Tehran

If you know your history, you'll know that Tehran was the original version as Ronald Reagan's administration started a conflict in Iran long before Bush Sr. invaded Iraq. It wouldn't make sense if "Baghdad" preceded "Tehran".

Guys, I'm Iranian I'm pretty sure the term "Great Satan" is referring to Islamic republics official nick name for USA, which they use daily as a official term.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Satan

If you like this song, also listen to Illegal Attacks, Ian Brown

I think that the Offspring sent a very powerful message by making this song, which is simply a remake of Baghdad. By going to the trouble of completely rerecording it, just to change the words "Baghdad" and "Iraq" to "Tehran" and "Iran" respectively, shows that the conflicts are exactly the same thing, just like the song is exactly the same thing. I love the way they did this. Just goes to show, history repeats itself and nobody ever seems to learn.

actually, i believe Baghdad is a remake of this song. O.o

Actually, Spiffymarc is right. The Baghdad 7" came out in 1991. The Self titled was released on Vinyl in 1989, then re-released on cd in 1995. So TEHRAN WAS BEFORE BAGHDAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

all i know is that along with the political messages in this song, this song is a true display of what Ron Welty is capable of. i mean, he plays some pretty wicked drum lines on a lot of offspring songs, but this song is just jaw dropping. as far as the rest of the song goes, i especially like the part "Will you ever wonder If the man that's in your sights Ever kissed his girl goodbye" that little segment really shows how war isnt like a video game -- all the people that die in have friends and families. theyre not just "bad guys" that you have to kill to get points, or medals in the case of real war, theyre living, breathing human beings.

I've got no proof of which song came first, but you have to admit "Tehran"s lyrics rhyme a lot better. I'd be kinda weird if "Baghdad" was first and then when they changed the country and capital city it just happened to rhyme where the first one hadn't. So it seems a lot more likely that "Tehran" was first.

America was allied with Iraq and was against Iran. When it swapped places so they were allying with Iran, Baghdad was recorded."We will win in Iran" We will win in Iraq"

Ok, first of all Tehran WAS written before Baghdad, that’s a fact. Before The Offspring were signed to Epitaph, I believe it was Thom Wilson wanted something more on the edge. So the Offspring rewrote Tehran and made Baghdad. And if you notice, “Tehran” fits into the melody much better then “Baghdad” does. And besides if you know anything about history, the conflict in Iran happened before the first Gulf War. So you don’t know history in both the world and The Offspring, you disappoint me.

The Song:

First stanza is talking about troops in a plane in root to Iran’s battle front, and just like Vietnam, we though we’d be in there for a month or so, but unlike Vietnam we’d win.

Second Stanza is saying that the president is letting it become like Vietnam, that either way Islam will be damned and we’ll make our last stand in Tehran. This seems to be directed at the troops.

Third stanza is talking about the bombing raids. Also implying remorse for killing Iranian troops, wondering if they got the chance to say goodbye.

Forth is saying kill or be killed, you’re on your own, that we will damn this place one way or another.

“Great Satan” referring as this has become like Vietnam.

“Our flags are burning” Referring to Islamic culture burning our flags in protest to our present in the Middle East, also flag burning in America protesting the war.

Fifth stanza is saying that our troops are now bodies in the sand and the death toll is just a never-ending growing number, that we’re losing troops for seemingly no reason, just like Vietnam, we’ll never win.

And the last stanza, saying the president let it go on just like Vietnam, let our troops die for nothing and now they’re (we’re) all damned.

Really this song isn’t talking about past mistakes, but rather we go into conflict with out good reason, and get our armies depleted with out cause. That we let conflicts turn into a situation like Vietnam. Baghdad was the same thing, so is this war we’re fighting now.

actually, I believe This is a remake of baghdad, no wait it is.. baghdad came out BEFORE teran(the baghdad 7"), while this song came out on the Self-Titled album.