| Bad Religion – Individual Lyrics | 20 years ago |
| Maybe it's a cynically critical take about the mass of 'new age' people getting into 'finding themselves' in a half-arsed way. (The reference to 'critical mass' from the bestselling "The Celestine Prophecy".) Although these people believe they are striving for more purpose to life, they are losing individuality. | |
| Green Day – Favorite Son Lyrics | 20 years ago |
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Originally I assumed it was about George W. Bush, but on closer inspection I believe it *may* be using the rich-get-corrupted (and adored by Americans) formula to parallel George W. and Kobe Bryant. This acts as a metaphor for the rich and famous under the national spotlight. ---- "He hit the ground running, At the speed of light. The star was brightly shining, Like a neon light." ---- Possibly a reference to Bush - during his inauguration protesters hurled debris at him so he had to run to his limo and escape prematurely. ---- "A fixture on the talkshows, To the silver screen. From here to Colorado, He's a sex machine" ---- The "talkshows" and "silverscreen" could be references to Bush on television and movies such as Fahrenheit 9/11, but I think this stanza is explicitly referring to the Kobe Bryant sex scandal (obviously talked about on "the talkshow"). Furthermore, during the 2004 NBA season and playoffs, Bryant was travelling to Colorado for court cases on his alleged sexual assault and immediately flying back to L.A. for basketball games. ---- "A clean-cut All-American, Really ain't so clean. His royal auditorium, Is a murder scene." ---- A reference to Bush's dodgy past and dodgy present. His "murder scene" of a "royal auditorium" could be Iraq. ---- "Well no one says it's fair. Turn a teenage lush, To a millionaire." ---- Applicable to both Bush and Bryant and also all successful/rich kids. ---- "Now where's your fuckin' champion? On a bed you laid. He's not the All-American, That you thought you paid." ---- Bryant again. Once an NBA "champion" and considered "All-American", he succumbed to temptation on a Colorado hotel bed. A bed that was metaphorically "laid" by fame and public celebrification(?). ---- "It's your favorite son. It's your favorite son. But isn't it a drag?" ---- These people the public and popular media hold up and celebrify as idols and heroes only end up being disappointments. Perhaps all stanzas apply to both, perhaps not. Perhaps Bryant isn't supposed to involved in the song at all. It *could* also be referring to the band themselves but it's hard to tell. It could be a song to mainstream America explaining American Idiot, or it could be a song to the punk scene that they left (such as on ‘Good Riddance’), seeing as they are on a compilation with punk artists. I doubt both though. I never know if Billy Joe is intending deeper meaning or just lazily rhyming. Good song though. |
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