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This debate about using the N-word in American Eulogy reminds me of a story I wrote about a girl whose family sued a local school district for racial discrimination. Allegedly, students hurled the N-word on a daily basis while school officials sat by and did nothing. One administrator apparently even admitted she uses the word frequently herself. As I was preparing to write the story, I asked my editor if I should use the word "nigger," or write "N-word," or put "n-----," or some other censored form. He told me censoring the word diminishes the wrong these people did. He suggested I print the full word "nigger" when describing the allegations against the school officials, and I did. In printing "nigger," sure, I probably offended some people. But I wasn't printing it as my own words. I was printing it as the racist school official's words. The point is to make people feel uncomfortable by using the word in your quotation or paraphrase — to show how wrong it is when used this way. I think the same argument can (and should) be used for American Eulogy. Green Day obviously isn't saying it in the manner rappers or racist white people do. The band included it in lyrics as a quotation, while quoting a mentality the song is clearly against. The point is to make you uncomfortable by using the quote. Fuck, the phrase is even put in quotation marks in the lyrics, which rarely happens: Fight fire with a riot The class war is hanging on a wire Because the martyr is a compulsive liar, when he said "It's just a bunch of niggers throwing gas into the ..." So, yeah, my conclusion: The point of the lyric is to make you uncomfortable, but not with Green Day. You're supposed to be mad at the "martyr/compulsive liar."

"Spazzy" was different because of the context though. In American Eulogy the context of "nigger" is derisive of those who actually use the word to demean black people, whereas the use of "spazzy" was straight up offensive as he was just throwing the word around like it meant nothing.

Again, you have to look at context. An offensive joke that endorses racism is very different from critiquing someone else's racist views.

So, for the radio version, they felt that the word fuck was offensive, but not a song that talks about shooting someone. What an interesting world we live in.

Instrumentation-wise how could anyone think Breakdown isn't their best? Probably followed by Warning and then Tre. But Dos is way down. It's exactly the same kind of setup as Dookie but without the good songs.

99 Revolutions Wow That's Loud! East Jesus Nowhere Holiday Whatsername Letterbomb St. Jimmy Boulevard of Broken Dreams Kill The DJ Sweet 16 Sassafras Roots Geek Stink Breath Stuck with Me Green Day Road To Acceptance One I want I Want To Be Alone Paper Lanterns Jinx Haushinka When I Come Around Welcome To Paradise 86 Panic Song Brain Stew Jaded Longview Basket Case She Nuclear Family King for a Day/Shout 21 Guns Encore: American Idiot Jesus of Suburbia Encore 2: Minority Wake Me Up When September Ends Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

Personally I don't think people should use the N word period

It would not be used in common speech. No one would call someone that, in public anyway. But used in a song, or maybe a movie or by a comedian. Yes, it would be used.

Holiday (Billie talks about your birthday being a holiday) Sex Drugs Violence (Billie says these are some things you can do on your birthday. or not.) Sweet 16 (Billie says your sweet) Jinx Scattered Church on Sunday F(woo) Time Rusty James 86 I Fought the Law When I Come Around Homecoming St. Jimmy Last Night on Earth Brutal Love Happy Birthday to JJ1964 / Wake Me Up When September Ends / Stay the Night acoustic / Good Riddance Better?

It's a nice start, but not a big fan of pre- Dookie (hangs head in shame). Christian's Inferno can only stay if Billie gets on his hands and knees and begs my forgiveness for writing it. Missing: Brutal Love, Scattered, Good Riddance, Last Night on Earth, Homecoming, WICA. Sorry, you're not invited yet.

It wasn't that big of an incident, he posted a cartoon of himself that he drew on Instagram and called it "spazzy". In the UK people with cerebral palsy used to be called spastics, but then people started using "spastic", "spaz" and "spazzy" as insults which was obviously offensive towards people with cerebral palsy and is still considered as being offensive here, so a few people from the UK objected to it in the comments section. I believe in the US the word spastic was never a common term for people with cerebral palsy and is used as an insult only in reference to its original meaning of anything that has sharp jerky movements so it doesn't have that offensive connotation. So it was a cultural difference really.

Since we're on the subject of American Eulogy I just want to point out how awesome that verse is. The lyrics are good, but primarily the way Billie rattles off far too many syllables a line is epic. You just think he's gonna take a breath and he keeps going through the next chord change. That kind of delivery is really appealing to me, which is probably why my favourite album is the Manics' Holy Bible.

Thank you Tim.

I also believe that the video for When I Come around, which was only premiered on May 1st 1995 or something, was exclusive to MTV Europe, that McM and VIVA, for example, couldn't air it. At that point, the third channel of our national TV would steal MTV Europe at night, up to 11 in the morning and then it was scrambled, so they switched to showing the other two channels and I could not see the video from...hmmm...early July to mid December, when it suddenly came up on a local channel at my friend's birthday party. But that was good, given that I didn't see Longview on TV from August 29th 1995 to March 14th 1998. O_O Before anybody asks: yes, I remember the darndest things and yes, I kept a diary of "seeing Billie Joe on TV" when I was a kid.

I think it is a combination of things. You have to look at it in context. The song was not released as a single, so unless you purchased the album, you didn't hear it. Those that purchased are GD fans and don't care. As Tim said above, as long as you don't use the 7 cuss words, the FCC doesn't care. So, with everything combined, it was a non-issue here.

same in south america

It was not huge in Europe at all, to the point that I didn't have a chance to hear the song until Shenanigans came out seven years later. I heard a couple of seconds of it when Angus was advertised on TV and that was it.

Its not a silly question & it has been asked before - I believe it is an old clash reference. When kids used public transport as a way to their freedom & also rebelling & going to a rock n roll concert etc.

How good will it be Can't wait for my invite.

That's a good song, and appropriate since it is probably what we will both be doing.

It will go something like Oh Love stay the night acoustic - billie singing to you on stay Scattered - billie keeps you on stage and gives you his guitar as a birthday present fuck time Nightlife brutal love I can add a few more but am actually doing some work this week.

I am going to make the assumption you are no where near Sydney.

Bought this shirt, anyone remember from where it's from ?