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American Idiot (by Green Day, Punk Rock)

common sense media says

Punk rock opera actually rocks!


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that there are four-letter words and a few drug and alcohol references that make contextual sense in this long-awaited punk rock opera. Your mileage will vary, but there's nothing to worry about for most literate, sophisticated older teenagers.

Positive messages: Teen angst. Teen rebellion. Teen aspiration. Anti-establishment sentiments. All that and dreaming and hopes for the future.
Violence: A few disturbing images, one sad song about a suicide.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Some four-letter words, used in literary context as well as some Jesus references that some might find offensive.
Consumerism: CD contains an insert for other products and cell phone accessories.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A few references to drugs, drinking, and smoking.

More on American Idiot

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about why this album is referred to as a punk rock opera. What are some of the real-life issues that are dealt with? How do the different music styles contribute to the meaning of the songs?

What's the story?

What's the story?
It's been four years since the last Green Day album, and the long-awaited AMERICAN IDIOT turns out to be an elaborate punk rock concept album, blazing through new musical territory. The world's most popular punk band takes some real musical risks that mostly work. Musically, the songs reflect a variety of rock influences, from the Beatles to Pink Floyd to the Foo Fighters. Power ballads, Indian strings, and even a bit of pop sentiment combine with the band's classic punk sensibilities to deliver a complex and interesting album with a clear narrative flow. Many kids will relate to the frenetic pathos of "Tales of Another Broken Home" and "I Don't Care."

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
The writing on American Idiot is vivid and compelling, if not always squeaky clean. Most literate, smart teenagers have heard far worse and will have no problem with the lyrics. The musicianship is both powerful and poignant; the singing is terrific. The album contains some disturbing, but articulate, images; but the music makes it worth talking through the hard stuff with mature teenagers.

Music themes & details

Music Details
Released on: September 21, 2004
Label: Warner Brothers
Genre: Punk Rock
Parental advisory: Yes

This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
 
 

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What parents & educators say

12

Most useful reviews by all members

paramour
teen, 16 years old
 
The american suburbs in musical form
This album, though it has some language, is good. It describes what happens in a typical suburb that parents don't know about. So if you want to know whats going on wit your kid, I suggest listening to it, especially if your child is a high schooler

Yangy
teen, 15 years old
 
With parent supervision, even young kids can listen to this heavy rock, providing they hopefully don't interpret the themes. Green day has good tunes in this album, but the lyrics aren't exactly child friendly. Best preserved for teens.

Tanked out
teen, 17 years old
 
Great album
12+ really? I'm not prude, but the majority of 12 year old's would never get this album or what it's about. Nobody under the age of 14 even has a chance of getting the full message out of a political album, I bet few of them could even understand what the message of the cover is.

rdv128k
adult
 
One of my favorite albums
This best-selling album is excellent, and the language is not that bad. Parents, whether you approve or not, your kids ARE listening to this, and as far as I know, they arent running around killing people or swearing every other word.

eAstBaYPuNk
teen, 15 years old
 
Great Album
Ok so like most Green Day fans I like the older albums better than the new ones, but that's just my opinion. I still think this is an awesome album and Holiday and Whatsername are definetly great songs. Violence: I don't know what you mean by a bloody grenade being violent, I mean really how much more over-protective could you be. Language: I mean sure there's language but I don't think Green Day's music would be enjoyable without it. Messages: Although St Jimmy is a drug dealer and a lot of the album is about dealing with drugs, that's his problem not your kids. I do think you should be older to really understand the ideas in this album. So all you over-protective parents, let your kid buy it.

greendayfreak96
teen, 15 years old
 
They're going to find out eventually...
This is one of the best Green Day albums ever. I've been listening to it since it came out (I was 10) and have always loved it. Yes, they swear and mention suicide, drugs, etc. but these are facts of life - if you shelter your kids from this then they'll grow up being naiive and have no idea about what lies out there, then get into trouble when they have no idea what's going on.

Green Day forever
teen, 13 years old
 
Perfect for teenagers, not so much for tweens.
First of all, this is an awesome album and if you dont like it, everyone else does because they made it to a musical. Alright, now the content. They say the f-word alot in the song American Idiot, and the picture shows a guy holding a bloody grenade. But thats the only innapropriate things. The best songs are definitly American Idiot and Wake me up when September Ends.

bluekangaroo13
teen, 13 years old
 
Great Band
This is my favorite Green Day album, and it talks about important stuff like the government. All kids in Junior High should be able to listen to this, and if younger kids' parents are okay with it then they should listen to it too.

Lupin_Snape
kid, 12 years old
 
Amazing.
Well to be honest with you I get really annoyed when children other then me listen to this, because they suddenly get the feeling they are "totally bada$s." They probably don't know what 'Mary Jane' is or what a fa*got is. Well other then that this album is AMA-ZING! It has the almost perfect balance of everything an album needs. A couple of F**k's and S**t's but thats pretty good. My favorite songs on it are 'Jesus of Suburbia, Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, and Longview'. Buy it for any mature young rocker!

racolson
teen, 17 years old
 
12+
Good album. All else i can say about it is, yes there is much foul language. But honestly, if your kid is 12+ whats the point of shielding cussing from them? When i was in jr high, most kids said every cuss word you could possibly think of so they're going to hear it anyways.

satanicpower69
kid, 8 years old
 
this album is an instant classic

Kazer
adult
 
This album kicks ass
This is a really good album, the last of Green Day doing anything right. (After they became famous they lost their punk rock-ness and went for commerrcializing VH1) The music is amazing and, if you actually listen to the lyrics, incredibly deep. It talks alot about how the world is screwed up and makes many good points. This is a definite must buy.

pizza31
adult
 
A Conplete Masterpiece
Parents need to know that this is a wonderful masterpiece of an album that has somewhat complex themes and most of the subjects of the songs younger kids won't understand. If you don't understand the genius of this album, you will think it's just a collection of pretty good songs. American Idiot-This song basically mocks America in every way possible and there's one I line I don't like ("we're not the ones meant to follow") in the chorus. One use of f--k ("the subliminal mind? F--k america.") and one use f-ggot ("well maybe I'm the f-ggot America, I'm not a part of a redneck agenda."). Jesus of Suburbia-This song is about the main character of the whole album, Jesus of Suburbia, or Jesus for short. He calls himself this because he thinks he's the king, or "Jesus", of his suburban neighborhood. There are several lines that are basically metaphors ("get my television fixed, sitting on my crucifix") and one mention of cocaine ("to fall in love and fall in debt / and alcohol and cigarettes / and Mary Jane to keep me insane / doing someone else's cocaine") City of the Damned- this song is about Jesus describing the dirty town he lives in but when he sings it sounds more like "city of the dead", so that is good. There's one iffy line ("I read the graffiti in the bathroom stall like the holy scriptures of the shopping mall"). I Don't Care-This is a very angry part of the Jesus of Suburbia Song. (it's split into five parts). One use of the s--t ("everyone is so full of SH-T") and near the end the singer declares that he a story and disciple of the Jesus of Suburbia. Dearly Beloved- this is where Jesus is now in therapy. It's a very pleasant part of the song and there's now explicit language. Tales From Another Broken Home-A very epic part but three uses of the f word ("and I leave behind this hurricane of f--king lies / and I walked this line and million and one f--king times.") and at the very end be runs away from home as a teenager. Holiday-the Jesus of Suburbia saga is now over and he's out in the city by himself. One use of the word "fags" ("kill all the fags that DON'T AGREE!") Boulevard of Broken Dreams-Jesus is now alone and depressed and there's one use of f--k ("what's f--ked up and everything's all right"). Are We The Waiting-Nothing explicit but it's not a great song anyways. St. Jimmy- St. Jimmy is jesus's alter-ego and he has an attitude and deals drugs and… isn't afraid to commit suicide. I know, it sounds absolutely terrible but this song is so dang fast it's hard to understand what's going on. One use of b-tch ("I am the son of a b-tch and Edgar Alan Poe") Give Me Novacaine - I'm not sure whether "novacaine" is a real drug or not but this song is about Jesus debating whether he should do drugs with St. Jimmy or not. No swearing here. She's A Rebel- jimmy praises a girl named "Whatsername" (the fact that she has no name may disturb some). There's nothing bad in this song. Extraordinary Girl - another song about Whatsername but one line says "some days he feels like dying" (referring to Jimmy). Letterbomb- this song is perhaps the best of the album but it does have its swearing. The first line has "bastards" (where have all the bastards gone?") and two uses of f--k ("so strike the f--king match to light this fuse" and "you'd better run for your f--king life") Wake Me Up When September Ends- Perhaps the cleanest song on the album. Buy this song by itself if you want at least something from the album. Whatsername has left so Jimmy is sad. Death of St. Jimmy- the first part of "homecoming". St. Jimmy commits suicide (not a real suicide, since he's jesus's alter-ego). One reference to "the city of lust", Jimmy says "we're f--ked up" to Jesus, one line says "the stems and seeds and the last of the dope", and one line says "what the hell's your name?" East 12th Street- one line says "get me the f--k right out of here" Nobody Likes You-one reference to Spike TV and coffee. Rock 'N Roll Girlfriend-one use of s--t ("I play the s--t out of the drums"). We're coming Home Again-one use of f--k ("I started f--kin' running") Whatsername- the last song on the album with no iffy lyrics.

lolakitty12
teen, 14 years old
 
Depends on your views and values
The language is strong and there are still the drug references. Some images may be disturbing and messages are mature. The messages are good to people who have the same views of the band.

CptDrake
kid, 12 years old
 
Teens only!
A great, but very edgy album. SO many uses of the f**k it is pretty unbelievable. Other swears are used sometimes in an offensive way, such as, "Kill all the f*gs that don't beleive!". Add this with heavy drug use and violence, and you get a cocktail thats not for tweens.

colormestupid
teen, 14 years old
 
LOVELOVELOVELOVE :)
there is some cursing (f**k, sh*t, d*mn, hell, b*astard, etc.) many references to marijuana, and a reference to cocaine. one character in the album is drug dealer & has violent imagery used to describe him. however, this character turns out to be an antagonist and eventually commits suicide ("blew his brains out into the bay"). teenage rebellion themes, "question authority" attitude, etc. the title track can be percieved as offensive by some if it is misinterpreted (use of the word f*ggot, etc.) but overall, the messages are generally positive if correctly interpreted, making for a really great album.

Hajile
teen, 14 years old
 
ROCK ON GREEN DAY!!!
love it!

Spielberg00
teen, 14 years old
 
Very good and thoughtful...lots of rebellion
Swearing galore! Multiple and sometimes liberal uses of words such as "f--k", "s--t", "f--got", "hell", "b--ch", etc. (especially the F bombs).

sick puppy
teen, 18 years old
 
good green day.
It is a great CD but it says the word fagit witch mat be rude to gay people...

orf7
adult
 
This opera rocks!
American Idiot is an outstanding rock album by Green Day. Parents will probably dislike the CD for its profanity (lots of Fs and SHs)and the drug references. Still, great music can't be ignored, and this is one album that won't be. Parents, of your kids want this album, let them get it. Profanity is a part of life, and kids are bound to hear it sooner than later. I recommend this CD to anyone ages 11-up. Enjoy!

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