How to Play 21st Century Breakdown on Guitar?

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown can be played in the key of C using the C, G, F, Am, G# chords. For C, To play C, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, G, high E ring open, mute A, D. For G, To play G, press fret 2 on the A string with finger 2, let D, G, B ring open, mute low E, high E. For F, To play F, barre fret 1 from the B string to the high E string with finger 1, press fret 1 on the low E string with finger 4, let A ring open, mute D, G. For Am, To play Am, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, A, high E ring open, mute D, G. For G#, To play G# | Ab, press fret 4 on the low E string with finger 3, press fret 3 on the A string with finger 2, press fret 4 on the B string with finger 3, press fret 4 on the high E string with finger 3, mute D, G. Barre: Use your index finger to press multiple strings on the same fret, keeping your finger flat. You can play 21st Century Breakdown with the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ strumming pattern.

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown Chords

Chord reference C, G, F, Am, G#

Rhythm tips ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

[C]Born into Nixon I [G]was raised [F]in hell. [C]A welfare child where [G]the [F]teamsters dwelled. [C]The last one born and [G]the first one [F]to run. [C]My town was blind from [G][F]refinery sun.

[Am]My generation [F]is zero, [Am]I never made it as [F]a working [G]class hero.

[C] [G]21st [F]century breakdown, I [C]once was lost. But [G] [F]never was found, I [C]think I’m losing. [G]What’s left [F]of my mind to the [C] [G]20th [F]century deadline.

[C]I was made [G]of poison [F]and blood [C]Combination [G]is what I [F]understood [C]From Mexico to [G]the [F]Berlin Wall [C]Homeland security [G]could kill [F]us all

[Am]My generation [F]is zero, [Am]I never made it as [F]a working [G]class hero.

[C] [G]21st [F]century breakdown, I [C]once was lost. But [G] [F]never was found, I [C]think I’m losing. [G]What’s left [F]of my mind to the [C] [G]20th [F]century deadline.

[G]We are the cries of the class of [C]’13. [G]Born in the year of [C]humility. [G]We are the desperate in the [C]decline. [G]Raised by the bastards of [C]1969.

[C]My name is ‘No one’, your [F] [G]long [C]lost son. [C]Born on the 4th of [G]July. [C]Raised in the barnyards, of [F] [G]heroes [C]and cons. [C]Left me for dead or [G]alive.

[C]There is a war that’s in[F]side[G]m[C]y head. That [C]questions the results and [G]lies. I’m [C]breaking my back, till I’m [F] [G]better [C]off dead. We are [C]not payed, enough to [G]survive.

[C]I am an engine [F] [G] [C] [G#] [G#] My [C]debt to the [G]status quo. The [C]scars on my hands and a [F] [G]means to [C]an end. It’s [C]all that I have [G]to show.

I’m [C]taking a loan on my [F][G]sani[C]ty. For the [C]redemption of [G]my soul. Well [C]I am exempt from this [F]tr[G]age[C]dy. And the [C]21st [G]century fall.

I [F]praise [G]liberty [C][F]the freedom [G]to [C]obey. It’s a [F]song that [G]strangles [C]me. Well [F]don’t [C]cross [G]the line.

Oh, [C]dream, [G] [Am]American dream. I [G]can’t even [F]sleep from [G]rainstorms [C]till dawn. Oh, [C]bleed, [G] [Am]America bleed. [G]Believe what [F]you read from [G]heroes and cons.

Artist Green Day

Album 21st Century Breakdown

Genres Alternative, Indie, Punk, Rock

Year 2009

Key C

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown can be played in the key of C using the C, G, F, Am, G# chords.

For C, To play C, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, G, high E ring open, mute A, D.
For G, To play G, press fret 2 on the A string with finger 2, let D, G, B ring open, mute low E, high E.
For F, To play F, barre fret 1 from the B string to the high E string with finger 1, press fret 1 on the low E string with finger 4, let A ring open, mute D, G.
For Am, To play Am, press fret 1 on the B string with finger 2, let low E, A, high E ring open, mute D, G.
For G#, To play G# | Ab, press fret 4 on the low E string with finger 3, press fret 3 on the A string with finger 2, press fret 4 on the B string with finger 3, press fret 4 on the high E string with finger 3, mute D, G.

Barre: Use your index finger to press multiple strings on the same fret, keeping your finger flat.

You can play 21st Century Breakdown with the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ strumming pattern.