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.

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.

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.

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!

this album is an instant classic

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.

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.

love it!

It is a great CD but it says the word fagit witch mat be rude to gay people...