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Green Day: Holiday Meaning

Song Released: 2005



Holiday Lyrics

Say, hey!
Hear the sound of the falling rain,
Coming down like an Armageddon flame
The shame, the ones who died without a name,
Hear the dogs howling out of key,
To a hymn called faith and misery
And bleed, the company lost the war...
↓ See the rest of these lyrics ↓

  1. 1TOP RATED

    anonymous
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     Sep 6th 2005, 07:25 report


    "Hear the sound of the falling rain,
    Coming down like an Armageddon flame (hey),
    The shame, the ones who died without a name,
    Hear the dogs howling out of key,
    To a hymn called faith and misery (hey),
    And bleed, the company lost the war today,"

    This is basically saying that no matter what happens in this war with Iraq, we lose. Many people died and are still dying. Both American and Iraqi. It's saying that war is hell and regardless of the outcome, there is no winner. The hymn of faith and misery is the hymn of war. The company is America.

    "I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies,
    this is the dawning of the rest of our lives,
    on holiday! "

    Ths chorus is saying I refuse to listen to what you tell me about this war. I refuse to believe that there is any good in it. I refuse to submit to your lies that this will bring about a better life for us or those we are fighting with and for. And if we do submit and believe what you are telling us we have to understand that this is the beginning of the a new, (not better) life for us. We are on "holiday" if we give up and belive these lies.

    "Hear the drums pounding' out of time,
    Another protester has crossed the line (hey),
    To find the money's on the other side,
    Can I get another amen? (Amen),
    There's a flag rapped around a score of men (hey),
    A gag, a plastic bag on a monument,"

    This is simply telling the story of what is happening in this war. If you cross the line, we'll shut you up. There's money in this war so no protests will be heard. The plastic bag is the gag on the Statue of Liberty or the Lincoln Memorial or any of the monuments that represent life, liberty and freedom in this country. This war goes against many of the liberties we say we beleive in so we have to "shut up" the voice of the monuments screaming for justice.

    "The representative from California has the floor...",
    Zieg heil to the president gas man,
    Bombs away is your (pun-ish-ment),
    Pulvarize the Eiffel Towers, who criticize your (gov-ern-ment),"

    We'll shut you up by any means necessary. You mess with us, we'll bomb you.


    "Bang, bang goes the broken glass man,
    Kill all the fags that (don't a-gree),
    Trials by fire, set it fire,
    It's not a way that's (meant for me),
    Just 'cause... (hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey),
    ...Just cause, because were outlaws (yeah)"

    Point blank statement. The US will kill you if you don't agree with us. But that's not the way for the writer of the song. This song says don't kill me because I don't agree with you.

    The whole song is saying that not everyone agrees with the lies and excuses given by our government regarding this war. That if we give in, we are condenming ourselves to live like this forever. If we stay on holiday regarding what's going on in the world, we might as well learn to live with the opression and lies.



  2. 2TOP RATED

    anonymous
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     Jan 3rd 2007, 19:29 report


    "Hear the sound of the falling rain
    Coming down like an Armageddon flame."

    The above two lines represent a military assault on a city. The falling rain symbolizes bullets and bombs and the Armageddon flame is the fire and destruction and loss of life it ensues. The word "Armageddon" means the end of the world and to many, it's the end of their world (their lives) and their way of life. Also note the religious the connotation of Armageddon flames coming down from the sky like rain, or coming from the heavens, the opposite of the flames coming from the ground, or hell.

    "The shame, the ones who die without a name"

    The ones who died without a name represent both the citizens of the attacked city or town or the soldiers who lost their lives in the attack. The lost names represent how their lives essentially mean nothing as no one even knows their name. They are mere pawns in a political conflict. They are just a number. The no-names can also represent people who have no choice, because they have no voice against the assault.

    "Hear the dogs howling out of key
    To a hymn called Faith and Misery"

    A hymn is a song to honor God, a deity or a nation. The dogs represent the dogs of war who are howling, not singing this hymn, and how they are in the conflict for both Faith, something pure and good, and Misery, something horrible and undesirable.

    "And bleed, the company lost the war today"

    These dogs of war bleed in the conflict, yet the only bleeding the attacking country's government experiences is not the pity or anguish of losing its men and women in conflict, it's the bottom line of it's corporate affiliates (Halliburton). The company lost the war because of something not going right (the Iraq conflict), not the country's "liberation" of an oppressed nation.

    "I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
    This is the dawning of the rest of our lives"

    The song then shifts to first person, symbolizing the individual and pointing out that the speaker is not a no-name, and refuses to believe the hollow, or empty lies the government and media portray about the war. The line "This is the dawning of the rest of our lives" emphasizes the urgency for Americans to vote as the election is the dawning of the rest of everyone's lives.

    "On Holiday."

    Holiday represents how everyone just sits back, on vacation, and lets it happen. Those who don't vote or care about what's going on around them are those on Holiday, or those who vacation from reality.

    "here the drum pounding out of time
    Another protester has crossed the line (Hey!)
    To find, the money's on the other side"

    The drum pounding out of time represents the drums of war and by them pounding out of time it symbolizes how unnecessary the conflict (war) is. The drums of war are not synchronized because they are unnecessarily beating. The protester crossing the line symbolize the people speaking out against the conflict only to realize that the money, the fuel for the war, favors those who support it and are on the other side of the picket fence. Those on the other side are the government and the rich.

    "Can I get another Amen (Amen)
    There's a flag wrapped around a score of men"


    The line "Can I get another Amen" represents the role religion plays in the conflict and how it is a fuel and motivation for the conflict and often times an excuse for it. The flag wrapped around the score of men represents the flag draped coffins of our soldiers in whos bodies come back to the US for burial in the name of Old Glory.

    "A gag, A plastic bag on a monument"

    A gag, represents the silence of the war and how no one speaks out against its atrocities. The plastic bag represents how the good of America is suffocating and unable to speak against it's government. The word monument symbolizes the good of America which is being suppressed. The plastic bag is also symbolic for a body bag, which the good of America is being placed inside of.



    "The representative from [California] has the floor."

    The above line is what the speaker of the US House of Representatives would say when the said representative makes a motion. This line points out that the attacking country is the United States as this government's representatives make motions to continue the conflict.

    "Zieg heil to the president gasman"

    "Zieg heil" is German for "We Will Win." A once popular belief in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. A gasman is someone who produces, distributes, or sells gas for industrial or commercial use. The president, or in this case George W. Bush, is considered a gasman, someone who seeks oil. Zieg heil is also an allusion to Nazi Germany and it's quest for global domination. Green Day is comparing Hitler and Germany to present day United States and George W. Bush.

    "Bombs away is your punishment
    Pulverize the Eiffel towers
    who criticize your government"

    Bombs away, or military conflict, is the US response to those who "criticize" our government or way of life. Pulverizing the Eiffel towers would be an allusion to the US citizen's response (boycott, Freedom Fries, etc.) to France for not aiding in the Iraq or Afghan conflict.


    "Bang bang goes the broken glass"

    The broken glass is the shattered government of Iraq and essentially our own government as well. The glass representes stability.

    "Kill all the fags that don't agree"

    The word "fags" is used to represent bigotry and how being anti-war, or anti-military can leave you branded as a "fag" or homosexual. It's commonly used in the military and society to represent those who aren't considered strong or masculine.


    "Trails by fire setting fire
    Is not a way that's meant for me"

    A trial by fire is a state of pain or anguish that tests patience, endurance, or beliefs. The trial by fire symbolizes the American will and tolerance of it's government's wrong doings and how what it is doing is "setting fire," or causing more pain, violence and conflict. The following line "Is not a way that's meant for me" emphasizes the speaker's rebellion toward just sitting back and enduring the pain and anguish and is wholeheartedly questioning his government and is voicing his own beliefs.

    "Just cause

    Just 'cause we're outlaws yeah"

    The "Just Cause" would be the justice of liberating the nation of Iraq, one of the original purposes of the Iraq war. The speaker than alludes the Just Cause to a slang in modern English or emphasizing an accent to the word "because" shortening it to "'cause." The just 'cause we're outlaws" is an allusion to George W. Bush's cowboy diplomacy and how the United States being "outlaws" violates the law and order of war and peace set forth by the United Nations.

    "This is our lives on Holiday."

    The final line in the song further emphasizes how our lives are all on vacation from reality and how we just sit back and allow the media to feed us the "hollow lies" of the war and how we don't vote for change. The line also symbolizes what happens when everyone becomes apathetic toward their government and doesn't force it to be accountable for it's actions.



  3. 3TOP RATED

    Tsururu
    click a star to vote
     May 13th 2006, 03:55 report


    "Zieg heil to the president gasman
    Bombs away is your punishment"

    These lines compare President Bush to Hitler, in that they both wipe out opposition, regardless of whether their opinions are valid or not, but only because it disagrees with them.

    "Pulverize the Eiffel towers
    Who criticize your government"

    This line refers to France's refusal to endorse the US plan to invade Iraq and how American media attacked France, accusing them of ferocious criticism.

    "Bang bang goes the broken glass, man
    Kill all the fags that don't agree"

    The broken glass imply that the war is as pointless and indignant as a street fights and barroom brawls where they use any weapons they can get their hands on out of hostility. Using the term 'fags' show the intolerance and ignorance of the narrow-minded government.

    "Trials by fire setting fire
    Is not a way that's meant for me"

    (Yes the posted lyrics are wrong; I'm getting mine straight from the album booklet.)

    In these lines, the singer is saying he doesn't agree with the American government's idea of serving justice, which is exacting revenge by firing back.



    4. ↓ More Holiday meanings below the jump ↓

  4.  

    anonymous
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     May 7th 2005, 14:33 report


    The song is about how screwed up our goverment is. It\'s a very anti-war song.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  5.  

    awesomeandy2
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     Aug 8th 2005, 23:48 report


    The words in this meaning are straight from the singer, I asked him when I met him. The song all begins from track 2 on the CD... J.O.S. (Jesus of Suburbia) has just ran away and eveything is awesome drinking, drugs, and doing anything he feels like then it goes into Boulevard of Broken Dreams talking about how all the fun is over and it's getting serious, so track 2, 3, and 4 are one story in three songs.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  6.  

    _hazy
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     Aug 25th 2005, 21:06 report


    This is about the American government and society during the Iraqi War. It begins by commenting on how the thousands of dead Americans and Iraqis are nameless to the average American citizen. The song expresses resentment with the corporate greed and corruption involved in the "rebuilding" effort, and shows how the average protester realizes that the pro-war money involved has more power than they can ever have. It also points out the irony of the Christian right-wing feeling religiously justified in this war: "Can I get another 'Amen'? There's a flag wrapped around the score of men."



  7.  

    anonymous
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     Oct 31st 2005, 08:39 report


    I think that many songs on American Idiot have double meanings. Holiday, is one of them. As Billie Joe often says in concert, "This song is a big f*** you, to George W Bush", I think it also relates to the Jesus of Suburbia (JOS) story. This song is about the JOS leaving home because he's fed up with a lot of things, so he's out on the streets, hence "here the sound of the falling rain..." the part where the JOS says, 'i beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies' shows that hes feeling a bit like a rebel.

    but, this song is also very much about war and whatnot for very obvious reasons.



  8.  

    anonymous
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     Nov 6th 2005, 18:33 report


    This song is both an anti-war rant against the Bush Administration and Co and just a feel-good us-against-them anthem about rebelling against the status quo, against the Establishment (whatever that may be) and just going against the mediocrity and blandness and hypocrisy of everyday life.



  9.  

    misterpants
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     Jan 16th 2006, 19:47 report


    The title of the song refers to the amount of time President Bush spent on Holiday in the lead up to 9/11 (42% of the 8 months preceding) when he should have been looking at reports pointing towards an attack. The 'armageddon flame' and 'ones who died without a name' are from the twin towers. It later moves on to Bush speaking. 'Zeig Heil to the President Gas Man (Saddam Hussein, who gassed the Khurds), bombs away is you're ... pulverise the Eiffel Towers ...' is referring to the countries who failed to join USA and UK in the war and that they can expect revenge. It then moves on to war in Iraq etc. (I know a slightly different view but that's how it seems to me, I am English though).



  10.  

    Whatshername
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     Jan 30th 2006, 02:37 report


    Well I was lucky enough to go to a Green Day concert one month ago and I had loved them for ages so when I got to go I was sooo excited.. anyway at the concert as someone says Billie Joe does say this next song is a big f*** you to george bush but then he says when the music starts.. "This song isn't Anti-American, it's anti-waaarrrrrrrrrr!!!" So it's not really just all about the American wars although I do believe some of the references have to do with Bj's dislike of the American president George W Bush.. Anyway one day I would love to talk to Billie Joe, Mike and Tre about what all of their songs mean coz they are such a big part of my life.. You can always have your own interpretations but I would really love to know sometimes what they were thinking when they wrote soem of their masterpieces. Anyway great song, bloody awesome band!!!!!



  11.  

    why
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     Feb 15th 2006, 23:14 report


    Most of the meaning of this song is pretty obvious. There is one part where people think it refers to Sadaam, but I think this is just comparing Bush to Hitler. "Zieg heil to the president gas man," could just be something the "Representative from California" says before the rest of it. "Bang, bang goes the broken glass man / Kill all the fags that (don't a-gree) / Trials by fire, set it fire," could just be referring to the German Kristallnacht, Hitler's killing of homosexuals (and Bush's homophobia), and the concentration camps. Of course, this is just my opinion.



  12.  

    anonymous
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     Mar 21st 2006, 11:40 report


    Obviously an anti-war song. Bashing war efforts and our president and in effect, our troops. everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it belittles the cause of the iraqi war and all the lives that have been lost fighting in it. comparing bush to hitler is way extreme and idiotic but it does seem to be what they are trying to do.whether or not they support the cause of the war is up to them but they should at the very least respect our troops and our president becuase lets face it we are there anyways, for reasons I personally believe in, and they deserve our respect because they are fighting for us as americans and those who can't help themselevs so they will one day have the freedom that we take for granted. Too bad they play it on the radio.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  13.  

    unlabled_00
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     Apr 8th 2006, 03:01 report


    This song, as many have stated before me, has double meanings.

    1: Its a firey political song about how screwed up the American Gov't is, "Zieg Hail to the President Gasman" and so forth indicate Billy Joe sees the tyranny of the Bush Regime (Zieg Hail gives a comparison to Hitler)

    2: Its a continuation of the JoS story, where JoS finally reaches the City and is having a great time, so much so its like he's on "holiday".

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  14.  

    anonymous
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     Jul 14th 2006, 23:35 report


    I definitely disagree with those who think that Billie Joe is comparing Bush to Hitler...not even he could go that far. The "Zeig Heil to the president gas-man" is an obvious reference to Saddam gassing the Kurds, like misterpants said. If anything, Billie Joe is comparing Saddam to Hitler.

    "Pulverize the Eiffel Tower" is probably just the simple fact that American media bashed France for not helping us in Iraq.

    I wonder if the line "This is the dawning of the rest of our lives on holiday" is because the war started on St. Patrick's Day. I'm pretty sure Billie Joe is Irish...

    One last thing. The opening three lines say "Hear the sound of the falling rain,
    Coming down like an Armageddon flame (hey),
    The shame, the ones who died without a name"
    If you look at the interpretations for "Wake Me Up When September Ends",you will see a comment for the line "here comes the rain again, falling from the stars." It says that it could refer to the rain that fell on New York on September 11 with no clouds because of all the dust released from the collapse. The first line of "Holiday" could be talking about the same rain that fell just hours before the towers. (hey, that rhymed!) I think the Armaggedon flame is the fire, and the ones who died without a name are the victims.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  15.  

    anonymous
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     Jul 28th 2006, 21:51 report


    The beginning "hear the sound of the falling rain, coming down like an armagedon flame", is the sound of bombs dropping.... It's an anti governemnt song of course, but who really is sure about this war, most of the people who dislike the iraqi war don't know the truth, unless you were in it then you have a pretty good idea of what was going on, sometimes you just have to ignore it, and what? You think your opinion matters to the government? You're wasting your time if you complain about the war, the government won't listen to you so don't go expressing your opinions to people, cause it won't do you any good.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  16.  

    anonymous
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     Dec 26th 2006, 21:26 report


    Most of these are correct (as far as my opinion can judge them, that is), but are in pieces--most lack the entirety of the meaning. Yes, it is a song about anti-war, how f*cked-up the government is, etc. It is ALSO a segment from the whole "Jesus of Suburbia" rock opera storyline. JoS left home, and is now realizing how crappy the goverment is doing with war and all. That about sums it up. (P.S.--The explanation of the title "Holdiay" stating that it refers to all that time Bush spent on Holiday is good.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  17.  

    abbas
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     Apr 10th 2007, 09:57 report


    I think it's about the Vietnamese war as the Armageddon flame could be napalm which was used a lot in the Vietnamese war. Also he says "trial by fire setting fire."

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  18.  

    anonymous
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     Jun 22nd 2007, 06:33 report


    I seriously think that Green Day is just a slew of angry Europeans. Clearly the song is bashing the war. I do think that they are anti-war. But I REALLY DO NOT think they are comparing Bush to Hitler. What I think they are saying is this: You can't tell us what to believe. If we choose to agree or dis-agree, that's our choice. And there's nothing you can do about it.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  19.  

    anonymous
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     Aug 14th 2007, 00:59 report


    Anti-war song, for sure. Explicitly stated. Also follows the J.o.S. Story, wherein this dude becomes a total hippie. Mind you, "holiday" is expressed with a negative connotation. I don't think this guy is having fun at all (like being on holiday), I think he realizes his future is jeopardized and no one's at the wheel, man! You are the driver of your own vehicle and you're on vacations. This song is where the character realizes he needs to take the bull by horns if he wants to go somewhere, dude.



  20.  

    x_lily_x
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     Nov 21st 2007, 07:28 report


    It's yet again another story about the government...

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  21.  

    nibbygrace
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     Feb 4th 2008, 16:52 report


    This song is about the war and whats going on in it and how the soldiers risk their lives for us.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  22.  

    anonymous
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     Apr 1st 2008, 21:19 report


    This is about our government and how fucked up it is..

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


  23.  

    anonymous
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     Jan 10th 2009, 19:45 report


    Ummm...

    Me thinks they be saying it's all the US and that the UK is uninvolved so them blokes be absolved. QED...it's solved!

    (Basically, I likes the dancing tarts in the flick).

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway


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