 Genius Meanings
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Green Day – American Idiot
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Starting off the album with a bang, “American Idiot” is a scathing takedown of American culture in the years following 9/11. Released as the first single from the album, it has
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Green Day – Jesus of Suburbia
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“American Idiot” introduced the concept of an post 9/11 America in Green Day’s eyes, and this song present’s the album’s main character Jesus of Suburbia. Jesus of Suburbia is a
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Green Day – Wake Me Up When September Ends
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“Wake Me Up When September Ends” is the only song on American Idiot that has no direct connection to the album’s story arc.
Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong wrote this
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Green Day – She's a Rebel
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“She’s a Rebel” introduces a new character in the American Idiot story arc: Whatsername. Here, Jesus of Suburbia meets this free-spirited, rebellious woman who he falls in love
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Green Day – Holiday
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“Holiday” is an anti-war anthem that criticizes America’s war on Iraq, while at the same time reflecting and building up American Idiot’s main character. The track continues the
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Green Day (Ft. John Gallagher Jr.) – When It's Time (Broadway)
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This song is about realizing that you are falling in love someone, and when is the right time to tell them you love them. It is a heartfelt song that Johnny sings to a sleeping
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Green Day (Ft. Christina Sajous, The Company, John Gallagher Jr., Mary Faber, Michael Esper, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Stark Sands & Tony Vincent) – American Idiot (Broadway)
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The youths in this musical are frustrated with their less-than-satisfactory suburban lives in Jingletown, U.S.A. They’re angry with the media that’s been shoved down their throats
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Green Day – American Idiot (Radio Edit)
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[Verse 1] / Don't wanna be an American idiot / Don't want a nation under the new media / And can you hear the sound of hysteria? / The subliminal mind [____] America / [Chorus
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Green Day – Homecoming
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The climax of the rock opera. Jesus decides to return home. This song has whole pieces written by each of the current members of the band: Billie Joe Armstrong (“The Death Of St
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Green Day – Letterbomb
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“Letterbomb” is presented by Whatsername, which is apparent in the Broadway adaptation of the album. In the track, Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername’s romance has ended; she left
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Green Day – American Idiot Samples
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See all of “American Idiot” by Green Day’s samples, covers, remixes, interpolations and live versions
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"Weird Al" Yankovic – Canadian Idiot
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A take off on Green Day’s “American Idiot,” both songs make fun of Americans. Weird Al sings about the stereotypical Canadian, and makes fun of how Americans view them—too nice, a
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Green Day (Ft. Alysha Umphress, Christina Sajous, Joshua Henry, Leslie McDonel, Libby Winters & Mary Faber) – Favorite Son (Broadway)
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Tunny is unsure of what to do or where to go in the city, so he turns on the T.V. and sees this ad for the army.
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Green Day – Give Me Novacaine
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“Give Me Novacaine” is about Jesus of Suburbia wanting to take drugs to relieve stress from his life and asking for reassurance from his alter ego St. Jimmy.
The instrumentality
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Green Day – American Idiot - Live at Milton Keynes National Bowl, Milton Keynes, England, 6/18/05
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[Verse 1] / Don't wanna be an American idiot / Don't want a nation under the new mania / And can you hear the sound of hysteria? / The subliminal mind-fuck America (Alright!) / [
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Green Day – Basket Case
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“Basket Case” spent five weeks at the top of the Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming arguably Green Day’s signature song of the pre-American Idiot days.
It’s about Billie Joe
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Green Day – St. Jimmy
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“St. Jimmy” abruptly cuts the previous song “Are We the Waiting”; it shows how Jesus of Suburbia has officially gone off the deep end. In his loneliness, Jesus of Suburbia now
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Green Day – American Idiot(Live At Montreal,QC)
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[Verse 1: Crowd] / Don't wanna be an American idiot / Don't want a nation under the new media / And can you hear the sound of hysteria? / The subliminal mind-fuck America / [Chorus
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Green Day – Governator
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This B-side from the “American Idiot” single (also included as a bonus track on digital editions of the American Idiot album) is clearly about Arnold Schwarzenegger, the famous
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Green Day (Ft. John Gallagher Jr.) – Whatsername (Broadway)
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[JOHNNY] / Thought I ran into you down on the street / Then it turned out to only be a dream / I made a point to burn all of the photographs / She went away and then I took a
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