Minority
Billie Joe Armstrong; Green Day Lyrics
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I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority
I pledge allegiance to the underworld
One nation under dog
There of which I stand alone
Unsung, against the mold
Without a doubt
Singled out
The only way I know
'Cause I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority
Stepped out of the line
Like a sheep runs from the herd
Marching out of time
To my own beat now
The only way I know
One light, one mind
Flashing in the dark
Blinded by the silence of a thousand broken hearts
"For crying out loud" she screamed unto me
A free for all
Fuck 'em all
You're on your own side
'Cause I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority
One light, one mind
Flashing in the dark
Blinded by the silence of a thousand broken hearts
For crying out loud she screamed unto me
A free for all
Fuck 'em all
You're on your own side
'Cause I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority
The minority
I wanna be the minority
I wanna be the minority
I wanna be the minority
In the song “Minority,” Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day sings about his desire to reject conformity and be part of the minority. He declares that he does not need the approval of the authority or the moral majority, as he wants to be the one who stands out from the rest. He pledges his allegiance to the underworld and identifies himself as one of the outcasts, who stands alone against the mold, without any fear or hesitation.
The lyrics reflect the band’s rebellion against societal norms and their fight for individuality, urging their fans and listeners to do the same. They encourage people to be themselves and not give in to peer pressure or societal expectations. The song advocates for self-expression and the freedom to choose one’s own path, even if it means standing out from the crowd.
The chorus resonates with the band’s message of individualism, “'Cause I want to be the minority/I don't need your authority/Down with the moral majority/'Cause I want to be the minority”, while the verses describe the struggles and challenges that come along with defying the norm, such as being unsung, singled out, or stepped out of line.
Overall, “Minority” is an empowering anthem that celebrates uniqueness, courage and the willingness to go against the grain.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to be the minority
I want to be different and not follow the crowd
I don't need your authority
I don't need anyone else's permission to be myself
Down with the moral majority
I reject the idea that the majority always knows what's right
'Cause I want to be the minority
Because being myself is more important than fitting in
I pledge allegiance to the underworld
I align myself with the outcasts and rebels
One nation under dog
We are a group of underdogs who are united against the status quo
There of which I stand alone
I am willing to stand and be myself even if it means being alone
A face in the crowd
Even though I'm one of many, I'm unique and different
Unsung, against the mold
I am different and have not been recognized or accepted by society
Without a doubt
I am certain that being myself is the right thing to do
Singled out
I am being excluded and criticized for being different
The only way I know
Being myself is the only way I can truly be happy and fulfilled
Stepped out of the line
I chose to deviate from what society considers normal or acceptable
Like a sheep runs from the herd
I did not follow the crowd blindly like a sheep would
Marching out of time
I am not conforming to society's timeline or expectations
To my own beat now
I am dancing to the rhythm of my own life
One light, one mind
We are all united in being different and standing out
Flashing in the dark
Our differences are bright and noticeable in the dark world of conformity
Blinded by the silence of a thousand broken hearts
People's silence and conformity has hurt and broken many before
"For crying out loud" she screamed unto me
Someone else is frustrated with society's expectations and is expressing it to me
A free for all
Everyone should be free to be themselves
Fuck 'em all
I do not care about other people's expectations or opinions of me
You're on your own side
I need to be true to myself and not rely on others for validation
The minority
Those of us who are different and nonconformist
I wanna be the minority
I am proud to be different and will continue to be myself
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG, FRANK E., III WRIGHT, FRANK EDWIN WRIGHT III, MICHAEL PRITCHARD, MIKE DIRNT, MIKE RYAN PRITCHARD, TRE COOL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@skuoppy
Minority is the greatest song to ever be produced by a living organism on planet earth. Despite being in an unpopular album it deserves to be put higher than any song or band of any genre in history. This one song manages to outclass entire musical artists and bands in its 3 minute length. what makes me disappointed in myself is the fact that in the second half of 2023, i only listened to it 444 times on apple music. My new years resolution is to listen to it more. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE minority, to the extent that i wrote a brief essay about it which i dont think ive finished but:
Minority – Green Day
Context
Minority by Green Day is a very interesting song as it is a keystone in the musical backstory of the popular punk-rock trio, seen as the successors of nirvana and the predecessors to future bands. This powerful statement is justified by the fact that Minority is a landmark, being Green Day’s very first political song. During the early 2000s, the band was experimenting with many different types of new musical styles, such as hip-hop and polka, heavy on the second one. Minority features an audible musical style that expands far past bass, distortion guitar and drums, introducing new styles. This is evidence for the fact that Minority is not a typical super-fast upbeat and loud green day song, rather being cheerful and mellow without abandoning punk rock.
This song was written by Billie Joe Armstrong, frontman of Green Day, with the intent of breaking the silence of political punk rock that the band had been holding in since its first release in the 1991. The song is about “being an individual” (in Billie’s words) and isolating yourself from common norms. It is an encouragement to be yourself regardless of what people think of you and become the minority. One piece of evidence supporting this is “One light, one mind flashing in the dark” which could be explaining an individual standing out and making a change. Furthermore, the message is expanded upon by the later lyric “You are your own sight” which carries connotations of you not letting other people obstruct your goals and dictate what you do, think, or say.
Instrumentation, Form and Musical devices
The song begins with a cheerful riff on an acoustic guitar, cycling through classic chords, going from C to G to F to A minor twice, continuing with G and a final sendoff. This is where the distortion guitar, bass and drums start playing in the chorus. Musical instruments start to add on throughout the song, with more acoustic guitar, harmonica, and even accordion. From this selection of instruments, Minority seems to have some polka influence mixed into its composition. I wouldn’t say that the performance is a challenge for the performer as the chords are simple (being power chords) and the guitarist is a musical mastermind. Minority is a very fun song to play on guitar, with the strumming being energetic and the distortion fitting with Green Day’s signature power chords.
Musical and Stylistic influences
Minority could be influenced by the gradual rise of pop at the time, with the song crafted to combat this new norm. Armstrong was more drawn to acoustic guitar after his release of Good Riddance in Nimrod from 1997, three years prior to Minority’s release. This new experimentation with classical guitar can be confirmed in an interview where Armstrong confirmed the 15 Green Day songs that summarized his musical journey, with one being Minority. He remarks less about the influence of the song or his opinions about it, but more about the context. Minority’s musical progression, melody, and meaning were a first for the punk-rock trio as polka and classical were just a concept and the political meaning had never been done once before. Overall, Minority in shallow waters can be seen as a political tune about isolating yourself and being the “sheep that runs from the herd”, but as the iceberg continues, you can uncover more about the precise stylistic influences that Minority carried in 2000, and how it went on to influence more of its later descendants in the Green Day family tree, such as their hit album American Idiot in 2004, and their 2009 release of 21st Century Breakdown.
Suffice to say, Minority is better than literally every musical composition ever.
@user-rj8mm1we1h
I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority
I pledge allegiance to the underworld
One nation under dog
There of which I stand alone
A face in the crowd
Unsung, against the mold
Without a doubt
Singled out
The only way I know
'Cause I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority
Stepped out of the line
Like a sheep runs from the herd
Marching out of time
To my own beat now
The only way I know
One light, one mind
Flashing in the dark
Blinded by the silence of a thousand broken hearts
"For crying out loud" she screamed unto me
A free for all
Fuck 'em all
You're on your own side
'Cause I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority
One light, one mind
Flashing in the dark
Blinded by the silence of a thousand broken hearts
For crying out loud she screamed unto me
A free for all
Fuck 'em all
You're on your own side
'Cause I want to be the minority
I don't need your authority
Down with the moral majority
'Cause I want to be the minority
The minority
I wanna be the minority
I wanna be the minority
I wanna be the minority
@GreenDay
We just announced a MASSIVE tour 🌏 All the details you need for The Saviors Tour are on greenday.com/tour
New album ‘Saviors' out January 19th, 2024, pre-order it now https://greenday.lnk.to/saviors
@kevindie
i am the first reply to this comment
@Zaraki551
new comment??? 😭
@patty2074
Io ci sarò a Milano!!!!🤟🎸❤
@FinaleCadence
No.
@evanmckelvy8337
Hey GreenDay, you d
Get more done working within the system than rage 'n against it!
...If minority is where it's at for you, pick Libertarian and be the 'other third'
@gerryfromthevoid8986
The message is pure: be yourself, even if it means being an outsider. It's a better and more stable identity.
@aliausweisen14
True
@keynuniekmustika6884
Good to ass all brother and good luck ok
@king0ffoolz195
Unfortunately the video contracts the
message. Plying hell when did this come out again