Lyric discussion by djbthirteen 

I like the domestic abuse interpretation. Below is what I thought before I read that one. I'm not putting this forward as a definate interepretation, more of an alternative for you to look at.

I see this as a political song. Greenday is singing as the Conservative movement in the United State. Essentially they're argueing that the coalition of the religious right and the Republican party is a 'compromise', although if they agree to 'live together' (e.g., the religious right votes Republican, and the Republican party throws them a few scraps of meat every so often), they'll 'live and die' for it - well the Republican party was definately alive a while ago, and it looks like Greenday were very prophetic, as what brought down the Republicans in '08 was the religious right (personified in Sarah Palin as veep candidate).

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