Green Day: Holiday Meaning
Song Released: 2005
Holiday Lyrics
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...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:"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. -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:"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. -
3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:Holiday by Green Day is about the War on Terrorism and how it was done for the wrong reason and the consequences of it.
The song first verse is “Hear the sound of the falling rain/Coming down like an Armageddon flame. The shame/The ones who died without a name." The rain said here is not precipitation from the sky but really bombs and missiles. It is destroying everything, killing everyone. There are many dying that they don’t even know who is being buried. It is a shame because it is not necessary. War was not meant to be that way. Civilians were being killed in the process; thousands of thousands of incident lives were killed. The war went far broader then what the goal was. Since it was not the goal they died for nothing. Their deaths achieved nothing.
The second verse goes over how they were howling not singing but not yet crying, for this war. The war was meant to be good but it was looking terrible. The word company has several definitions; these are the few that apply to the song: someone you are with; a business enterprise; and a military regimen. The countries we were fighting in were losing; our soldiers were losing; and they lost because of business. “Hear the dogs howling out of key/To a hymn called "Faith and Misery" (Hey!)/And bleed, the company lost the war today”
The third verse is “Hear the drum pounding out of time/Another protester has crossed the line (Hey!)/To find, the money's on the other side” There is a lot of pressure in this war. When someone tries to stand up against it they are bought, a unable to be heard. This war is all about the money. The following verse follows the same lines. “Can I get another amen? (Amen),/There's a flag wrapped around a score of men (hey),/A gag, a plastic bag on a monument," Asking for someone to try again. It could also religious and saying that religion was also another cause of the war. They wanted to blame the Muslims as a whole and not just the terrorists. So many, too many died for this. It was all in the name of the nation. The ones fighting justice could not be heard, they were gagged, stuffed in any way possible.
The following verse “I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies/This is the dawning of the rest of our lives/On holiday” The things told are lies and he wishes that things weren’t, that the truth would be told or that they could really do what they say they are doing. This will affects everyone’s lives. Holiday could mean for the soldiers even on holidays still suffering and dying for what. It could also represent that congress and other politicians are just relaxing like it’s a holiday with no worries in the world.
The single line verse "The representative from California has the floor" is said when a representative has turn to talk. It is used in the song to strengthen the point that there is a hidden motive for this war, so they continue encouraging the conflict. The representative had no intention of trying to end the conflict.
The next verse has a lot to say. "Zieg heil to the president gasman" contains German for we will win and added to the rest is we will win to the president gasman. Gasman is used to define someone who lies a lot. It is symbolic to that war used to use dangerous gas and that everyone thing that US citizens were told was all lies. "Bombs away is your punishment” is saying that anyone that tries to stop them they will be fired on, and ended. “Pulverize the Eiffel towers/who criticize your government” When the French refused to help the US. The US boycotted the French. "Bang, bang goes the broken glass" representing that stability, like the economy, was destroyed with this war. "Kill all the fags that don't agree" is not gays but people that are against war. The ones running the war did want opposition; they did their best to rid of opposition. "Trails by fire setting fire/Is not a way that's meant for me" is saying that many are following the governments lead. It is not the right way.
The last part of the some repeats “I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies/This is the dawning of the rest of our lives?” to reemphasize and to introduce the finial line ’This is our lives on holiday” Which also reemphasizes how they live miserable everyday while other get to relaxed every day. -
it's about jesus of suburbia. he leaves suburbia at the end of JOS and get high and goes partieing and having the best time with the side of him as st jimmy.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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This aint just about the war. it's about the way we live and how we consume products at an ever increasing rate and who suffers just so we can live as we are living right now. It's like a ticking time bomb
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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despite everyone's opionion, this song is about a unicorn named Holiday.this is shown by the line 'on holiday' as someone is riding on Holiday the unicorn. the line "kill all the fags that dont agree' shows that the unicorn is homophobic and wants to kill all fags. by the way i am american and proud of it. i also have a sick obsession for unicorns
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I always thought it was glorifying the 9/11 bombing in a sarcastic way also about the government overreacting to it.
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Political corruption and saying that the sedition act still unofficially exists
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THIS SONG IS NOT ABOUT IRAQ!!!! ITS ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST (Pulverize the Eiffel tower-France being taken over by Germany... Bang Bang goes the broken glass- when Germany attacked the Jews and broke the glass to all of the shops/stores in Israel... Kill all the fags who don't agree- Hitler hated gays as well as Jews)
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only green day knows the real meaning of the song.it doesnt matter if we understand it or not green day still rocks.
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I think this song is a comparison to the Anti-Semitian movement in Europe during WWII and the war today.
"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)," Zeig heil is the Nazi Salute obviously saluting to Hitler. In this they are saying that the U.S. government is becoming a totalitarian state (type of government in which the government has total control over the people and their actions), trying to scare countries into giving into their demands. "Pulvarize the Eiffel Towers, who criticize your (gov-ern-ment)," means that if you don't agree with us then we are going to destroy anything that gives your country/race/culture pride and/or fullfillment.
"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)" This part of the song shows the results. Bullets, fire, and other means of death to those that are disapproved of by the government ("Kill all the fags that (dont agree) has to do with Bush's homophobia).
The refrain, "I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies,
this is the dawning of the rest of our lives,
on holiday! " is told in the point of view of the American soliders. Propaganda portrays a solider in a way that makes others want to join the army (like in WWII). The American soldiers are saying that it is not as glorious as you think ("the hollow lives") and these moments will haunt me for the rest of my life ("this is the dawning of the rest of our lives").
This is strictly MY opinion and in no way should be taken as the "true meaning." -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Holiday points to the Iraq war obviously
"Hear the sound of the falling rain, coming down like an Armageddon flame, the shame, the ones who died without a name"...The soldiers in Iraq are "the ones who died without a name"
"Hear the drum pounding out of time, another protester has crossed the line"...There are people who protest against the war, and get a little out of hand
"Pulverize the Eiffel Towers, who critize your (government)"...other countrys critize us (Russia, North Korea) and we say "get off of our case, we will run our country the way we want to"
...Again, this is what I think... -
Just Cause, Just Cause.... is a play on "just because" we can and this is a "just cause" worth killing for. It also is likely a reference to Operation Just Cause in Panama under the previous Bush administration which ousted "our friend" Manuel Noriega
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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