Meaning of the Green Day Album American Idiot

Now I know a lot of people are total idiots and didn’t catch that the American Idiot album tells a story. Well the album works like a running movie somewhat. It is all very interesting. Please feel free to post what you think the CD was about and the story it tells.

total idiots??

or perhaps we have better things to do with our time than to listen to the meaning of a few under par Green Day songs?

either way i dont care what the 'story' is..

no member of green day is a wise muse.. they just right good music.. nothing to base your life around or soak up all their beliefs..

they are rock stars not wise men

fine if you want to search for a meaning.. just dont call people who have other probably better things to do idiots

i for one listen to music because its music.. i dont care for hidden meanings or what the song is about.. i barely listen to lyrics anyway as im a drummer

Here is what one person thought it meant. Sorry for the length in advance.

This song is about Billie Think of the American Idiot Soundtrack as a running movie. “American Idiot” is the introduction of the movie, setting the stage, mood, and feel of the storyline. “Jesus of Suburbia” (J.O.S.) is the main character throughout the American Idiot soundtrack. JOS is the typical white suburban teenager, sick of growing up in his sheltered suburban surroundings, and he starts to question the lies that he’s been used to hearing all his life from his so-called rollmodels (Mom, Dad, Brad, and the government). “I don’t care if you don’t care!" He learns more and more about the real truths of the world, and the lies that everyone seems to be devoted to. Unable to stand the hypocrites and the lies, he eventually runs away. “Holiday” is J.O.S.'s first experiences out on the streets. He’s partying and celebrating his new freedom, like he’s on a holiday (watch the 'Holiday' video to see what I mean). He walks tall and is confident. He feels he knows how the world works--the evils of American government, religion, and society. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” is partly J.O.S.'s “hangover” from his celebration of freedom from the constraints of his old life. If you don’t believe me, watch the “Boulevard” video right after the “Holiday” video....it’s playing like a movie, right? Anyway, Boulevard is more that, though. It’s also about J.O.S. starting to feel lonlely and misunderstood by everybody. Like why am I the only one that feels like this about the world? JOS’s yearning is--> “Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me” He makes his way to the big city alone. “Are We The Waiting” is J.O.S.'s arrival to the city life. “Lost and found city bound in my dreams” I can imagine his eyes big and bright, like a dream come true. He doesn’t know what will happen once he settles in the city, but he is eager and can’t hardly contain his anticipation. “St. Jimmy” - I agree with those of you that think St. Jimmy is J.O.S.'s alter ego. J.O.S. is in a position to start a new life in the big city, and in doing this, he creates a new identity--an identity that is opposite of all the things he hates about his old suburban life. “Give Me Novacaine” - With JOS’s conversion into St. Jimmy, the relics of his old life still bother him. Maybe because he misses his family a little, maybe the big city is not turning out to be a dream at all. Reality is setting in though, and Jimmy/JOS is turning to drugs to help him ease the pain. “She’s a Rebel” - Boy meets girl. I can see this scene of JOS/Jimmy just watching Whatsername walk across the room slowly. They both have the same things in common. “She sings the revolution the dawning of our lives” (like in “Holiday”. We can tell that he puts her high up on a pedistal because she’s grown up in the city and she has all the qualities that he wished he grew up with. He admires her punk style truly. “Extraordinary Girl” - Boy goes out with girl...But the girl’s unhappy with her city life and her image. JOS/Jimmy sees those qualities that she’s ashamed of as reasons why he loves her so much. They’re both finding out they’re not happy with theirselves, but they’re finding comfort with each other. “Letterbomb” - Boy loses girl. She sends him a letter breaking up with him and says that she doesn’t believe he is who he says he is (St. Jimmy)...basically calling him a poser and challenging him to put his money where his mouth is and back up his words with actions. “Where have all the riots gone, As the city’s motto gets pulverized?, What’s in love is now in debt, On your birth certificate, So strike the fucking match to light this fuse!" His made-up ego grows so big that she has to put him back in his place “You’re not the Jesus of Suburbia, The St. Jimmy is a figment of Your father’s rage and your mother’s love Made me the idiot America” She’s sick of the lies he’s created (ironic, yes) and she leaves him and the big city. “Wake Me Up When September Ends” - Jimmy is left dealing with the pain of losing his girl. He equates this feeling like losing his father a while back. His instinct is to sleep and not wake up until the pain of his loss subsides. “Homecoming” - JOS/Jimmy grows older and eventually loses hope and leaves the big city and heads back to suburbia, killing off his alter-ego Jimmy and turning back into the Jesus of Suburbia. He does this partly because Whatsername wanted to leave the city life and he wanted to see if he could live that life again. Jesus gets a boring, suburban job and daydreams about his more exciting times back in the city. He resorts to watching TV again and wonders if he’ll ever see Whatsername again. He left the city for her. The draw of his old city life entices him so much that he leaves the suburbs (again) and heads back to his true home. “Whatsername” - Years later, he thinks about Whatsername and how perfect he thought she was back then, but understands that they both wanted different things in life and has no regrets. Though, the times he spent with her were the best times of his life. THE END

Adwodon- Hey I just found my first American Idiot.

Well then you must be an idiot if you don’t even care about lyrical content. A song isn’t just about the music alone, or the lyrics alone. Some bands are that good, either lyrically or musically, that they DO get isolated one way or the other, but generally, a song, or great songs, are musically AND lyrically esteemed.

You sound like a self-obsessed obnoxious pseudo-bohemian wannabe Keith Moon/John Bonham type.

While Green Day are 'pop', they are one of the ONLY such bands around that DO have excellent lyrical meanings about them.

Uh kinda what I’ve been saying. When Greend Day released this album they wanted people to listen what they were saying obviously. It is very beautifully written and has a strong meaning behind it. Yet America being American they hear the Album name and automatically judge it. It’s the American mentality. Ever since 911 there has been this patriotic bashing going on. You don’t believe what the president says then you are not patriotic. The Green Day Album inforced this even more. Green Day knew that this was controversial but they let it out anyway because they are excerising their first admendment. If anyone would listen to what these guys are trying to tell yah we might be a little better off.

You see I knew that when I made this forum that people would start bashing me. I for one like to listen to what the song is saying. Unless your an idiot that listens to rap or some loud blaring heavy metal. Then you don’t have to listen to the words because that really ain’t the important part. You have to play that music really loud for it to be good anyway.

Now this album is like a running movie. It has a whole story to it with I think 2 different meanings in each song. One meaning is just about the story being told about the life of a troubled teenager. While the second one relates to politics and America.

I’m bashing Adwodon, not you!

OH my bad dude. So we seem to be kinda on the same page at least. If you ever want to post what you think the album means be my guest.

I totally agree with adwodon

Zucas, you just proved to be an idiot yourself by bashing other music genres you clearly do not understand. How contradictive of you to consider one person who does not see eye-to-eye with you ignorant and then go and say that there is no worthwhile lyrical content in rap and heavy metal. You’re obviously basing yor claims on the “pop” groups and not the whole spectrum (including non-mainstream acts) of these music genres.

If you only know one thing, then by all means praise its virtues. But don’t go insulting the other things you do NOT know.

Ha!laughing a lot at what Adwodon said . Ha Ha...if you require a pop band to inform you of politics then your in trouble...or just v. young i 'spose

zucas - rap has some meanings too u dumass
if you listen clearly or read the lyrics of *TUPAC*'s songs, it has some meanings
like how it was like living in the hood stuff like that

so really your just an idiot

Riiiiiiight...

If i sound like that you sound like some 15 y/o sheep who would soak up and believe everything a band says just like the 'idiots' soak up everything that the government / parents feed them like you said..

Do you even know why the government is lying?? How the government is lying?! Or even what they are lying about?!?!

Why are you parents lying?!? What are they lying about?!

Your no different, your average person gets their political stand from newspapers, what the government says and apparently to you that makes them idiots.. when you yours get your from a BAND?!?!

Am I the only one who thinks thats messed up!?

Your all just angry kids.. angry at nothing in particular so you pick something which your never going to touch (the government) because Green Day told you to.. none of you would even dare rebel against them..

And also if thats the story behind american idiot.. it really sucks!! What the hell is moral behind that story?! Boy gets angry.. moves to city.. becomes druggy.. meets girl.. girl dumps him because he’s a loser.. he wants to die.. goes back to his roots and lives boringly ever after, WTF!?

Thats not meaning thats just a crappy story which they slapped into their music so people would lap it up and go look look look I found a story in these songs and expect a pat on the head and a doggy treat.

Another thing just came to me.. are you one of those depressed teens?! You know the ones that blame their suffering on others when its clearly their fault.. the type that hold no responsibility and drive everyone away and then say its the government or something equally stupid.

Just a thought..

Anywho I need food

haha my mates coming round later.. he’s supposed to be at Uni but on his night out last week he got alcohol poisoning and internal bleeding hahahaha

guess if your gona go out.. go out with a blurry bang!! hahaha

ah some people do make me chuckle

only fat bastards chuckle

Gosh you guys are such idiots. Obviously you know nothing about the American Idiot album. I said this before it has 2 meanings. One deals with politics in an odd sort of a way. The other one tells a story of a troubled teen just trying to get through life. GET IT RIGHT. It’s not just about government.

Wow...Zucas is sooo deep because, for the first tme in his life, he “understands” a pop band’s album concept. LOL.

Do you feel superior now? I’ll bet someone TOLD you about the “story concept” in Green Day’s album. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

zucas is gay

Zucas Wants To Be An American Idiot

Better than being an English Idiot.