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Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong played the American Idiot single as part of the global COVID-19 benefit TV special.
This weekend, an all-star cast of musicians and celebrities assembled to perform for One World: Together At Home, a global TV benefit in collaboration with Lady Gaga to support the COVID-19 Response Fund.
As well as the likes of Billie Eilish and Elton John, the programme also featured a couple of wonderful rock performances from musicians' own homes, including Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder's gorgeous rendition of River Cross, and Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong taking on American Idiot single Wake Me Up When September Ends with just an acoustic guitar.
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And not only was Billie Joe's performance a heartfelt and touching tribute for those affected by coronavirus, there was also an added Easter egg in the video for longtime Green Day fans: the frontman was wearing the same T-shirt that he wore in the band's legendary 1994 video for Longview. Hell yeah.
Check it out below:
The song even moved Lady Gaga to tears, with the pop star taking to social media to say, "Thank you so much to Green Day and Billie Joe for this beautiful song," while wiping her eyes.
“As we honour and support the heroic efforts of community health workers, One World: Together At Home aims to serve as a source of unity and encouragement in the global fight to end COVID-19,” explained Hugh Evans, co-founder/CEO of Global Citizen, at the time of the benefit's announcement. “Through music, entertainment and impact, the global live-cast will celebrate those who risk their own health to safeguard everyone else’s.”
And it proved to be a roaring success, raising a whopping $127m for coronavirus relief. Amazing work, everyone.
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