Is American Idiot really all that Political?

[Rancid punk:LTD]

I've been listening to American Idiot a lot and I don't think it is. Obviously American Idiot is a political song, and there are bush references in Holiday, but other than that I don't see it as political as it's been hyped to be. Any of the other songs could have been on another record without that label at all. What do you guys think? (sorry I searched)

[Heather.]

It's really not. In the balance of personal to political, it's WAY more of a personal journey than a political awakening. Those songs are interesting and cutting, but the album as a whole is not that political. I would say 21st Century Breakdown is INCREDIBLY more political than AI ever was (political also meaning social commentary).

On AI you had basically just AI and Holiday talking about politics, whereas on 21CB: 21CB, Know Your Enemy, 21 Guns, American Eulogy, Murder City, Static Age, East Jesus Nowhere, Peacemaker.. these were all, to varying degrees, attacks on the status quo. That album was outward looking, American Idiot was so much more inward looking.

[captain peroxide]

/thread. Brilliant post.

[Guest]

While I can't beat Mercury's post, I can add to it a little with my limited thoughts on the matter:

AI, in and of itself, is not a political album. It simply refers to the political state of its time as part of the background framing behind the actions of the Jesus of Suburbia throughout the record.

[StuckWithRob]

I think Jesus of Suburbia represents the disillusioned youth of today, therefore in many songs such as JOS BOBD and Homecoming 'American Idiot' attacks the social norm. However I agree that 21CB is more political

[solongfromthestars]

There's nothing I can really say now because two people have already said it in an better way

But yeah, I actually hardly see it as political anymore. There's so much personal depth in it which gets totally overlooked when people are busy ranting about how this super-political album has wounded their punkness. I remember someone saying "I hate BOBD but it's the only song that's not full of political shit" - no. The whole thing can be viewed as personal if you want it to be.

I don't really see 21CB as any more political, though. I guess it just depends on the listener. For me 21CB is the most personal music gets. I see the political side, but like AI, I feel it's more personal than political.

[greendaytodeathandback]

There's nothing I can really say now because two people have already said it in an better way

But yeah, I actually hardly see it as political anymore.

Yeah, I feel the same, I used to think it was becasue I hadn't looked too much into it, but I think that it depends on the listener in that way, because, say a person who never listens to Green Day listened to the album, I would say they would find it all political. But for us the fans, we have gone through all the interviews and the other albums, and even the musical, so for us the meaning is constantly developing.

I dunno, that's what I think, though not as well put as everyone else^^

[Sofouska]

I think American Idiot is mostly about feeling lost and trying to find your way and your place in the society, but it's not that political. I feel that songs like Letterbomb are somehow trying to politically awaken both the listener and JOS in the story. ("The town's bishop's an extortionist" etc.). 21st Century Breakdown is far more political-related but hmm too political I could say. Not that it's bad, but we don't know a lot about Christian and Gloria except that they both love and somehow hate each other.

[Hermione]

I agree. The political themes and statements it makes are bold so they stand out. But in terms of the album as a whole the political themes just set a background to the main story which is a personal one about a young man coming of age. He happens to be coming of age during that time in politics so it becomes a part of the story.

It's similar on both albums, personal and political aren't separate things, they intersect just like in life. So songs can be both things at once. I think that's even more the case on 21st CB, with songs like 21 Guns that are really an equal amount of the two and can be interpreted either way. On 21st CB the line between personal and political is blurred so much you can hardly see the difference, so one person might see an album full of political songs and another might see it as deeply personal, and another a mix of the two.

[mechanicalman]

It's all about how Bush sucks. Obviously.

[Mommy's Little Nightmare]

I definitely agree with what everyone says. It's about a youth who's disillusioned with today's society and politics, and how he reacts- where he goes- what he feels about it.

I will say Letterbomb has hints of political undertones, though. There's no denying it makes mention of corruption, and it's Whatsername calling Johnny to speak out again, as she's leaving him.

[Isabel]

Yeah, I always wondered why it was considered their 'political album' when only two songs out of 13 really symbolise it. (well I suppose 3 if you include Letterbomb) Sometimes I wonder when people say "Oh yeah, that's the political album." Are they only referring to those songs and don't actually know the story behind Jesus of Suburbia/St. Jimmy, etc. or do they just genuinely think that those songs are enough of a representation for the entire album?

To be honest, both concept albums have always confused me slightly. It's like, you've got the likes of American Idiot and Holiday, then all of a sudden there's a song like Give Me Novacaine or Are We The Waiting and it's just odd how they jump around. Same with 21st Century Breakdown- although I think that's a more 'punk' like album with regards to the messages in the songs. But again, you're going from 21st Century Breakdown to Christian's Inferno, to Peacemaker, to Murder City, then to The Static Age. It's just sort of odd, I think.

[DecanoLP]

I think Jesus of Suburbia represents the disillusioned youth of today, therefore in many songs such as JOS BOBD and Homecoming 'American Idiot' attacks the social norm. However I agree that 21CB is more political

I agree. You can interpret a lot into these songs, most of the songs have lyrics that you can classify in two platforms. Although I have to agree witht he others saying that 21stCB is much more political.

[StuckWithRob]

Yeah, I always wondered why it was considered their 'political album' when only two songs out of 13 really symbolise it. (well I suppose 3 if you include Letterbomb) Sometimes I wonder when people say "Oh yeah, that's the political album." Are they only referring to those songs and don't actually know the story behind Jesus of Suburbia/St. Jimmy, etc. or do they just genuinely think that those songs are enough of a representation for the entire album?

I think people have only heard American Idiot's wonderfully straightforward 'subliminial mindfuck America' and maybe 'Holiday' and presume all the songs are like them.

[VisionsofGreenDay115]

I can agree that 21CBD is a lot more political.. but i think it depends on the listener of how political AI is, I think that was one of the main subjects Billie was looking to display when writing for AI, but its obviously not the biggest subject in the album. If you know the lyrics well, I can recall that Green day makes many references politically in a lot more songs than American Idiot and Holiday, is just not as abstract, since they are trying to focus more on Jesus of Suburbia, St. Jimmy, and Whatsername...

[LChamp]

Politics definatley do contribute to the overall plot but more than anything it is a love story with an unhappy ending (in my opinion). Songs like "Favorite Son" and "Holiday" are blatantly political but are used to set the backdrop and to give tlisteners an idea of what time period and what kind of world the characters are living in. On their own those songs make a very loud political statement but in the context of teh sotry politics is an underlying theme.

[Mommy's Little Nightmare]

I think it gets called a political album based on those couple songs, but they were just so blatant and had such a strong political message- and they were the singles... that it is just referred to as such. Because the songs that were political had an undeniably strong stance.

[okotavio]

21CB is directly more political. I would say American Idiot is an album about a life influenced by a political context.

[melissawebster]

Yeah, I feel the same, I used to think it was becasue I hadn't looked too much into it, but I think that it depends on the listener in that way, because, say a person who never listens to Green Day listened to the album, I would say they would find it all political. But for us the fans, we have gone through all the interviews and the other albums, and even the musical, so for us the meaning is constantly developing.

I dunno, that's what I think, though not as well put as everyone else^^

I guess that's exactly why this is a constant question for Green Day fans. When you listen to the music without knowing the interviews and Broadway musical storyline, you immediately see it as political, because, as Billie Joe Armstrong said just last October in that New York interview (I forget the venue name) right before the Halloween surprise show, it is an admonishment of the Bush Administration. That would indicate it was intended, by them anyway, to be a political statement.

I have always seen it as more political than personal, and as a writer, would have never written the storyline they came up with for the musical, which to me is like a re-make of Quadrophenia with a little Trainspotting thrown in. And I see Jesus of Suburbia as a metaphor of the consequences the political choices and current events have placed on us in the form of the "lost generation" in today's (or at the time the music was written) youth, with Johnny, Tunny and Whatsername basically representing anyone and everyone. It's more subtle than 21st Century Breakdown, but political nonetheless.

And 21st Century Breakdown is an in-your-face political statement without question. It's all about religion and politics and the fucked up state we find ourselves in. Definitely edgier and bolder than Warning, which I believe started the trend for them towards politics, and American Idiot.

It was definitely personal for them, but that doesn't make it less political. They took a huge risk, but felt they needed to say what everyone else was afraid to say out of fear of getting taken off the radio and having their CD's burned and America turning against them ruining their careers. How much more political can you get than that? To me anyway, it's the ultimate form of punk.

Great topic by the way.

[Just a grouch]

I guess that's exactly why this is a constant question for Green Day fans. When you listen to the music without knowing the interviews and Broadway musical storyline, you immediately see it as political, because, as Billie Joe Armstrong said just last October in that New York interview (I forget the venue name) right before the Halloween surprise show, it is an admonishment of the Bush Administration. That would indicate it was intended, by them anyway, to be a political statement.

I have always seen it as more political than personal, and as a writer, would have never written the storyline they came up with for the musical, which to me is like a re-make of Quadrophenia with a little Trainspotting thrown in. And I see Jesus of Suburbia as a metaphor of the consequences the political choices and current events have placed on us in the form of the "lost generation" in today's (or at the time the music was written) youth, with Johnny, Tunny and Whatsername basically representing anyone and everyone. It's more subtle than 21st Century Breakdown, but political nonetheless.

And 21st Century Breakdown is an in-your-face political statement without question. It's all about religion and politics and the fucked up state we find ourselves in. Definitely edgier and bolder than Warning, which I believe started the trend for them towards politics, and American Idiot.

It was definitely personal for them, but that doesn't make it less political. They took a huge risk, but felt they needed to say what everyone else was afraid to say out of fear of getting taken off the radio and having their CD's burned and America turning against them ruining their careers. How much more political can you get than that? To me anyway, it's the ultimate form of punk.

Great topic by the way.

Well said. I think the most cogent point is that much of AI addresses the consequences of the political climate at the time. Because of that, I've always considered the entire album to be a body of work created as political commentary and, consequently, view it that way rather than disecting the meaning of individual songs. But, let's not lose sight of the fact that the songs kick ass.

Fantastic topic.

[melissawebster]

Well said. I think the most cogent point is that much of AI addresses the consequences of the political climate at the time. Because of that, I've always considered the entire album to be a body of work created as political commentary and, consequently, view it that way rather than disecting the meaning of individual songs. But, let's not lose sight of the fact that the songs kick ass.

Fantastic topic.

Bwahaha! They do indeed kick ass.

"consequences of the political climate" is the most perfect way to put it. I have a hard time seeing the lead characters actions being a result of the political climate of the time in the current storyline. To me, there's a disconnect that doesn't quite transcend the two. Not that there's anything wrong with the current storyline. I just think it could be so much more that incorporates the inspiration behind the music, instead of just focusing on the flaws within the characters themselves, which has nothing to do with the political BS.

I too see the album as a whole and not in individual parts. Anything taken out of context could be interpreted a million different ways.

[pretty_and_demented]

I was actually thinking about the same thing a couple of nights ago. And i totally agree with 21CB being way more political that AI, but at the time when American Idiot was released everything was taken politically

[melissawebster]

So true. It was definitely a turbulent time.

[greendaytodeathandback]

I guess that's exactly why this is a constant question for Green Day fans. When you listen to the music without knowing the interviews and Broadway musical storyline, you immediately see it as political, because, as Billie Joe Armstrong said just last October in that New York interview (I forget the venue name) right before the Halloween surprise show, it is an admonishment of the Bush Administration. That would indicate it was intended, by them anyway, to be a political statement.

I have always seen it as more political than personal, and as a writer, would have never written the storyline they came up with for the musical, which to me is like a re-make of Quadrophenia with a little Trainspotting thrown in. And I see Jesus of Suburbia as a metaphor of the consequences the political choices and current events have placed on us in the form of the "lost generation" in today's (or at the time the music was written) youth, with Johnny, Tunny and Whatsername basically representing anyone and everyone. It's more subtle than 21st Century Breakdown, but political nonetheless.

And 21st Century Breakdown is an in-your-face political statement without question. It's all about religion and politics and the fucked up state we find ourselves in. Definitely edgier and bolder than Warning, which I believe started the trend for them towards politics, and American Idiot.

It was definitely personal for them, but that doesn't make it less political. They took a huge risk, but felt they needed to say what everyone else was afraid to say out of fear of getting taken off the radio and having their CD's burned and America turning against them ruining their careers. How much more political can you get than that? To me anyway, it's the ultimate form of punk.

Great topic by the way.

I see what you are saying totally, and I completely agree that 21CB is far more 'in you face' with regards to religous battles and politics. But, I dunno, I just feel like AI has changed in meaning for me personally, like as in Holiday will always be a political song, but Letterbomb actually means something to me now and then changed again when I heard Whatshername singing it.

But yeah I do agree, it's still political, just maybe not as much as it was seen to be when it first came out, y'know?

[Holly]

I've always thought this, it was hyped up as such a politically orientated album when really I've never considered it to be that politically charged as a whole, apart from the obvious songs. I agree that in the context of the time it was released it was received far more politically than it perhaps would have been if it were to be released now.