Green Day: American Idiot Meaning

Song Released: 2004

American Idiot Lyrics

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.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Where everything isn't...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Aug 17th 2015 !⃝

   To me, this song is about how everyone is believing the media nowadays, thinking that the media credible and reliable and all but the truth is, the media is basically f***ed up. The writer (Billie Joe) is stating the fact that he doesn't agree with the media, how people (specifically in America) are easily mislead by the media, and we can tell this from the fourth line, "The subliminal mind f*** America".
   
   I personally love this song because I completely disagree with how the media is nowadays, all they do is to f*** up situations and mislead their audience so they can game more money, fame and credibility.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Apr 2nd 2009 !⃝

   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!

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Apr 25th 2019 !⃝

   When I first heard this album and not knowing the band's political views. I thought they were going against the left. Thinking back to the early 2000's this material points more by far to the Democratic Party. So much more today 19 years later with this new generation of freshman politicians and existing.
4. barryjohnson69

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   Nov 13th 2023 !⃝

   this song is about gay s*x. finding a lover and longing for that deep, passionate connection. losing that deep, passionate connection. hoping that one day, you will soon find that again.
5. anonymous

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   Jul 9th 2020 !⃝

   As with all art it is open to interpretation. As it was meant to be IMO. As a Green Day fan from back at their start, in the year of 2020 this song resonates with me more than it ever has. Bottom line for me is the lyrics rail against those who don’t think for themselves. Sadly the year 2020 is displaying that those who think for themselves in the USA are very much in the minority. I’m cranking this song as loud as I can for all to hear!!!
6. anonymous

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   Apr 25th 2020 !⃝

   It’s incredible how history repeats itself. Seems this song is more relevant then ever. Things haven’t really changed since back then. The media didn’t really change, America didn’t really change. 15 years give or take?
7. anonymous

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   Oct 30th 2016 !⃝

   This song to me is basically about how everyone in America believes everything they see on tv.
8. anonymous

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   Jan 2nd 2015 !⃝

   This song is basicaly saying: We are being f***ed by media (television, computers, ect.). So obvious.
9. anonymous

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   Nov 25th 2014 !⃝

   "Redneck agenda." Hey that's me! Haha jk. ;) Really, it's about being pissed off at how the society sucks and how you want outa here. I'm pure American and I totally am an ally with this song.
10. anonymous

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    Apr 16th 2014 !⃝

    Hmmm.. come to think of it.. we thought bush was bad? This song sounds more like something that would fall towards the communist ways of the Obama administration. Spam this comment if you want liberals, but once Obama stepped in this song makes even MORE sense.. after all, liberals are the ones that want the government to run our lives. He has done nothing but turn our country to shit and the media does nothing but cover up his lies and what he has done wrong.
11. anonymous

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    Sep 21st 2012 !⃝

    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.
12. anonymous

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    Jun 20th 2012 !⃝

    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
13. anonymous

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    Feb 25th 2012 !⃝

    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...
14. anonymous

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    Nov 29th 2011 !⃝

    "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.
15. Danny Ben-Israel

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    Nov 5th 2011 !⃝

    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
16. anonymous

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    May 27th 2011 !⃝

    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.
17. anonymous

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    Apr 25th 2011 !⃝

    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...

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
18. anonymous

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    Jan 8th 2011 !⃝

    This song is to highlight america the "FUCKER NATION"

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