American Idiot (Album) - In Depth
American Idiot is the seventh studio album by American rock band Green Day. It comes after the critical and commercial failure that was Warning. Green Day were going to release an album entitled ‘Cigarettes and Valentines’ instead in 2003. However, the recordings were stolen and subsequently lost, so Green Day had to think. Instead, they came up with ‘American Idiot’, a concept album (and arguably their best) that details the coming of age of a late-teen who is living in Iraq-War era America.
The first track: ‘American Idiot’ details the start of this journey, and it shows a general consensus of unhappiness throughout America due to the Bush-Triggered action in Iraq as a response to 9/11. This is seen in the line: “The subliminal mind, f**k America.” Which shows that people at this point are ready to totally abandon America as a country and being American people if peace isn’t found soon.
The second track: ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ is the first long form track on the album, lasting 9:08 it’s the first introduction we get to the main character on the album, who at the time is known as Jesus of Suburbia. The first part, which is titled the same as the song, details the character as living a hectic life in suburban America which involves drugs among other things. ‘City of the Damned’, the second part, is the first real idea that we get that Jesus of Suburbia isn’t happy with where he is and where his life is going. “Home is where the heart is but what a shame. Because everyone’s heart doesn’t beat the same” shows that he isn’t at all happy in his home and with his current situation and that he feels as if he can do better. ‘I Don’t Care’ is the first/only bit of the song that really portrays any type of anger as the other parts only portray a sense of unhappiness with the situation and you can tell with lyrics such as “We are the kids of war and peace. From Anaheim to the Middle East” that this is a protest towards the war in Iraq at the time. The penultimate part of this song: ‘Dearly Beloved’ is basically a cry for help from the main character to a lover who doesn’t exist at this point. It also shows that his mental state and addiction at this time could be declining with the lyric “Oh therapy, can you please fill the void.” The final part of this song, titled ‘Tales of Another Broken Home’ details the fact that being from a broken home can affect a person massively as well as the current world issues and is the first sense we get of the fact that the protagonist is leaving his home and finding somewhere better to go.
The third track, titled ‘Holiday’ is the second politically based track on this album and might I add is my favourite on it. By now, Jesus of Suburbia has left his home and is now on the way to new horizons and somewhere better. It follows a fast tempo and is kept going by a driving drum beat by Tre Cool. “I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies. This is the beginning of the rest of our lives”, which is the chorus speaks for a lot of Americans at this point also.
The fourth track ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ shows that the main character is well and truly on his own after leaving and is lost, not just from society, even though he is now in the city, but himself too. “Sometimes, I wish someone out there will find me” shows that he wants to be found by someone at some point, even though that isn’t likely to happen any time soon, which is driving him on the verge of emotional breaking point and total insanity.
The fifth track: ‘Are We The Waiting’ is a much more slow paced track than any of the others on the album so far. It details the fact that Jesus is starting to completely lose his mind, it continues the feeling of loneliness and shows that he is lost in this city that he ran to for refuge. Post chorus line “This dirty town, burning down in my dreams” shows that he is now starting to forget about where he first came from, but that’s ok, he wants that to happen.
Track Six: ‘St Jimmy’ is the first look at the new identity of what was the Jesus of Suburbia. By this point, he is completly off the rails or if not very close to being as such. This alter ego is the product of this loneliness which is shown in the last 2 tracks. ‘St Jimmy’ is much more fast paced than the last 2, and abruptly cuts from ‘Are we the Waiting’ to an attack sounding guitar.
The seventh track: ‘Give me Novicane’ details the fact that Jesus of Suburbia makes a re-appearance. He want to take drugs to relieve the stresses he is feeling and is asking St Jimmy is that is ok for him to do. At this point St Jimmy is only part of Jesus’ imagination even if Jesus wants to become him. “Tell me Jimmy, I won’t feel a thing” is Jesus trying to talk to himself and ask if he’ll be ok whilst taking these drugs and if it will numb the pain.
The eighth track: ‘She’s a Rebel’ is the first meeting of this woman that Jesus has met, Whatsername. Here, Jesus of Suburbia meets this free-spirited, rebellious woman who he falls in love with. She’s strong in her beliefs and will get what she wants due to having an unbelievably strong will. However, she is still described as being a “Saint” in the eyes of Jesus.
The ninth track: ‘Extraordinary Girl’ shows that Jesus has fallen in love with this girl for her personality and how rebellious she is. However, she realised that St Jimmy isn’t the real deal and is only an alter-ego of Jesus, she originally was attracted to St Jimmy due to his rebelliousness, not realising what was underneath. The song also shows that, even while she looks to be so strong-willed, Whatsername has a darker, sadder side, much in the way that the Jesus of Suburbia is the sadder side to St. Jimmy.
The tenth track: ‘Letterbomb’ Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername’s romance has ended; she left him, believing that he is too melodramatic and self-destructive. In this song he feels much rage and wonders what else he could have done to prevent this from happening. It turns out that Billie-Joe always wanted this song to be sung by a woman. It also is partly where the idea for the album art (a grenade shaped as a heart) came from.
Track eleven: ‘Wake me up when September Ends’ is the only track that isn’t part of the rest of the story, but it still has a much deeper meaning. It’s a song written by Billie-Joe to his father, Andrew, who he lost at age 10 in 1982. The title comes from, something Apparently said by Billie-Joe to his mum after the funeral, where he locked himself in his room and said “wake me up when September ends.” This was originally supposed to be on ‘Shenanigans’, but Billie wasn’t emotionally ready to record it, so it was put onto ‘American Idiot.’
The twelfth and penultimate track is the second long form track on the album: ‘Homecoming’, here we see that Jesus is ready to go back to the town he originated from, after many years. This song has parts written by all 3 band members too, this was done during a friendly competition that they did as a group to outwrite each other. The first part, titled: ‘The Death of St Jimmy’ shows that Jesus is ready to get rid of any trace of his alter ego. The line “Jimmy died today, he blew his brains out into the bay”, sums this up perfectly. The second part: ‘East 12th Street’ details where Jesus has been working for many years at this time, a job that has basically desensitised him from reality. “He’s not listening to a word now, he’s in his own world and he’s daydreaming” shows that he’s not enjoying his job and also shows my before point that he is now desensitised from reality itself. The third part: ‘Nobody likes you’ details the fact that Jesus has removed himself from society and has no contact with any other people now. “Dreaming of a song, but something went wrong. And you can’t tell anyone, because no one’s here” shows that Jesus has nothing and no one in life these days. The fourth and penultimate part: ‘Rock and Roll Girlfriend’ is the shortest part of the song and the only part that isn’t sung by Billie-Joe, instead being sung by Tre Cool. The fifth and final part, the triumphant ‘We’re Coming Home Again’ shows that Jesus is now back to the town he started in, leaving the city behind and all the chaos that comes with it. “The world keeps spinning round, and round out of control again”, shows how chaotic this city life is.
The final song on the album, the much quieter and slower ‘Whatsername’ is written many years later and is Jesus remembering the girl mentioned in ‘She’s a Rebel’ and ‘Extraordinary Girl.’ However, now his memory is much distorted as he cannot remember the name of this girl that he loved so dear, even for such a short time, you hear this in “I remember the face, but I can’t recall the name.” Jesus knows who he’s talking about but cannot remember what she’s called. He then asks “Did she ever marry, oh, whatshisface?” It is an amazing end to this album.
To conclude, I believe that this is Green Day’s strongest album and maybe even the greatest concept album ever created. Written during such a stressful time for the world as well, it shows the real message of people wanting to/having to leave their current situation to find new places/things.
(Sources used: Wikipedia, Genius.)
American Idiot is the seventh studio album by American rock band Green Day. It comes after the critical and commercial failure that was Warning. Green Day were going to release an album entitled ‘Cigarettes and Valentines’ instead in 2003. However, the recordings were stolen and subsequently lost, so Green Day had to think. Instead, they came up with ‘American Idiot’, a concept album (and arguably their best) that details the coming of age of a late-teen who is living in Iraq-War era America.
The first track: ‘American Idiot’ details the start of this journey, and it shows a general consensus of unhappiness throughout America due to the Bush-Triggered action in Iraq as a response to 9/11. This is seen in the line: “The subliminal mind, f**k America.” Which shows that people at this point are ready to totally abandon America as a country and being American people if peace isn’t found soon.
The second track: ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ is the first long form track on the album, lasting 9:08 it’s the first introduction we get to the main character on the album, who at the time is known as Jesus of Suburbia. The first part, which is titled the same as the song, details the character as living a hectic life in suburban America which involves drugs among other things. ‘City of the Damned’, the second part, is the first real idea that we get that Jesus of Suburbia isn’t happy with where he is and where his life is going. “Home is where the heart is but what a shame. Because everyone’s heart doesn’t beat the same” shows that he isn’t at all happy in his home and with his current situation and that he feels as if he can do better. ‘I Don’t Care’ is the first/only bit of the song that really portrays any type of anger as the other parts only portray a sense of unhappiness with the situation and you can tell with lyrics such as “We are the kids of war and peace. From Anaheim to the Middle East” that this is a protest towards the war in Iraq at the time. The penultimate part of this song: ‘Dearly Beloved’ is basically a cry for help from the main character to a lover who doesn’t exist at this point. It also shows that his mental state and addiction at this time could be declining with the lyric “Oh therapy, can you please fill the void.” The final part of this song, titled ‘Tales of Another Broken Home’ details the fact that being from a broken home can affect a person massively as well as the current world issues and is the first sense we get of the fact that the protagonist is leaving his home and finding somewhere better to go.
The third track, titled ‘Holiday’ is the second politically based track on this album and might I add is my favourite on it. By now, Jesus of Suburbia has left his home and is now on the way to new horizons and somewhere better. It follows a fast tempo and is kept going by a driving drum beat by Tre Cool. “I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies. This is the beginning of the rest of our lives”, which is the chorus speaks for a lot of Americans at this point also.
The fourth track ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ shows that the main character is well and truly on his own after leaving and is lost, not just from society, even though he is now in the city, but himself too. “Sometimes, I wish someone out there will find me” shows that he wants to be found by someone at some point, even though that isn’t likely to happen any time soon, which is driving him on the verge of emotional breaking point and total insanity.
The fifth track: ‘Are We The Waiting’ is a much more slow paced track than any of the others on the album so far. It details the fact that Jesus is starting to completely lose his mind, it continues the feeling of loneliness and shows that he is lost in this city that he ran to for refuge. Post chorus line “This dirty town, burning down in my dreams” shows that he is now starting to forget about where he first came from, but that’s ok, he wants that to happen.
Track Six: ‘St Jimmy’ is the first look at the new identity of what was the Jesus of Suburbia. By this point, he is completly off the rails or if not very close to being as such. This alter ego is the product of this loneliness which is shown in the last 2 tracks. ‘St Jimmy’ is much more fast paced than the last 2, and abruptly cuts from ‘Are we the Waiting’ to an attack sounding guitar.
The seventh track: ‘Give me Novicane’ details the fact that Jesus of Suburbia makes a re-appearance. He want to take drugs to relieve the stresses he is feeling and is asking St Jimmy is that is ok for him to do. At this point St Jimmy is only part of Jesus’ imagination even if Jesus wants to become him. “Tell me Jimmy, I won’t feel a thing” is Jesus trying to talk to himself and ask if he’ll be ok whilst taking these drugs and if it will numb the pain.
The eighth track: ‘She’s a Rebel’ is the first meeting of this woman that Jesus has met, Whatsername. Here, Jesus of Suburbia meets this free-spirited, rebellious woman who he falls in love with. She’s strong in her beliefs and will get what she wants due to having an unbelievably strong will. However, she is still described as being a “Saint” in the eyes of Jesus.
The ninth track: ‘Extraordinary Girl’ shows that Jesus has fallen in love with this girl for her personality and how rebellious she is. However, she realised that St Jimmy isn’t the real deal and is only an alter-ego of Jesus, she originally was attracted to St Jimmy due to his rebelliousness, not realising what was underneath. The song also shows that, even while she looks to be so strong-willed, Whatsername has a darker, sadder side, much in the way that the Jesus of Suburbia is the sadder side to St. Jimmy.
The tenth track: ‘Letterbomb’ Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername’s romance has ended; she left him, believing that he is too melodramatic and self-destructive. In this song he feels much rage and wonders what else he could have done to prevent this from happening. It turns out that Billie-Joe always wanted this song to be sung by a woman. It also is partly where the idea for the album art (a grenade shaped as a heart) came from.
Track eleven: ‘Wake me up when September Ends’ is the only track that isn’t part of the rest of the story, but it still has a much deeper meaning. It’s a song written by Billie-Joe to his father, Andrew, who he lost at age 10 in 1982. The title comes from, something Apparently said by Billie-Joe to his mum after the funeral, where he locked himself in his room and said “wake me up when September ends.” This was originally supposed to be on ‘Shenanigans’, but Billie wasn’t emotionally ready to record it, so it was put onto ‘American Idiot.’
The twelfth and penultimate track is the second long form track on the album: ‘Homecoming’, here we see that Jesus is ready to go back to the town he originated from, after many years. This song has parts written by all 3 band members too, this was done during a friendly competition that they did as a group to outwrite each other. The first part, titled: ‘The Death of St Jimmy’ shows that Jesus is ready to get rid of any trace of his alter ego. The line “Jimmy died today, he blew his brains out into the bay”, sums this up perfectly. The second part: ‘East 12th Street’ details where Jesus has been working for many years at this time, a job that has basically desensitised him from reality. “He’s not listening to a word now, he’s in his own world and he’s daydreaming” shows that he’s not enjoying his job and also shows my before point that he is now desensitised from reality itself. The third part: ‘Nobody likes you’ details the fact that Jesus has removed himself from society and has no contact with any other people now. “Dreaming of a song, but something went wrong. And you can’t tell anyone, because no one’s here” shows that Jesus has nothing and no one in life these days. The fourth and penultimate part: ‘Rock and Roll Girlfriend’ is the shortest part of the song and the only part that isn’t sung by Billie-Joe, instead being sung by Tre Cool. The fifth and final part, the triumphant ‘We’re Coming Home Again’ shows that Jesus is now back to the town he started in, leaving the city behind and all the chaos that comes with it. “The world keeps spinning round, and round out of control again”, shows how chaotic this city life is.
The final song on the album, the much quieter and slower ‘Whatsername’ is written many years later and is Jesus remembering the girl mentioned in ‘She’s a Rebel’ and ‘Extraordinary Girl.’ However, now his memory is much distorted as he cannot remember the name of this girl that he loved so dear, even for such a short time, you hear this in “I remember the face, but I can’t recall the name.” Jesus knows who he’s talking about but cannot remember what she’s called. He then asks “Did she ever marry, oh, whatshisface?” It is an amazing end to this album.
To conclude, I believe that this is Green Day’s strongest album and maybe even the greatest concept album ever created. Written during such a stressful time for the world as well, it shows the real message of people wanting to/having to leave their current situation to find new places/things.
(Sources used: Wikipedia, Genius.)
