pasalaska Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 This week’s Song of the Week is Green Day's dig at materialism and consumerism; Fashion Victim, track 4 of Green Day’s 6th studio album, Warning. The meaning behind Fashion Victim’s lyrics is fairly self-explanatory – they criticise and satirise people who follow the fashion and trends of mainstream society to try and fit in (“the casualties”); people who base themselves on brand names and are obsessed with keeping up with the in-crowd, even if they can’t necessarily afford it, rather than being their own person and living their own life (“you auctioned off your life…”). This week’s video is a live recording of Fashion Victim from Japan in 2001. The video isn’t actually from that recording, it’s just footage of Green Day playing a different song. Lyrics: He's a victim of his own time In his vintage suit and tie he's a casualty dressed to the teeth In the latest genocide the new seasons come and go at the dog and pony show gonna sit and beg and fetch the names and follow the dress codes What's in a name...hey! She's a scented magazine looking sharp and living clean living well and dressed to kill but she looks like hell to me So when you're dancing through your wardrobe do the anorex - a go - go cloaked with style for pedophiles as the credit card explodes you auctioned off your life for the most expensive price going once... going twice... it's gone you auctioned off your life for the most expensive price going once... going twice... it's gone what's in a name...hey! what's in a name...hey! what's in a name? ********************************************************************************************************* You can nominate songs for discussion as Song of the Week in the SotW Nominations and Archive thread, which contains links to each previous Song of the Week in its first post. - sorry about the week delay folks! Something went funny with my Tardis and I skipped forward in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spark in the night Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I guess this song meant something to Billie during his fat Elvis days, but he's such a fashionista now. He's so stylish with his scarves and jackets and urge to change hairstyles constantly The song is catchy, not a top favorite of mine, but it's fun to listen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzz Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I'll just leave this here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJA TC MD Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 This song took a while to grow on me but it's pretty cool. Why the song is saying is pretty true, I know heaps of people like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pasalaska Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 I'll just leave this here Add the Vogue article/shoot and Adeline Street... SELLOUTS! SELLLLOUUUTTTTTZZZZZZZZZZzz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justcause Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 There's such a thing as being scathing towards something because deep down, you're really attracted to it, but you feel like it's unworthy. So like, this song is all full of loathing for the stuff of the fashion scene - the dark side of it, the people who only value labels, the shallow cynical shit, while all the time ignoring what's central to it - fucking amazing clothes, lol!! Fashion is, at its roots, artistic expression and comment on the times - it's there to be availed of or ignored. You can try it on and step out in it if it feels good to you, but you don't have to let it own you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarcasm Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I like the part where the band goes ooooaaoh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestboundSign! Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 This was one of the first songs off Warning that grew on me. Not the first - but one of them. I love it's catchy melody and the lyrics, even though I have to agree with you that it's a little different with Green Day and fashion now. But the lyrics still fit to Green Day, in my opinion. Because following the fashion and everything that's "in" is in relation to a whole person and not only to what he / she wears. Green Day have always done what they wanted to do, without paying too much attention to what the others say or think about them. That's just what I think, though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestboundSign! Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 For me it's about a lot more than clothes. This! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mar Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I guess this song meant something to Billie during his fat Elvis days Fat Elvis and short pants WHOAAAAAA-OH-OHHHH, WHOAAAAAA-OH-OHHHH. Love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghesboro Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I remeber the first time I listened to this song. The line "so when you're dancing through your wardrobe, do the anorex - a go - go, cloaked with style for pedophiles, as the credit card explodes" got stuck in my head. Fashion Victim doesn't only talk about fashion, I totally agree with Kali. and WestboundSign! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScatteredPictures Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I absolutely love it ^^ Haven't listened to it in a while though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleeper Agent. Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 i liked this song when i first got warning, i like the sound of it and the lyrics, its saying like keeping up with the trends will fuck you over, in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiercecircus Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I'm so glad someone else refers to that era as the "fat elvis" era. I feel a little guilty sometimes saying it. It's a good song. I make fun of Warning sometimes for being the "bad" album, but really, it was a good album and a good period in my life and it's a good soundtrack for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixtrix Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I'm so glad someone else refers to that era as the "fat elvis" era. I feel a little guilty sometimes saying it. It's a good song. I make fun of Warning sometimes for being the "bad" album, but really, it was a good album and a good period in my life and it's a good soundtrack for that. [kissing ass]You know, it is often seen as a bad album by a lot of fans, but Warning was able to bring in a lot of new fans at the time, like Andres. So it definitely did something good for sure[/kissing ass] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarcasm Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I'm so glad someone else refers to that era as the "fat elvis" era. I feel a little guilty sometimes saying it. I'm pretty sure Billie made the name of the era himself, I have the interview in that big ass GD special by K! Weight is a part of fashions in 2012. Damn hipsters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Miguel Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 probably my second favourite song off of Warning, and hoping it does well in the battle of the songs next week i think it represents Billie's feelings towards trends at the time, as does other songs on the album - Minority, Warning, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjrules Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 My least favourite song from Warning, but I still love it. I think the message is one that many people can relate to these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigister Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I haven't been listening to this song for a loooong time! Perfect occasion to pick it up again I love it, especially its lyrics are pretty awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleBoyNamedTrain Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 A brilliant song from my favourite album good choice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnout409 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 People keep mentioning all the more recent photo shoots for clothing brands they've done and saying their sellouts etc, i can't say your wrong in a way i agree, BUT i do think there is a difference between wearing cloths because you like them and wearing cloths because someone else likes them/everyone else is wearing it. And Maybe Green Day genuinely like the cloths? We'll never know but its a possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elena Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I love this song !! It's one of my faves from that album and also one of my faves of all time ...the lyrics are amazing and mean a lot to me (especially when i look at all these fashion victims in my school - who also dissed me cos i wasn't like them ) and the melody totally fits !! I can't even describe how much that song means to me !! ...and cos they wear some more expensive stuff and make photoshoots doesn't mean that they still think like that, does it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classof12 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I agree with you guys up there, it's not only about clothes, it's about do (and buy) whatever just because someone says that's trendy...and even not avoid eating just to be another skinny girl (I always think this song is about a girl) that's dress as a bitch trying to look around 20...for me is about how stupid people are just to be fashionable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie, get your gun Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Amazing song, is one of my favorites from Warning. I love the guitar, the drums, the lyrics... the only part that I don't like is the ooh ooh oh chorus. When I think about it is like the lyrics are sarcastic and comical, it made me create a very funny video of it in my mind And I always thought the main thing was: people pay crazy amounts of money for clothes that are "trendy" when they actually look ridiculous with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J'net Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I remeber the first time I listened to this song. The line "so when you're dancing through your wardrobe, do the anorex - a go - go, cloaked with style for pedophiles, as the credit card explodes" got stuck in my head. Fashion Victim doesn't only talk about fashion, I totally agree with Kali. and WestboundSign! I think this is one of the key lines in the song for me. I don't think the point of the song is really against following fashion trends. It's more against following those trends all the time whether you really like them or not and following them for the wrong reasons and despite what harm it might do you ... people who will harm their own health just to have the right skinny body to wear the clothes or spend whatever it takes to possess whatever fashion is currently trendy even as their "credit card explodes." In other words ... sad people who can never be happy or secure because they're always looking for something that will make them "good enough" ... always trying to fit in. This song always makes me wish I could hug those people and tell them they're okay and get them to listen to Minority . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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