Greenday - American Idiot CD?

[CARose]

Hi,

My daughter really wants to get the American Idiot CD by Greenday. Anyone out there know anything about it? Are the lyrics appropriate for a faithful 13 year old? I’ve heard that WalMart refuses to carry it due to the lyrics, but the salesperson who told us this didn’t know what it was that they considered objectionable.

Also, can you recommend some fun listening contemporary music that would be appropriate for a young teen who wants to enjoy the music her friends are listening to?

Thanks,

CARose

 

[Thursday1]

Let me say I love Greenday, they are one of the best bands out there. American Idiot is an incredible “rock opera,” but it has quite a few f-bombs (on itunes, every track is marked EXPLICIT). I fell in love with the song Boulevard of Broken Dreams when it was played on the radio, and didn’t realize it was an edited version (leaves out a ****ed up)
Unfortunately I don’t believe they make a clean version of the album, so I would give it a miss.

Of course, I am now going off to listen to it, so call me a hypocrite!

Yours in Christ,
Thursday

 

[CARose]

Thanks for the info Thursday. I just found the lyrics and have printed them out. I don’t think the message they’re promoting through their lyrics is especially great, and I guess I’m concerned about the subliminal effect that listening to it over and over might have. But I know what you mean about going ahead and listening anyway.

I guess that’s why kids get moms, so we moms can become more aware of how important it is that we pay attention even to what we listen to and watch (having just watched the last episode of Real World, I say this).

Thanks again for your feedback. I think I’ll give her the lyrics and ask her to read them over and tell me what she thinks about the message in the songs.

CARose

 

[Thursday1]

CARose:

Thanks again for your feedback. I think I’ll give her the lyrics and ask her to read them over and tell me what she thinks about the message in the songs.

Your very welcome, and I think your plan in very sensible. If she is mature enough, why shouldn’t she listen to one the greatest bands? Stylistically, there is no other band like green day, they have a very unique sound. I do have one caution though, don’t watch the green day music videos, there is some pretty twisted stuff in them.
http://www.pushposters.co.uk/new/pics/a/a12000.jpg

Man I love these guys!

Yours in Christ,
Thursday

 

[infabilly]

Green Day is kind of ****, in my opinion.
But that’s just me and my strong disliking for bands who suddenly go political for more attention.

A lot of young teens don’t pay that much attention to the lyrics, though, from what I’ve noticed… so I wouldn’t worry so much about it. They probably just like the sound and looks of the band. :B

 

[buffalo]

Stay away! Historically they have promoted all sorts of bad things in their lyrics including killing their mother.

If you like the style of music look here for Positive Music Alternatives

If you like Green Day try these - Twotimer, Sidewalk Slam, Ace Troubleshooter

 

[YinYangMom]

Thursday1:

Stylistically, there is no other band like green day, they have a very unique sound. I do have one caution though, don’t watch the green day music videos, there is some pretty twisted stuff in them.

Man I love these guys!

Yours in Christ,
Thursday

Agreed. Love the music on this CD…the opera just flows so well. I appreciate the creative work this group put into the album, every song is near perfect. And to think it was put together at the last minute after the original CD songs disappeared! They had to go back to the drawing board in a crunch and came out with this destined to be ‘classic’.

Lyric-wise, it’s not overall ideal for 13 year olds. Some songs, yes, most not. Most of the messages would be over the head of preteens but is great for late teens early 20s. The curse words (a few here and there, not in every verse of every song) used are not really clearly distinguished over the music and they’re what you’d hear in a public school or a professional sporting event these days. My concern for my daughter was not in being exposed to the words the 3 or 4 times they are used in the entire CD of 13 songs since the words themselves were nothing new to a public school student and the neice of an uncle who swears regularly, but because of the content of the songs’ lyrics. They do have a message and it is liberating, yet if taken the wrong way could be taken to be rebellious…and that, is the real caution flag for this type of music. That’s why I think it’s better suited for the older set of youth these days, they are better able to put it into the proper perspective and not take it out of context to run away with it.

Yep, stay away from the videos. Even the September one. Bugged me that they took the song he wrote about the death of his father and turned the video into a war statement. Whereas the song Holiday is defintely an anti pro-war government and yet the video takes a loosey-goosey-raunchy turn to it…bizarre. The one video which actually goes well with the lyrics is Boulevard of Broken Dreams. That one’s safe.

My 15 year old daughter and I got hooked on Green Day from the Grammy show they opened with Franz Ferdinand, Maroon 5 and other top billers of the time. The sound coming from this group was fresh and intense so we bought the CD. I listened to it first and read the lyrics, then cautioned my daughter on which songs not to get too caught up in lyric-wise while appreciating the music.

There have been times before, especially with popular movies, where I’ve had to say ‘not yet’ to my daughter - especially when she was 12-13-14…she would ask why and I’d just be honest and say the movie contains parts of life you really don’t want to know about right now, enjoy being a kid, the movies will be around when you’re old enough to understand them and then you’ll see why I said no. At 15 she’s seen some of those once-banned movies and she agrees she wouldn’t have appreciated it earlier. So now when I still say no to some of the R films she doesn’t even blink an eye. She trusts my judgement.

 

[YinYangMom]

buffalo:

Stay away! Historically they have promoted all sorts of bad things in their lyrics including killing their mother.

If you like the style of music look here for Positive Music Alternatives

If you like Green Day try these - Twotimer, Sidewalk Slam, Ace Troubleshooter

Good recommendations. There are alternative bands for the ‘sounds’ kids are attracted to these days. Thank goodness for that! It’s important we support these bands’ efforts by buying their CDs so they continue their good works.

 

[deb1]

I think YingYang Mom gives some pretty good advice. I, too, like GreenDay but I think that young teens should probably wait until they are older to purchase their CDS.

As a parent one of the best things that you can do is too acknowledge that yes, the group is talented and not just putting out junk but that because they have chosen to add curse words and mature subjects to their CD that your daughter will have to wait until she is in her late teens. This approach works because it shows the child that yes, you have taken the time to listen to their music and that you can see what the appeal is. This helps the child listen more closely when you then discuss the negative impact of the CD or why certain music violates the rules of your home.

 

[Celia]

Uhhh, I just wrote a really long post and lost it somehow. Ok, basic gist of it was, I love Green Day and ‘American Idiot’ is a fantastic CD. That said, I have to say it was a great idea to print out the lyrics and give them to your daughter to see what she thinks. Going on how she understands the message, from there I would decide whether to get it for her. That was a really good idea. It may be too heavy for some kids to get. The videos, especially ‘Holiday’, are a bit much for that age though, I would agree. Good Luck!!

 

[CatholicSam]

Is it just me, or does some other adult out there dislike the idea of f-words and immoral ideals washing over his or her subconscious? Prayerfully discern what should and should not go into your immortal soul. Your soul is for protecting, not desensitizing by listening to people use horrible swear words. I know I’m going to be stoned alive for posting this, but NOTHING is more important than your soul, not even having nice music to listen to. I would sooner listen to nothing than listen to a band curse and sing about horrible things. You wouldn’t look at pornography with your eyes, so why purposely seek out to listen to swear words in these songs with your ears? Protecting yourself from profanity isn’t just for kids, it’s for everyone.

CARose, why not try taping the clean versions off the radio? You may also want to check out www.ceilirain.com.

Sorry to everyone I just offended, but I had to write this which I strongly believe. After listening to some Catholic music the other day, I woke up singing the words to the Creed in my head. Do you want to wake up singing the f-word or lyrics about such unsavory things??

 

[buffalo]

CatholicSam:

Is it just me, or does some other adult out there dislike the idea of f-words and immoral ideals washing over his or her subconscious? Prayerfully discern what should and should not go into your immortal soul. Your soul is for protecting, not desensitizing by listening to people use horrible swear words. I know I’m going to be stoned alive for posting this, but NOTHING is more important than your soul, not even having nice music to listen to. I would sooner listen to nothing than listen to a band curse and sing about horrible things. You wouldn’t look at pornography with your eyes, so why purposely seek out to listen to swear words in these songs with your ears? Protecting yourself from profanity isn’t just for kids, it’s for everyone.

CARose, why not try taping the clean versions off the radio? You may also want to check out www.ceilirain.com.

Sorry to everyone I just offended, but I had to write this which I strongly believe. After listening to some Catholic music the other day, I woke up singing the words to the Creed in my head. Do you want to wake up singing the f-word or lyrics about such unsavory things??

I am with you - it amazes me that some posters post so imtelligently about their faith and then in a music post give credit to the evil artistry they are listening to. The justifications are simply AMAZING!

I just recently I heard that evil has an attractant like the bait on a hook. When you eat the bait underneath there is a dangerous hook.

 

[Jabronie]

There’s a lot of catchy toons on the latest Green Day CD. I just won’t buy it because of the politics.

 

[deb1]

buffalo:

I am with you - it amazes me that some posters post so imtelligently about their faith and then in a music post give credit to the evil artistry they are listening to. The justifications are simply AMAZING!

I just recently I heard that evil has an attractant like the bait on a hook. When you eat the bait underneath there is a dangerous hook.

THe problem is that I don’t see Greenday as evil. I don’t like their choice of language but I don’t have a problem with their music itself. IF I thought that it was evil I certainly wouldn’t listen.

 

[deb1]

CatholicSam:

Is.

CARose, why not try taping the clean versions off the radio? You may also want to check out www.ceilirain.com.

??

Also, you can listen to videos on yahoo music for free(it costs to download). This helps me decide which musicians that I will allow my son to purchase.

I have never done this but you can pay to down load a song or two of theirs so that your daughter can have the songs which aren’t questionable and still enjoy the ones that she likes.

 

[Lapsed]

Thursday1:

Stylistically, there is no other band like green day, they have a very unique sound.

They sound like a cross between the Sex Pistols and the Ramones. They aren’t remotely close to unique, just another third generation punk band, though certainly one of the better ones.

 

[buffalo]

deb1:

THe problem is that I don’t see Greenday as evil. I don’t like their choice of language but I don’t have a problem with their music itself. IF I thought that it was evil I certainly wouldn’t listen.

This isn’t evil?

"Jesus Of Suburbia"

[Part 1]

I’m the son of rage and love
The Jesus of suburbia
From the bible of none of the above
On a steady diet of soda pop and Ritalin
No one ever died for my sins in hell
As far as I can tell
At least the ones I got away with

And there’s nothing wrong with me
This is how I’m supposed to be
In a land of make believe
That don’t believe in me

Get my television fix sitting on my crucifix
The living room or my private womb
While the moms and brads are away
To fall in love and fall in debt
To alcohol and cigarettes and Mary Jane
To keep me insane and doing someone else’s cocaine

And there’s nothing wrong with me
This is how I’m supposed to be
In a land of make believe
That don’t believe in me

 

[deb1]

buffalo:

This isn’t evil?

"Jesus Of Suburbia"

[Part 1]

I’m the son of rage and love
The Jesus of suburbia
From the bible of none of the above
On a steady diet of soda pop and Ritalin
No one ever died for my sins in hell
As far as I can tell
At least the ones I got away with

And there’s nothing wrong with me
This is how I’m supposed to be
In a land of make believe
That don’t believe in me

Get my television fix sitting on my crucifix
The living room or my private womb
While the moms and brads are away
To fall in love and fall in debt
To alcohol and cigarettes and Mary Jane
To keep me insane and doing someone else’s cocaine

And there’s nothing wrong with me
This is how I’m supposed to be
In a land of make believe
That don’t believe in me

My first thoughts when reading the lyrics was that this song is not about a savior but is instead using his name as a metaphor. But it wasn’t until you posted that I did the research.

This particular Green Day album is a rock opera and deals with the alienation of suburbian youth. Here is a site that gives basic info on both this song and the album.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus%5Fof%5FSuburbia

No, I still don’t think that it is evil.

 

[buffalo]

deb1:

My first thoughts when reading the lyrics was that this song is not about a savior but is instead using his name as a metaphor. But it wasn’t until you posted that I did the research.

This particular Green Day album is a rock opera and deals with the alienation of suburbian youth. Here is a site that gives basic info on both this song and the album.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus%5Fof%5FSuburbia

No, I still don’t think that it is evil.

sitting on my crucifix? OK

Keep working on justifying:

Try this one:

"Letterbomb"

Nobody likes you…
Everyone left you…
They’re all out without you…
Having fun…

Where have all the bastards gone?
The underbelly stacks up ten high
The dummy failed the crash test
Collecting unemployment checks
Like a flunkie along for the ride

Where have all the riots gone
As the city’s motto gets pulverized?
What’s in love is now in debt
On your birth certificate
So strike the ****ing match to light this fuse!

The town bishop is an extortionist
And he don’t even know that you exist
Standing still when it’s do or die
You better run for your ****ing life

It’s not over ‘till you’re underground
It’s not over before it’s too late
This city’s burnin’
It’s not my burden
It’s not over before it’s too late

There’s nothing left to analyze

Where will all the martyrs go when the virus cures itself?
And where will we all go when it’s too late?

And don’t look back

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

It’s not over ‘till you’re underground
It’s not over before it’s too late
This city’s burnin’
It’s not my burden
It’s not over before it’s too late

She said I can’t take this place
I’m leaving it behind

Well she said I can’t take this town
I’m leaving you tonight

 

[buffalo]

or this one:

"Ha Ha You’re Dead"

How do you get your sleep at night?
How did you get your noose so tight?
Like chewing on tinfoil, it’s so much fun
Gonna be dead before your gone

Cause look how things have gotten
And I’ll be happy so I won’t pretend
And I’ll be cheering that you’re going down
And I’ll be laughing, I’ll be laughing

How many feelings can you steal?
Gotta be part of your appeal
I can see through you cause you’re wearing thin
Like chewing on tinfoil once again

Ha Ha you’re dead
And I’m so happy
In loving memory
Of your demise

When your ship is going down
I’ll go out and paint the town
Ha Ha you’re dead
Ha Ha you’re dead
Ha Ha you’re dead

(ha ha ha)

Ha Ha you’re dead
The joke is over
You were an *******
And now you’re gone
As your ship is going down
I’ll stand by and watch you drown

Ha Ha you’re dead
You’re gonna be dead
Just remember what I said
Ha Ha you’re dead
Ha Ha you’re dead
Ha Ha you’re dead