Green Day have been copping a bit of flak following the release their new single ‘One Eyed Bastard’. Fans online have been quick to call “rip off”, pointing out that the latest cut of the punk icons’ forthcoming 14th studio album Saviors bears a striking similarity to one of Pink‘s biggest hits.
Namely, fans reckon the main guitar riff of Green Day’s tune sounds uncomfortably similar to the main “Na na na na na na na” vocal hook from the popstar’s 2008 song ‘So What’.
Green Day – ‘One Eyed Bastard’
“Green Day are just ripping off Pink now huh??” one punter tweeted.
“The riff on the new Green Day song is simply the same melody as ‘So What’ by Pink,” another added.
“100% rip off,” said a third.
However, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has inferred the similarities are nothing but a coincidence, explaining that the ‘One Eyed Bastard’ riff was actually inspired by the work of an iconic metal band.
“‘One Eyed Bastard’ started off as just a riff that I had — a shuffle, almost like a Black Sabbath kind of riff,” he said in a statement (via Consequence of Sound). “Lyrically, I was just reflecting on bad times in life. That’s the thing about nostalgia, sometimes you think, ‘That was an awful time’.”
He continued: “Everybody’s got that ugly place in their life where they have to deal with ugly thoughts — it could be like revenge or whatever. Thankfully, I have an outlet in songwriting.”
You can stream ‘One Eyed Bastard’ above and compare it to Pink’s ‘So What’ below to see what you reckon of the similarities.
Meanwhile, Green Day’s new album, Saviors, is due out on Friday, 19th January 2024. It’s their first record since 2020’s Father of All Motherfuckers, a spottily-reviewed record, but one that was warmly embraced by the fans who have had Dookie ringing in their ears since it came out back in 1994.
Saviors is being pitched as something of a return to the halcyon days of Green Day. Co-producer Rob Cavallo previously worked on both Dookie and 2004’s American Idiot, widely regarded as the two best records in the band’s discography.
The band also recently teased a celebratory Australian tour in the works for 2025. More on that here.
Pink – ‘So What’
Further Reading
Green Day Tease New Australian Tour Plans
