For music fans there is no doubt this album is tremendous and will be a seminal event of 2004. But is there a story here for political junkies? I think so.
Flashback to the 1992 election and Beck's #1 hit "Loser" which put a clip near the end of George H W Bush pathetically saying, "I'm a winner, I can feel it". That essentially decapitated any possible support Bush I may have gotten from the youth vote. And remember, the youth vote was instrumental in getting Clinton elected.
The Green Day album is filled with social commentary but only really hits on the politics twice. Many have heard the titletrack, "American Idiot" which is strong but the song "Holiday" has potential to become a real factor with the youth vote, IMHO. How are these for 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 today.
Chorus:
I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives
On Holidayyyyyy
Hear the drum pounding out of time
Another protester has crossed the line
To find the money's on the other side.
Can I get another amen?
There's a flag wrapped around a score of men
A gag
A plastic bag on a monument.
Chorus
The representative of California has the floor:
'Zieg heil to the president gasman
Bombs away is your punishment
Pulverize the Eiffel Towers
Who criticize your government
Bang bang goes the broken glass
Kill all the fags that don't agree
Trials by fire setting fire'
Is not a way that's meant for me.
Just because - just cause because we're outlaws.
Chorus"
Now many songs have been critical of the President's agenda in the last few years but this song is different. This song has #1 hit potential written all over it. It was written in the pop hit format and has the musical chops to go to the top and stay there. But is it too flammable for mass consumption? Clear Channel will work against this becoming a big single before the election. Will they succeed? How will it play out?
