Album Analysis: American Idiot

The first time I remember hearing a Green Day song was October 2004. My father had lent me his new iPod while he was in the dentist's office. I found an album with pretty artwork and cool songs. This album turned out to be Green Day's new-at-the-time album, American Idiot.

This album is, as described by the band, a punk rock opera. Clocking in at about one hour, and containing two nine-plus minute songs, American Idiot certainly is ambitious for a band who hasn't seen major, multi-platinum success since the release of their major record label debut, Dookie.

Now, I will take you in-depth, reviewing the album song-by-song, and describing the "story" created by the album.

American Idiot

The song's title track is just under three minutes long, and serves as a very good introduction to the album. It seems to show a group that is fed-up with modern life, and are sick of a nation run by the media and hysteria. They shout, We are not the ones who're meant to follow and everything isn't meant to be okay. The underlying meaning and implications of this track are masked by a catchy guitar chord progression and lyrics, but still is a fun track.

My grade: 8 // 10

Jesus of Suburbia

This track is the first of two longer tracks on the album, at 9:08. This song introduces the titular Jesus of Suburbia, a kind of anti-hero created by Green Day's frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong. He lives on a steady diet of soda pop and Ritalin and may be the singular manifestation of the voices in the preceding track. He feels that the world is a land of make-believe, that don't believe in [him].

This song is split up into 5 sections: Jesus of Suburbia, City of the Damned, I Don't Care, Dearly Beloved, and Tales From Another Broken Home. Each smaller part of the whole song describes part of Jesus of Suburbia's life. City of the Damned describes the town that he lives in, a place that he calls the city of the dead and the city of the damned. He also claims, no one seems to care about anything in the city.
In I Don't Care, the Jesus of Suburbia seems to finally lash out with his anger, repeatedly exclaiming, I don't care if you don't, I don't care if you don't, I don't care if you don't care, and then seemingly makes a call to arms to the other jaded youths of the world, screaming, we are the kids of war and peace, from Anaheim to the Middle East, we are the stories and disciples of, the Jesus of Suburbia!

In Dearly Beloved, Jesus's call has been answered and we hear from the new followers who say nobody's perfect and [they] stand accused, for a lack of a better word, and that's [their] best excuse. At the end of the song, during Tales From Another Broken Home, Jesus of Suburbia and his followers decide to get out of the town and leave to, what is only referred to as, The City. They proclaim that they don't have any shame, [they] won't apologize.
My grade: 9 // 10. (Well worth the length.)

Holiday

This track sees Jesus and his followers arrive in the City. They, seemingly having only known suburbian, small-town life, are amazed by the sights in the city. They shout, This is the dawning of the rest of [their] lives, on Holiday! There is a spoken interlude, which is a fairly obvious attack on the government of the US, seemingly regarding then-President George Bush's invasion of Iraq. This is not one of my favorite tracks, but it is still fun, and an excellent song to play at a party.

My grade: 7.5 // 10

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

This track, one of my favorites on the album, sees Jesus of Suburbia, after the novelty of the City wears off, being abandoned by his followers and lamenting about being alone. He says, My shadow's the only one that walks beside me, my shallow heart's the only thing that's beating. Green Day's frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has said, "If Holiday is the party, then this song is the resulting hangover." (Fun fact: the song's music video won the 2005 VMA for Video of the Year.)
My grade: 9.5 // 10

Are We the Waiting

Another excellent song on the album, Are We the Waiting seems to me to be a slight continuation of the preceding track. In this song, the Jesus of Suburbia wonders about his future, and wonders why he seems to be waiting to live life. He believes that the Jesus of Suburbia is a lie and repeatedly is screaming, 'Are we? We are the waiting.
My grade: 8.5 // 10

St. Jimmy

This song introduces the next major character of the album, St. Jimmy. St. Jimmy is a "punk freedom-fighter", as described by Armstrong. St. Jimmy has grown up in the city, and says that he is product of war and fear that we've been victimized. He also claims to be the patron saint of denial, with an angel face and a taste for suicidal. Jesus of Suburbia is fascinated by the new person in his life. This is a fast, upbeat song (and it's super-fun to play on Green Day Rock Band :D)
My grade: 8 // 10

Give Me Novocaine

In this track, another favorite of mine, we learn that St. Jimmy is a drug dealer after he tries to sell Novocaine to the Jesus of Suburbia. In this song, Jesus of Suburbia also describes the escape that he feels in the City and with Jimmy, as he takes drugs for the first time. The melody of this song has the feeling of being high on drugs, which are again what the song is about.
My grade: 9.7 // 10

She's a Rebel

This track is the introduction of Whatsername, another resident of the city. Whatsername is described by Armstrong as "St. Jimmy's nemesis in a lot of ways." She is a vigilante, missing link on the brink of destruction. Jesus of Suburbia asks, Is she trouble like I'm trouble? It is a love-at-first-sight reaction that Whatsername is implied to not share. Again, not one of my favorite tracks on the album, but it's still a good song. St. Jimmy doesn't like Whastsername, and actively tries to convince Jesus that she isn't good for him.
My grade: 7 // 10

Extraordinary Girl

This song describes what is going on in Whatsername's head. She is insecure and doesn't like what she knows is there. She sees the mirror of herself, an image she wants to sell, to anyone willing to buy. The Jesus of Suburbia steals the image in her kiss, from her heart's apocolypse. And as Whatsername is all alone again, wiping the tears from her eyes, Jesus feels like dying, and she get sick of crying.
My grade: 9 // 10

Letterbomb

In this fast-paced, loud song, Whatsername lashes out against Jesus of Suburbia and his love. She tauntingly sings, nobody likes you, everyone left you, they're all out without you, having fun! In the lyric booklet for the album, this song is drawn as a literal letter, while within the album's story, it is metaphoric. Then she screams you'd better run for your f**king life! and It's not over before it's too late, there is nothing left to analyze! She also says, you're not the Jesus of Suburbia, the St. Jimmy is a figment of, your father's rage and your mother's love, made me the idiot America!

She leaves Jesus of Suburbia and St. Jimmy sitting in the dust, wondering what the hell just happened to them.
My grade: 8.5 // 10

Wake Me Up When September Ends

Armstrong wrote this song about his father, who passed away when Armstrong was 10, in 1982. The song, in some continuities of the album, is dated September 10th, which was the date of Billie Joe Armstrong's father's death. In this song, the Jesus of Suburbia is mourning the loss of Whatsername, and realizing that his broken home life has made him into this: a madman. In this song, he also finally comes to comprehend what Whatsername meant, and that St. Jimmy is just a manifestation of Jesus's rage. I don't care for this song, mainly because I always get choked up while I listen.
My grade: 7 // 10

Homecoming

This is the album's longest track, (clocking in at 9:16), is my personal favorite, and is split into six different subtracks: Homecoming, The Death of St. Jimmy, East 12th Street, Nobody Likes You, Rock and Roll Girlfriend, and We're Coming Home Again. In The Death of St. Jimmy, Jesus of Suburbia kills off his alter-ego, which manifests itself as Jimmy [blowing] his brains out into the bay.

In East 12th Street, Jesus of Suburbia tries to get a real job and lead a normal relationship, but it doesn't work out so well. He's in his own world and he's daydreaming and would rather be doing something else now, like cigarettes and coffee with the underbelly, and his unnamed girlfriend leaves, saying she had enough and he had plenty.

Nobody Likes You is Jesus being taunted by Whatsername's last words to him, nobody likes you, everyone left you, they're all out without you, having fun. He realizes that Whatsername was right, that he is all alone. (To me, this part brings back the memory of Boulevard of Broken Dreams)

Rock and Roll Girlfriend is the thought of an idyllic life that Jesus of Suburbia is wishing for: he is clean, he has a girlfriend and a few kids, and he's in a band. Jesus longs for this simple lifestyle, and to leave the City and the memories it's held for him.

We're Coming Home Again sees Jesus of Suburbia leaving the City and returning home, proclaiming Home, we're coming home again over and over again.
My grade: 10 // 10

Whatsername

In the album's closing track, Jesus of Suburbia wonders about Whatsername and what has become of her. He references their relationship's poor ending, saying I made a point to burn all of the photographs, she went away and then I took a different path, and then realizes that he didn't know her all that well, reminding himself I remember the face but I can't recall the name, now I wonder how Whatsername has been.
He says, If my memory serves me right, I'll never turn back time, forgetting you but not the time. This is another excellent track.
My grade: 8.5 // 10

Total Score:  101.7 // 130

I would recommend this album to anyone who likes Green Day, rock music, rock operas, or a good story told through song.