<P> "21 Guns" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day . It was released as the second single from their eighth album, 21st Century Breakdown . The single was released through Reprise Records on May 25, 2009 as a digital download and July 14, 2009 as a CD single . The song has been a success on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 22, which has become their highest charting single since 2005 . </P> <P> It was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo / Group with Vocals and Best Rock Song in 2010 . </P> <P> "21 Guns" addresses the topic of patriotism . Frontman and chief songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong told Q magazine, in May 2009: "It brings up 21st Century Breakdown in a lot of ways, and the 21 - gun salute for someone that's fallen, but done in an arena rock' n' roll sort of way ." </P> <P> According to Q, the song is "a mammoth power ballad with a chorus like Mott the Hoople's All the Young Dudes ." William Goodman from Spin agreed, also comparing the song to All The Young Dudes . Entertainment Weekly's Simon Vozick - Levinson described it as a "sensitive arena rock cut that made us think of Toto's' Africa' . While the chorus sounded more like ELO's' Telephone Line .' A Rolling Stone article commented that it "has a dash of' Boulevard of Broken Dreams' to it ." Spin's Goodman agreed, writing: "This track covers a lot of territory in its five minutes, from a solo acoustic guitar (reminiscent of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams") to Brian May - worthy electric riffage . But the chorus holds the killer hook, as Armstrong hits highs with his voice in a thrilling moment ." </P>

Meaning of the song 21 guns by green day