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"Welcome to Paradise" vs. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"
Starting off with a good matchup here. One of the good things about AC/DC is that song lyrics that are about one lover indulging another also have another level of meaning of the band servicing (in their own way) their fans. Are you a high-school loser? We can help. AC/DC gives their fans “DDDDC.” AC/DC wins
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" vs. "Big Balls"
A pile of clichés vs. a cheap abuse of double entendre. Tie.
"Longview" vs. "TNT"
Somebody had to write about when masturbation loses its appeal, and God bless Green Day for being the ones, but AC/DC takes it by keeping the fantasy alive. What does that say?
"Hitchin a Ride" vs. "Whole Lotta Rosie"
“Hitchin’ a Ride” is good teenage marching music — AC/DC territory. I think the title of “Whole Lotta Rosie” conjured enough to make it a favorite for a lot of folks, despite it not being all that. Green Day.
"American Idiot" vs. "Highway To Hell"
I like “American Idiot” the song more than the album. It sums up what’s great about Green Day. They dialed punk back to the Buzzcocks, bypassing grunge and everything else that punk had become sublimated into, but rather than stay there, used the Buzzcock perch as their own leaping-off point. “Highway to Hell” stands as a monolith here. An impressive one, I guess, but Green Day wins.
"When I Come Around" vs. "Thunderstruck"
Tough loss for Green Day, but “Thunderstruck” is an amazing bit of alchemy, in which an awful lyric by all standards, a few cheap and obvious hooks, and looped Angus lick take a 1989 AC/DC back with a Howitzer strong enough to be from their 1970s catalog. AC/DC.
"Brain Stew" vs. "Moneytalks"
“Brain Stew” sounds like Bad Brains with out the tight pulse or HR’s vocal dynamics. “Moneytalks” stands with “Thunderstruck” among good later AC/DC songs coming out with just enough production value to make longtime fans distrust it and just enough fun and thunder to get them past it. AC/DC.
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" vs. "Hells Bells"
A grunge act would have totally destroyed the vocal to “WMuWSE” but Green Day gives it a good reading. Note to grungies, you can still be rocking and passionate without singing everything like you have a knife in you and a case of lockjaw. And if you sing everything that way, nobody’s going to listen when you actually have a knife in you and a case of lockjaw. Still, only a slight edge to Green Day here.
"Basket Case" vs. "Back In Black"
“Basket Case” is a showstopper AC/DC would be proud of. “Back in Black has a second-rate chorus, but a good rhyme scheme, and hooks and all. One established the band, the other re-established it. I’m going to go Green Day here as well. Wow. Tough choices.
"Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" vs. "For Those About To Rock"
I’ll go with AC/DC to close this out, if only to complain about the overplayment of “GR.” It’s not bad, but given a choice, I’m definitely tuning the dial to AC.
AC/DC songs I like not here: “Jailbreak,” “Downpayment Blues,” and “Long Way to the Top.” Still they edge it out, 5.5-4.5.
Another hour and my vote is different. Great matchup.
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