Green Day: American Idiot Meaning
Song Released: 2004
American Idiot Lyrics
Don't want a nation under the new media.
Hey can you hear the sounds of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America.
Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Where everything isn't...
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1TOP RATED
anonymous Nov 2nd 2005, 17:38 report
Yeah, the title pretty much says it all. It's a song of rebellion (or at least critisism) against what's becoming the status quo in the U.S.A.
I've also heard the line "maybe I'm the Fagg*t America" is a reference to rumors about Billie Joe's sexuality. Don't take this as a fact, I just heard it somewhere.
It could also just mean that he's not "part of the Redneck Agenda" and part of the segment of the population that does not adhere to the rules of the mainstream, a group of people sometimes accused as being un-American, Communists, or in ruder terms, f*gs.
The line "everybody do the propaganda/ and sing along to the age of paranoia" is about how the mainstream media exploits our fears to sell headlines and how much of what we hear or see is really propaganda aimed at swaying our opinions. It's also sort of implying a band-wagon approach to life, how everyone just does something because everyone else is doing it, which is yet another thing this song criticizes. -
2TOP RATED
anonymous Apr 2nd 2009, 21:38 report
i think this song is all about how america has become so consumed in propaganda and the media, that we've all become "american idiots" who do wat the news tells us, and believe everything they say, even when its eggsagerated, filered, and dosent tell us anything truthfully any more, exept for maybe the weather (but sometimes i wonder)
hes saying this country is run by stupid rednecks who want money and oil.
this nation basicly is controlled by the media, and i think we all need to wake up, and stop allowing ourselves to be hypnotized by propagana. so put plain and simply...
TURN OFF YOUR TV'S AMERICA! -
3TOP RATED
I_LUV_GD Sep 24th 2005, 09:09 report
The title refers to the state of the United States at that point in time. It speaks of a nation controlled by the new, biased media, and how the singer is not part of a "Redneck Agenda" discontent with how things are going. It was released during the 2004 presidential campaign, where George W. Bush was re-elected
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anonymous Sep 21st 2012, 23:41 report
I think this song is a criticism of America in 2004.
Don't want to 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.
You don't want to be a stupid American, obsessed with the media. You're annoyed that nobody cares about important issues and everyone is getting mind-fucked subliminally.
Welcome to a new kind of tension all across the alienation where everything isn't meant to be okay.
After 9/11, everything became really tense and America became alienated, and things won't be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow. We're not the ones who are meant to follow for that's enough to argue.
The youth is obsessed with TV. They won't do many useful things because it's too much for them.
Well maybe I'm the faggot America. I'm not a part of a redneck agenda. Now everybody, do the propaganda, and sing along to the age of paranoia.
The first two lines say, "Who cares if I'm gay? At least I'm not a redneck." Everyone is obsessed with propaganda and everyone's paranoid.
Don't want to be an American idiot. One nation controlled by the media. Information age of hysteria. It's calling out to Idiot America.
You don't want to be a stupid American and notice that the media controls Americans. People want useless information that cause hysteria. -
anonymous Jun 20th 2012, 01:22 report
if u ask me i think it has to do with the outcasts thoughts of today's American society and about people believe the media is always right and only do what their friends want them to do are idiots thats my interpertation
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anonymous Feb 25th 2012, 14:14 report
It's quite simple, in this song Billie Joe is trying to make it clear that you should not trust the government (be an american idiot), or buy into their tricks, "television dreams up tomorrow" "everybody do the propaganda" television is dreaming up tomorrow cause everybody is always trying to be like someone they've seen on tv, and propaganda has always existed but since 9/11 there has been so much more of it. but thats just the opinion of a 16 year old canadian kid who was 9 when he first herd this song and has listened to its message ever since...
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anonymous Nov 29th 2011, 20:42 report
"Don't wanna be an American idiot.
Don't want a nation under the new media.
Hey can you hear the sounds of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America."
This part is saying that people are hymotized by the media (ie commercials, reality TV. magazines, and,yes,the news.
"Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Where everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones meant to follow.
For that's enough to argue."
This is saying that the US is different then other countries and that the government doesn't care if you're okay or not. In fact they would perfer it if you weren't.
"Well maybe I'm the fagot America.
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.
Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along to the age of paranoia"
This is saying that he is refuesing to go along with the governments plans and lies, but that most people do. -
Danny Ben-Israel Nov 5th 2011, 22:03 report
I totally agree with this song, people are getting mind fucked by the media and the government
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
This guy (the Jesus of Suburbia) doesn't want to be ruled by a guy who's a dumbass, he's noticing that people are getting mind fucked by the media and the government and it's causing hysteria
Welcome to a new kind of tension
All across the alienation
Where everything isn't meant to be okay
The media is causing tension across the U.S.A. and the nation is becoming isolated and it's not going to be okay
Television dreams of tomorrow
We're not the ones who are meant to follow
For that's enough to argue
This generation only cares about the media and they won't do anything important
Well maybe I'm the faggot America
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda
Now everybody do the propaganda
And sing along to the age of paranoia
This generation is criticizing gay people for being gay people, and the Jesus of Suburbia doesn't want to be ruled by a redneck, this generation is getting way too addicted to propaganda and it's causing paranoia
Don't wanna be an American Idiot
One nation controlled by the media
Information age of hysteria
It's calling out to Idiot America
Corporations and media are ruling America and this information is causing hysteria and Americans are becoming extreme idiots
This song calls for rebellion and anarchy and I agree with it -
anonymous May 27th 2011, 23:15 report
This song was origionally written about Goerge W. Bush who is the "American Idiot" this whole album is based on a rebellion against America and war.
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anonymous Apr 25th 2011, 07:06 report
He's talkin' bout illuminati when he sz "media" look them up.
he is saying tht he dznt want to be fooled by the media (ie illuminati)by "sound of hysteria" he may mean the music industry and by that (only the subliminal mind can understand the true meaning hidden in the things we hear)"wlcm 2 a nw knd of tensiom"=this is a new problem we (ameria) are facing "all around the alien nation"=america "where everything isnt meant to be ok"=things r going to get bad "the television dreams of tomorrow"= the television is ruining our kids(dreams of tomorrow) "we arent the 1s meant to follow"= maybe(the new world order wont start nw, it begins in the future when the kids grow up) "Well maybe I'm the faggot America." =i may be scared (faggot,sissy) "I'm not a part of a redneck agenda" =im not part of the red neck (a discriminating name meaning the African Americans-dont use this wrd,ever!!)plan(to get rid of them) "Now everybody do the propaganda"= propaganda means rumours ...ch... -
anonymous Apr 25th 2011, 07:05 report
He's talkin' bout illuminati when he sz "media" look them up.
he is saying tht he dznt want to be fooled by the media (ie illuminati)by "sound of hysteria" he may mean the music industry and by that (only the subliminal mind can understand the true meaning hidden in the things we hear)"wlcm 2 a nw knd of tensiom"=this is a new problem we (ameria) are facing "all around the alien nation"=america "where everything isnt meant to be ok"=things r going to get bad "the television dreams of tomorrow"= the television is ruining our kids(dreams of tomorrow) "we arent the 1s meant to follow"= maybe(the new world order wont start nw, it begins in the future when the kids grow up) "Well maybe I'm the faggot America." =i may be scared (faggot,sissy) "I'm not a part of a redneck agenda" =im not part of the red neck (a discriminating name meaning the African Americans-dont use this wrd,ever!!)plan(to get rid of them) "Now everybody do the propaganda"= propaganda means rumours ...ch... -
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anonymous May 20th 2010, 15:53 report
The song is about how americans are being controlled by the media instead of standing up for what they believe in and uniting together instead of staying divided, point blank. To all of you people talking about repiblican, democrat, left wing and right wing, you really need to consider the fact that America was intended to have non-partisan politics and that we need to get rid of party lines if we want to accomplish anything.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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anonymous Nov 21st 2009, 16:21 report
I think it's about how Americans don't think for themselves and just believe what ever they hear on the news
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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brandtaylor93 Oct 23rd 2009, 13:56 report
It's about not being apart of the stats quo. It's about how this country has too many people who aren't well educated and just follow and do as there told.
"don't want a nation under the new media"
well to many people just mindlessly watch the news and are told what to think. Especially fox news but I can write books on how fox news is evil.
"Well maybe I'm the Fagot america"
Well Billie joel is at the very least bi curious.
in a interview with the advocate ( a gay magazine) he sad he believes we are all born bi but because of social norms most of us become straight.
this song at it's core is how republicans are dumb illogical idiots who don't care about us and your a stupid redneck if you listen to them. -
Reign_Alexander Sep 25th 2009, 19:15 report
Basically, this song is about rebellion! Anarchy all the way!!
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anonymous Aug 1st 2009, 13:25 report
Large groups of people fail to think individually - there are too many things on our minds to worry about "what's happening over there" or even in the next town/county/state. It's idiocy to accept what the media tells you at face value - everything is filtered.
But remember, so to is everything filtered on the internet - there is no such thing as independent, free thinking. We are all formed by our life events.
American Idiot points out that those who fail to do exactly what the media tells, those who fail to agree with the current agenda - are seen as dangerous. Society thrives on people being sheep.
Meanwhile, youtube any Green Day concert... watch the sheep of a different fold rallying in hue and cry during the concert - entertained, but really amounting to nothing.
Sure, we could change the world - but what would we change it to? -
anonymous Mar 17th 2009, 21:28 report
hopefully this song can be inpplied to obama on how he got elected. He had the the bias media with him and everybody just jumped on the band wagon and he got elected.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Gurl_E_Nerdd Apr 30th 2008, 12:27 report
I think that the song is about not wanting to be the average American doing whatever the country tells you to.
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