Protest Song Assignment

By Matthew Shapiro
American idiot - Green Day
American Idiot is written by Green
Day’s lead singer, Billie Joe
Armstrong. It was released in 2004
and performed by Green Day. The
main theme is the biased media, and
how it always chose a side. It also
involves the September 11 Iraq
terrorist attacks. Green Day was
protesting against American media
and how it was biased after the 2004
American Presidential election
which re-elected George W. Bush.
https://youtu.be/pIzR9DpOxzc
Born in the usa - Bruce Springsteen

Born In The USA was written by

Bruce Springsteen in 1981. He then
performed the song in 1984. This
song protested against the Vietnam
War. The song describes a veteran
who participated in the Vietnam war
and was born to a working class
family. He joined the army to avoid
jail time and then returned home to
find himself depressed and lonely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
vDCP8m78FhQ
 Preach - John Legend

Preach was written by John

Legend and released in 2019.
This song protested against all
the negative new coming out of
the USA. The song protested
against things like mass
shootings, stabbing, grand theft
auto, and any crime surge in
America in 2018-2019 span.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=o2m8wLSU90k
 References
Songfacts. “American Idiot by Green Day - Songfacts.” Songfacts.com, Songfacts, 2020,

www.songfacts.com/facts/green-day/american-idiot.

Hopper, Alex. “Behind the Meaning of Green Day’s Protest Song “American Idiot.”” American Songwriter,
American Songwriter, 10 Aug. 2022,
americansongwriter.com/meaning-american-idiot-green-day-song-lyrics/.

“What Does “Born in the U.S.A.” Really Mean?” NPR, 26 Mar. 2019,
www.npr.org/2019/03/26/706566556/bruce-springsteen-born-in-the-usa-american-anthem.

Huber, Chris. “The Meaning of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” - Extra Chill.” Extra Chill, 3 Nov.
2022, extrachill.com/bruce-springsteen-born-in-the-usa-meaning..

Songfacts. “Preach by John Legend - Songfacts.” Songfacts.com, Songfacts, 2020,

www.songfacts.com/facts/john-legend/preach.