Murder City

Album: 21st Century Breakdown (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • On several 21st Century Breakdown tracks, including this one, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong sings higher than on previous albums. He told Billboard magazine: "Even on our harder rock numbers, like 'Murder City,' I was doing it a little bit of falsetto. There are two different kinds of falsetto people can do. One is the irritating kind, and then there's the other kind, where it sounds like it's an appropriate thing for the song."
  • Whilst most of the songs on 21st Century Breakdown were penned by Armstrong in the final period of Bush's second term, this was the one track on the album to be written after Obama's election to the presidency.

Comments: 5

  • Sc from Anchorage, AkYeah, it was about the BART shooting :( Billie, Mike, and Tre were there right after it happened, they had no clue what was going on at first.
  • Teresa from Benicia, CaAlso I think this has a bit to do with the BART shooting on New Years Eve... He said something to that effect at the San Jose concert. It was a scary big deal here in the Bay Area
  • Emily from Dudley, United Kingdomgrate song i love it
  • James from Indianapolis, InGreat song. Love the album. I got all the songs on my MP3 as soon as I was able to
  • Michael from Tucson, AzStupid politics, great song.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Tony Joe White

Tony Joe WhiteSongwriter Interviews

The writer of "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie" explains how he cooks up his Louisiana swamp rock.

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillian

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillianSong Writing

A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.

Vince Clarke

Vince ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

An original member of Depeche Mode, Vince went on to form Erasure and Yaz.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.