Green Day, Still Breathing | Track Review 🎵

Green Day drops its final pre-release single, “Still Breathing,” ahead of its highly anticipated album, Revolution Radio.

Ahead of its highly-anticipated comeback effort, Revolution Radio, Green Day releases its final pre-release single, “Still Breathing.” Expectedly, the punk revivalists bring the heat. Surprisingly, “Still Breathing” is “on fire” despite being the most commercial offering of the three singles.

Initially, rhythm guitar carries the rhythm, with the absence of drums. Billie Joe Armstrong delivers incredibly clear vocals – excellent vocal production goes a long way.  Predictably, the drums enter, anchoring “Still Breathing” down.  After showcasing restraint throughout the course of the first verse, a gargantuan chorus “lights a fire” underneath the record.  It serves a stark contrast to the verse. The second verse begins with drums handling rhythmic duties, with a little more punch.

Over its course, “Still Breathing” references a number of hypothetical, yet realistic situations including drug addiction:

“I’m like a junkie tying off for the last time”

Both the pre-chorus and chorus sections are incredibly catchy.  On the pre-chorus, Armstrong sings:

“Am I bleeding? / Am I bleeding from the storm? / just shine a light into the wreckage, so far away, away.”

Essentially, Armstrong and the people of which he describes have been through plenty of tribulation.  He is asking for someone to come and save them through the course of the storm.  On the chorus, Armstrong is more optimistic, overcoming a tough lot:

“Cause I’m still breathing / cause I’m still breathing on my own / My head’s above the rain and roses / making my way, my way”

Final Thoughts 

The third and final pre-release single from Revolution Radio is another winner from Green Day. “Still Breathing” raises a number of unfortunate scenarios, but looks at the positive side – “I’m still breathing.”  The record successfully builds up over its course, showcasing more musicality than some loud-from-start-to-finish Green Day records.  Hard to pick which of the three pre-release singles is the best, but “Still Breathing” certainly has the most promise for pop-crossover success.

Green Day • Revolution Radio • Reprise • Release: 10.7.16

 Photo Credit: Reprise