulevard of Broken Dreams” remains one of Green Day’s signature songs. The song was ranked the number one on Rolling Stone’s Reader’s Choice: Singles of the Decade list in 2009 and number 65 on the 100 Best Songs of the Decade list in the same year. It has sold over 2 million copies in the United States as of 2010. As of 2020, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” is the only song to win both the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.
Green Day – Boulevard of Broken Dreams Cover by Gregorian
Gregorian is a German band headed by Frank Peterson that performs Gregorian chant-inspired versions.Originally, Gregorian was conceived as a more pop-oriented group in the vein of Enigma. Under this concept, they recorded the 1991 album Sadisfaction, with lead vocals provided by The Sisters of Oz: Susana Espelleta (Peterson’s wife at the time) and Birgit Freud. However, this was the only album in that style. In this rendition they offer Boulevard of broken dreams in their classic Gregorian choir style.
Second Version Boulevard of broken dreams (cover)
Second Version is a band from Germany. It was founded in 2003. They play electronic music and consider themselves an experimental electronic music band. Among the different music styles of their music, they incorporate alternative electronic and synth. This is a slow paced cover version with easy to understand lyrics.
Mattafix Boulevard of broken dreams
Mattafix were an English electronic duo, consisting of vocalist Marlon Roudette and producer & keyboardist Preetesh Hirji. Their sound was a fusion of hip hop, R&B, reggae, dancehall, blues, jazz, soul and world. Known for their 2005 hit single “Big City Life”, they won the Sopot International Song Festival in 2006. In this lesson they offer their cover interpretation of Green Day’s hit song in an acoustic easy-going slow tempo with clear lyrics.
Entail of Crow- Boulevard of broken dreams (Rock cover)
Entail of Crow is an electronic metal band. The band, from Verona, Italy, has released various singles in the alternative, rock, pop and rap styles. Their rock version of Boulevard of broken dreams is a light rock version with easy to follow lyrics.
Violet Orlandi – Boulevard of broken dreams cover
In her own words: I started singing even before I knew how to talk. My mother was always incredibly supportive, and she was the one who introduced me to music. I must have been around three or four years old, but I distinctly remember listening to Heal the World by Michael Jackson on our vinyl player while my mother and I danced around the living room. My childhood was the ignition of my love for music.” Here, the Brazilian singer from Sao Paulo offers her interpretation of Green Day’s signature release. It is an enjoyable, lai-back version without complications.
Postmodern Jukebox feat. Maiya Sykes – Boulevard of broken dreams cover
I have saved this version for the last of the cover presentation. Postmodern Jukebox is one of my favorite cover bands. The singers vary from song to song, but they invariably present the best in leading vocalist. This cover is no exception and with Maiya Sykes amazing voice we can enjoy this last cover as we reach the end of this lesson. Enjoy!
There are a variety of different voices singing the same beautiful lyrics. Each voice with its own pace, inflection, and personality. Listen to these different versions, and exercise your English listening skills, remember that learning is fun, so enjoy!
All photographs by ©edudelcorral
Talking easy, the English lessons The Listening Exercises