My Gen X Playlist: Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Green Day

I’ve lived most of my adult life feeling the slight hint of a creative tug. Here I was, this straight laced professional. Conservative and analytical. But I’ve always wondered if there was a creative side to me. I’ve always been drawn to gallery showings, poetry readings, trying to view life through a photographer’s lens. I have an appreciation of other’s artistic expressions. Did I have it in me? It’s been a life long question.

I once was having lunch with a client and we randomly bumped into my cousin. After a little chit chat, we proceeded with lunch. I explained to the client my cousin was a hip hop music producer and also a rapper. They looked at straight laced professional me and burst out laughing because the comparison was so stark. By the look of me, I have no business having such a creative relative. Yeah, it was kind of funny, I agree.

I used to live near the artist district downtown and enjoyed art walks. It’s inspiring walking through artists live/work studios and being among their creative work. During one of these art walks, I discovered a cool lamp designer. Her style was diverse. Some pieces were contemporary and others with an industrial feel. Her lamps can be found throughout our place.

I’ve always wondered: Could I live an artist’s lifestyle in search of inspiration and expression? If I’m honest with myself, probably not. But I do appreciate and envy their life of creativity and their ability to communicate on a completely different level. What a gift.

Green Day released Boulevard of Broken Dreams in 2004. It turns out, the title was inspired by a 1948 painting of James Dean.

“Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” is a famous painting by Gottfried Helnwein depicting Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, James Dean and Elvis Presley hanging out in a bar. Helnwein’s painting is a parody of a painting called “Nighthawks” by Edward Hopper. In a VH1 Storytellers session, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said he saw the title on another Helnwein painting of James Dean from 1948. “There’s an old James Dean photo where he’s walking in New York and underneath it says ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams.’ It’s a great photo of him, so that’s where I sort of nicked the title from,” he said.

– songfacts

Maybe I’m not the creative type that I’d like to be. And that’s OK. That shouldn’t stop me from at least dipping my toe into a puddle of paint. After all, creating is not for others, but for self. By all accounts, my painted footprints are not meant to be found on other people’s walls or bookshelves. Sometimes I just need to eek out a little something here and there, letting out that feeling sitting inside. Hopefully that eases that tugging feeling. Or better yet, maybe that pull becomes a little stronger over time. Either way, I can’t go wrong.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

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

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

Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, aaah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah

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
Of what's fucked up and everything's alright
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

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

Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, aaah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah

I walk alone
I walk a

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

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