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Last of the American Girls Lyrics

She puts her makeup on
Like graffiti on the walls of the heartland
She's got her little book of conspiracies
Right in her hand
She is paranoid like
Endangered species headed into extinction
She is one of a kind
She's the last of the American girls

She wears her overcoat
For the coming of the nuclear winter
She is riding her bike
Like a fugitive of critical mass
She's on a hunger strike
For the ones who won't make it for dinner
She makes enough to survive
For a holiday of working class

She's a runaway of the establishment incorporated
She won't cooperate
She's the last of the American girls

She plays her vinyl records
Singing songs on the eye of destruction
She's a sucker for
All the criminals breaking the laws
She will come in first
For the end of western civilization
She's an endless war
She's a hero for the lost cause
Like a hurricane
In the heart of the devastation
She's a natural disaster
She's the last of the American girls

She puts her makeup on
Like graffiti on the walls of the heartland
She's got her little book of conspiracies
Right in her hand
She will come in first
For the end of western civilization
She's a natural disaster
She's the last of the American girls
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27 Meanings

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Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

Lyrically similiar to "She's a Rebel" but quite a bit better lyrically. I'm starting to see that alot of songs are similiar to AI songs, but lyrically are far more well written, w/ an exception of "Know Your Enemy" [which i still think was meant to be repetitive]. Unlike "SaR" Billy Joe[who i'm guessing is writing in Christian's perspective about Gloria?] seems to be more of a bittersweet song about how Americans need to speak out for what we believe and the breed of Americans that do that is dying; and less of a young rebel love kinda thing.

Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

This girl is the sworn enemy of and the antidote to the American Idiot. The song shows how not everyone in America is bad, and that the spirit of rebellion, independence, and freedom is still alive in people like her.

Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

I noticed alot of people are talking about how Gloria and Christian are "friends" or "lovers", but according to a somewhat recent interview with the band, the story is not a love story at all. In fact, Gloria is the protagonist of the story and is just trying to get through her life without being changed from a Punk Rock chick to whatever this century is trying to make people. She is holding on to her ideas and although she does believe in the corruption of the government and the conspiracies, instead of just bitching about it, she is doing something about it. Christian is the antagonist of the story. He is being changed quickly. He learns of the problems of our society, but just becomes angry at everyone an everything. The two characters are foils and are enemies. Gloria is the "Last of the American Girls" because of how she is willing to stand up for her ideals. Christian is the "Enemy" because he is the "Silence" of the generation, as mentioned in the song "Know Your Enemy". This song is not coming from the view of Christian, but is the undeniable facts about Gloria.

Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

I'm pretty sure the line "She is riding her bike like a fugitive of critical mass" is a reference to San Francisco's (illegal) monthly bike ride of the same name. (Being a fugitive of it would make sense- it's absolutely huge and has gotten violent once or twice.)

Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

I think this "Last of the American girls" is referring to America itself.

Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

The funny thing is, I actually know girls like this. An ode to idealism, which is a dying as pessimism (and maybe a little but of apathy) is on the rise.

Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

She is the lifting of the veils.

Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

Ideal girl right here. I think people trying to make sure how it fits into the concept are missing the point. Sure it describes the girl in the story, but the point is what these guys consider a dying breed, this kind of American girl who spins records and puts on makeup like graffiti. Great song, and like almost all songs on concept albums, it stands alone better then as part of the story.

Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

She's a runaway of the establishment incorporated. I think that says a lot about America doesn't it? Wal Mart nation? A Nation where people are fake like the large corporations inc. around us? She is the working class. She gets screwed by the rich and the corporations on a daily basis....at the same time she won't conform...she's her own person unlike most people these days. She's rugged and reliable. She knows like her a lot of people in prison are there for petty reasons like pot. (She's a sucker for all the criminals breaking the laws).

She's one of the last unique people...she's the last of the American girls. Great song.

Cover art for Last of the American Girls lyrics by Green Day

after reading several comments I just realized that the two characters might be build based on Billie Joe and his wife... just a thought