Green Day
Album: American Idiot
Song: American Idiot
Reviewed by: Krystal Burns
The Band
Green Day is slowly but surely becoming a household staple. It’s been 14 years since they debuted with 39 Smooth LP, and have since released six new albums since. The group was started by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt when they were still in high school. They recruited John Kiftmeyer for the first album, but he left soon after its release. Tre’ Cool replaced him as drummer, and the trio has been together ever since. Now, four years after Warning (2000), Green Day prepares to wow the public once again with their pure punk sound.
The Music
“American Idiot” the single, was released August 12 at number 4 on the Billboard charts. Already it has sold over 998,000 copies. The full album will be Green Day’s first studio recording in four years and is scheduled to hit stores September 21st. Note the single and upcoming album carry a parental warning, meaning it contains explicit content such as strong language and/or depictions of violence or sex.
The Song
“American Idiot” will offend some people just by its title. If that’s you, don’t listen to the song—it’s not exactly patriotic. This energetic, undeniably Green Day-ish song is a sort of wake up call to the average American, who, they claim, is controlled by the media. “Television dreams of tomorrow/ We’re not the ones who’re meant to follow.” The same idea becomes even clearer later in the song:
Don’t wanna be an American idiot
Don’t want a nation controlled by the media
Information nation of hysteria
It’s going out to idiot America
The song points a finger at the political agenda behind the media. “I’m not part of a redneck agenda/ Now everybody do the propaganda/ And sing along in the age of paranoia/ Welcome to a new kind of tension.” Furthermore, America is referred to as “the alien nation,” which is subject to countless interpretations, especially political. Americans aren’t the most popular people on the planet these days.
Unfortunately, Green Day uses so much offensive language in the song, I can’t even quote some of the more pertinent lines. While the message of the song isn’t bad, they had to hide it behind words that are. Whether you agree with the specifics of the song or not, Green Day is making an interesting point—although, let’s be honest, it’s not just an American problem and it’s not a new problem. But still, if you stop and think about the sheer power held by news broadcasters, newspapers, and even entertainment television, it’s unbelievable. They are our primary source of information for what’s happening all over the world, and for the most part, we believe what they tell us. But how do we really know if what they’re telling us is true or if they’re telling us the whole story?
“American Idiot” seems to be referring to political brainwashing in particular, but the same principle applies to all aspects of the media. We often sit in front of the TV or go to the movies and soak up everything we see without even thinking about it. We’re told we need this or that to be cool, and deep down we start to believe it. We see sitcom and movie characters talking about or even engaging in premarital sex—so we start to think that it’s normal, and if it’s normal, it must be okay. Or at least almost okay. The media is constantly making light of pornography, homosexuality, premarital sex, materialism, gossip and other acts that God hates. We easily become numb to the sin that’s all around us, and forget that we’re supposed to hate sin too. The Bible says to “hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12: 9).
As Christians we especially need to be on guard that we are not brainwashed by the media. We’re told in Ephesians 5:15, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. We need to be people who think about what we see and hear and weigh it against God’s word, the ultimate truth. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
So What Do You Think?
1. Green Day’s albums often have mixed reactions from the fans.
Any predictions for the upcoming release based on “American Idiot’?
2. Do you agree with Green Day that the nation is being controlled by
the media? Why or why not?
3. What do you think they mean by “alien nation”?
4. Why is it important to be aware of what you’re watching and
listening to?
5. How can you avoid getting sucked into the media mind trap?