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Minority (Green Day song)

"Minority" is a song by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Warning. The song remained at No. 1 for five weeks in a row on the Billboard Modern Rock chart in late 2000, making it one of the most successful songs from the band in the 2000s.

"Minority"
Green Day - Minority cover.jpg
Single by Green Day
from the album Warning
B-side"Brat", "86", "Jackass"
ReleasedAugust 17, 2000
FormatCD single, vinyl, Video promo
RecordedMarch–April 2000 at Studio 880, Oakland, California
GenrePop punk, Folk punk
Length2:49
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool
Producer(s)Green Day
Green Day singles chronology
"Nice Guys Finish Last"
(1999) 		"Minority"
(2000) 		"Warning"
(2000)

Contents

Track listingEdit

  1. "Minority" (Radio version)
  2. "Brat" (Live from Tokyo) – 1:42
  3. "86" (Live from Prague) – 2:59

AU singleEdit

  1. "Minority" (Album version) – 2:49
  2. "Brat" (Live from Tokyo) – 1:42
  3. "86" (Live from Prague) – 2:59
  4. "Jackass" (Album version) – 2:47

7"Edit

Side A

  1. "Minority"
  2. "Brat" (Live from Tokyo) – 1:42

Side B

  1. "Jackass"
  2. "86" (Live from Prague) – 2:59

7" vinyl box setEdit

  1. "Minority" – 2:49
  2. "Warning" – 3:42
  3. "Hold On" – 2:56
  4. "Outsider" – 2:17

Promo singleEdit

  1. "Minority" (radio edit)
  2. "Minority" (album version) – 2:49

MeaningEdit

In an interview, frontman 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 underworld, one nation under dog..." were taken from the American Pledge of Allegiance but "twisted upside down a bit."

Music videoEdit

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 in the middle of San Diego (specifically Broadway) followed by a very reduced number of people. 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 "Fuck 'em all," Billie Joe can be seen giving the middle finger to the buildings to both the left and right.

Other versionsEdit

  • A live version on Tune in, Tokyo.
  • Another live version on the CD/DVD Bullet in a Bible.

PersonnelEdit

ChartsEdit

Chart (2000–2001) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[2] 29
Ireland (IRMA)[3] 43
Italy (FIMI)[4] 19
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[5] 38
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[6] 15
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[7] 18
UK Rock and Metal (Official Charts Company)[8] 1
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[9] 33
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[10] 1
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[11] 15

ReferencesEdit

External linksEdit

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