Here are the themes in each song. Some songs have videos which add visuals to the lyrics.

American Idiot - I've always thought of it as an open letter to the USA. The letter talks about the media being too heavily influential and in control, the government being awful and the country being too paranoid.

Jesus Of Suburbia - I think that it's about a boy who's stuck in suburbia and is sick of his life there. He hates it and thinks that it's a 'land of make believe' that doesn't believe in him. The song talks about taking drugs, drinking alcohol and spending days watching television. He refers to his town as the 'city of the dead/damned' and says that everyone in his town is a hypocrite. By the end of the song it's obvious that Jesus Of Suburbia is absolutely fed up with the suburbs, and is running away.

Holiday - This song talks about begging to differ from the hollow lies that the government tells the public. It also talks about lack of patriotism (note: I am not saying that Green Day aren't patriotic, the character in the song is noticing some un-patriotic acts) and at the end, makes some comparisons between the president of the USA and Hitler.

Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - I think that this song is about Jesus Of Suburbia finally having escaped from home, but feeling completely and utterly lonely. I think this is when he realises that he doesn't really know how to live on the streets and is starting to get homesick. It is also about being poor and homeless in a big city with no friends and no support.

Are We The Waiting - This is the song where Jesus Of Suburbia realises that he doesn't like the city that much, and that the 'Jesus Of Suburbia is a lie'. He's playing tricks in his mind, and thinks that he's waiting for something, but doesn't know it.

St. Jimmy - The transition from Jesus Of Suburbia into his alter ego, St. Jimmy. Jimmy is a drug-user, a rebel, he thinks he's holy and doesn't care about anything.

Give Me Novacaine - Jimmy gets hooked on drugs and convinces himself that they're good for him, but wants someone to get rid of the demons in his head.

She's A Rebel - Jimmy meets a girl, 'Whatsername', and thinks she's cool. It's practically love at first sight for Jimmy.

Extraordinary Girl - Jimmy is now in love with Whatsername completely. She's messed up, and constantly lonely and sad, and Jimmy wants to try and help her.

Letterbomb - This is Whatsername's break-up letter to Jimmy. She thinks that he's become everything she hates, and isn't who he thinks he is. She's fed up with Jimmy and the town they're in, and she's leaving.

Wake Me Up When September Ends - Jimmy is depressed at Whatsername's departure, and having no friends, and basically being where he was when he started. He wants to hide away. This song is also about Billie Joe's late father, who died in September 1982.

Homecoming - This is Jimmy's farewell song. He's decided to go back to being Jesus Of Suburbia and wants to get out of the city. By the end of the song, 'We're Coming Home Again', he's decided that yes, he is going home.

Whatsername - This song is about how Jimmy does miss Whatsername, but can't remember her name. This is the final song on the album, and kind of gives Jimmy some closure of his life on the streets.

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