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Born into Nixon, I was raised in hell
A welfare child where the teamsters dwelled
The last one born and the first one to run,
My town was blind from refinery sun
My generation is zero
I never made it as a working class hero
21st century breakdown
I once was lost but never was found
I think I'm losing what's left of my mind
To the 20th century deadline
I was made of poison and blood
Condemnation is what I understood
Video games of the Tower's fall
Homeland security could kill us all
My generation is zero
I never made it as a working class hero
21st century breakdown
I once was lost but never was found
I think I'm losing what's left of my mind
To the 20th century deadline
We are the class of the class of thirteen
Born in the era of humility
We are the desperate in the decline
Raised by the bastards of 1969
My name is no one, your long lost son
Born on the fourth of July
Raised in the era of heroes and cons
That left me for dead or alive
I am a nation, a worker of pride
My debt to the status quo
The scars on my hands there a means to an end
Is all that I have to show
I swallowed my pride and choked on my faith
I've given my heart and my soul
I've broken my fingers and I've lied through my teeth
The pillar of damage control
I've been to the edge
And I've thrown the bouquet of flowers left over the grave
I sat in the waiting room, wasting my time
And waiting for Judgment Day
I praise liberty
The freedom to obey
Is the song that strangles me
Well don't cross the line
Oh, dream, America, dream
I can't even sleep
From the light's early dawn
Oh, scream, America, scream
Believe what you see
From heroes and cons
A welfare child where the teamsters dwelled
The last one born and the first one to run,
My town was blind from refinery sun
My generation is zero
I never made it as a working class hero
21st century breakdown
I once was lost but never was found
I think I'm losing what's left of my mind
To the 20th century deadline
I was made of poison and blood
Condemnation is what I understood
Video games of the Tower's fall
Homeland security could kill us all
My generation is zero
I never made it as a working class hero
21st century breakdown
I once was lost but never was found
I think I'm losing what's left of my mind
To the 20th century deadline
We are the class of the class of thirteen
Born in the era of humility
We are the desperate in the decline
Raised by the bastards of 1969
My name is no one, your long lost son
Born on the fourth of July
Raised in the era of heroes and cons
That left me for dead or alive
I am a nation, a worker of pride
My debt to the status quo
The scars on my hands there a means to an end
Is all that I have to show
I swallowed my pride and choked on my faith
I've given my heart and my soul
I've broken my fingers and I've lied through my teeth
The pillar of damage control
I've been to the edge
And I've thrown the bouquet of flowers left over the grave
I sat in the waiting room, wasting my time
And waiting for Judgment Day
I praise liberty
The freedom to obey
Is the song that strangles me
Well don't cross the line
Oh, dream, America, dream
I can't even sleep
From the light's early dawn
Oh, scream, America, scream
Believe what you see
From heroes and cons
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This seems to be, among other things, an homage to some of Green Days' inspirations, take a few lines from the first verse:
"The last one born and the first one to run,
My town was blind from refinery sun"
"Born down in a dead man's town" and "Tramps like us, baby we were born to run" - Springsteen
"My generation is zero"
"Talkin' 'bout my generation" - The Who
"I never made it as a working class hero"
"A working class hero is something to be" - John Lennon
The common thread with each of those artists is telling the inconvenient truth, often in a sarcastic way. Something Green Day have been doing since long before American Idiot.
Also, I think this song, in terms of the album's narrative is Christian's big intro. He will be the character that represents the disillusionment, frustration and anger of American youth "raised by the bastards of 1969". (1969 was when Nixon was sworn in)
A welfare child where the teamsters dwelled
The last one born and the first one to run, (the last prophet to grow up like this the systems about to change... The gates are open purgetory isnt needed any more which was the road to freedom)
My town was blind from refinery sun (mother earth my grandma is dead my grandfather time`s pissed -that was his wife. Time was joking around at xmas dinner about eminems song wtp and my tattoo. Its a full back piece with a frog in the centre cause when I was 8 I was kissin` frogs till I scared myself when one opened his eyes really big as is to say you luckly girl you got a king. Poor frog went flying)
My generation is zero
I never made it as a working class hero (every time I got a job something crazy would happen to end it like buildings collaping)
21st century breakdown
I once was lost but never was found
I think I'm losing what's left of my mind
To the 20th century deadline (its coming close your all talking about 12.21.12 this isn`t over yet)
I was made of poison and blood (hehe yep you have no idea how true this is)
Condemnation is what I understood (I spent my whole life suffering while waitting for the real pain to start. I feel okay now because we got forgiven)
Video games of the Tower's fall
Homeland security could kill us all (humans created a god he came to me in the winter of 999 to make me a deal he called himself techology told me about his matrix... I told `him where to go and someone was waitting outside my door to grab him after I pushed him around a bit.)
We are the class of the class of thirteen
Born in the era of humility (humans hate everything they like to see things suffer, look what you think you`ve done to me dammed me to an eterity of being alone. I think its cute but am rather upset that you think that something isnt going to give. humans dont damn gods... all gods are there for a purpose... in other words gods good and bad dont suffer they`re there to run the place whatever side there on. Now think about how powerful Im gonna be when I get home Im taking over paperworks done I was there)
We are the desperate in the decline
Raised by the bastards of 1969 (free love, kinda screwed up religion your all a bunch of animals anyway you`ll love the new world order were about to party heavens already whipped me once (I keep telling noah hes got a sick whip) when I am getting out of control. Their making evil grins at me and I am yelling at them to let me in. The musics telling me when I get to heaven Ill be denied. Seriously as hard as this is because I feel a bit crazy this is the best time of my life)
My name is no one, your long lost son
Born on the fourth of July
Raised in the era of heroes and cons
That left me for dead or alive (cute isnt it)
I am a nation, a worker of pride (what I do is to save us - man, that matrix would have writen off the heavens and hells too were all a bit pissed. I gave my entire being up for you people. 12 years I literally throw myself at the devil and said deal with this shit all he said was `hang in there`)
My debt to the status quo
The scars on my hands there a means to an end
Is all that I have to show
I swallowed my pride and choked on my faith (I am so feed up with religion right now, but heaven is teasing me making silly faces at me ...last night heaven told me to get some sleep with a cloud of a sleeping body ...and the devils chasing me around calling me a femme fatale and there all playing so hard I can`t forget and move on. There are no pills for this.
I've given my heart and my soul (its true missing link on the brink of desturction, you didnt want to be saved but you dont have a choice. Learn the hard way. Like I said I`m taking over and Im not very happy with my people right now)
I've broken my fingers and I've lied through my teeth
The pillar of damage control
I've been to the edge
And I've thrown the bouquet of flowers left over the grave
I sat in the waiting room, wasting my time
And waiting for Judgment Day (I got my judgement heaven showed me a big smiley face and a check mark I had to sell the devil my `god` for it but whatever better then the alternative - man he files his paperwork by burning it. Hes been teasing me for months pulling it out and adding shit to it. First thing he slapped on there was slave in red ink. I am in trouble... mwahahahaha. So yea the last 10 months have been us playing with this card. Were writing a bad romance)
I praise liberty
The freedom to obey (No ones free we`re all suffering)
Is the song that strangles me
Well don't cross the line
Oh, dream, America, dream
I can't even sleep
From the light's early dawn
Oh, scream, America, scream
Believe what you see
From heroes and cons
We are the class of 13
it should say:
We are the class of the class of the dead
It doesn't even sound like "We are the class of 13"
This is my personal favorite song by Green Day.
even though im really not all that self centered, been goin through some tough times recently. :I
-Just re-iterating that America has lost it's ability to dream.
-And for "light's early dawn" I imagine what New York City looks like at night..tons of lights