Minority (song)
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| “Minority” | |||||
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| Single by Green Day from the album Warning |
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| B-side | "Brat", "86", "Jackass" | ||||
| Released | October 31, 2000 | ||||
| Format | CD | ||||
| Recorded | 2000 | ||||
| Genre | punk rock | ||||
| Length | 2:49 | ||||
| Label | Reprise | ||||
| Producer | Rob Cavallo | ||||
| Green Day singles chronology | |||||
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"Minority" was the first single from Green Day's album, Warning. "Minority" rose into the charts faster than any of Green Day's other singles.[citation needed] It was a #1 on the Modern Rock chart in late 2000.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
- "Minority" (Radio Version)
- "Brat" (Live From Tokyo)
- "86" (Live From Prague)
AU Single:
- "Minority" (Album Version) - 2:49
- "Brat" (Live from Tokyo) - 1:42
- "86" (Live from Prague) - 2:59
- "Jackass" (Album Version) - 2:47
7":
Side A.
- "Minority"
- "Brat" (Live Version)
Side B.
- "Jackass"
- "86" (Live Version)
[edit] Meaning
In an interview, front man Billie Joe Armstrong said that "The song is about being an individual and how you have to drift through the darkness to find where you belong."[1]
Billie Joe Armstrong commented that this was the point in which their song writing became slightly more politically based. The lyrics "I pledge allegiance to the under world, one nation under dog..." were taken from the American Pledge of Allegiance but "twisted upside down a bit." Many people see this song as the fore-runner for Billie Joe's political views that fueled the recent success of American Idiot.[citation needed]
The lyric "down with the moral majority" from the chorus refers to the now dissolved socially conservative American organization called the Moral Majority.[citation needed]
[edit] Composition
The acoustic introduction to the song launches straight into the main riff, behind which a catchy bassline adds to the feel. The upbeat jig that runs throughout the song makes "Minority" a live favorite as Green Day nearly always include it in their live sets. "When we play "Minority", that's the point which I always think the floor's gonna cave in," commented Mike Dirnt.[citation needed]
[edit] Release
Before the release of "Minority", the band played the demo track to the likes of the Dropkick Murphys at the Warped Tour, from whom the band had taken some influence for the track. The Dropkick Murphys were very impressed and thanked Green Day for the great job they'd done.[citation needed]
"Minority" can also be found on the 2001 release International Superhits, the band's compilation of their singles, and on the live albums, Tune in Tokyo, and Bullet in a Bible.
[edit] Music video
The music video was released in September, 2000 and directed by Evan Bernard (who also directed the "Nice Guys Finish Last" video). It shows the band on a parade float, playing their instruments. There are also computer-generated balloons made to look like each individual member. In the end they destroy the float (this is typical of a Green Day music video: destruction of instruments, props and buildings can also be seen in a number of their other videos, including "Walking Contradiction", "Basket Case", "Longview", "Hitchin' a Ride" and "American Idiot"). The video was released uncut on International Supervideos!. It was filmed in downtown San Diego. When he first sings the phrase "F*** 'em all!" you can see Billie Joe giving the middle finger to the buildings to the left and right.
The video marks the last appearance of one of Billie Joe's replicas of his first guitar (a Fender Stratocaster), 'Blue'.
| Preceded by "Last Resort" by Papa Roach |
Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single September 30, 2000 |
Succeeded by "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" by Fuel |
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