Green Day Comments on Global Conflict
Yesterday (April 12), Green Day used their set to comment on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza.
The moment occurred during “Jesus from Suburbia” when frontman Billie Joe Armstrong sang, “Get away from pain, like children from Palestine/fairy tales from another broken house,” replacing the original line, “Run away from pain when you became victims.”
Political Lyrics and Recent Performances
This is not the first time that the group has updated its songs to reflect the current political climate. In 2016, they altered a line in “Holiday” to criticize the “white supremacy supporter” of then-candidate Donald Trump.
Additionally, during their New Year’s Eve performance in 2023, they made headlines for changing the lyrics to the 2004 cult track “American Idiot,” replacing the original line “I am not part of the agenda” with “I am not part of the agenda of the magician.”
More recently, they mocked U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance during a concert in Melbourne in March. During their performance of “Jesus from Suburbia,” Armstrong changed the lyrics from “I’m backward or I’m just glad?” to “I’m backward or I’m just J.D. Vance?“
“Running away from pain, like children from Palestine” !!!! pic.twitter.com/thlkx67sgm
– Riley ④ 🐡🥁 🐡🥁 🐡🥁 Green Day 2/2/25 🎸🌈 (@queefiestt) April 13, 2025
Their performance at Coachella marked the band’s debut appearance at the California festival, which followed Armstrong’s surprise appearance during the set of the “Go-Moh-Moh-Moh-Moh” day before their 1984 hit “Head Over Heels.”
They cruised through a setlist of their biggest hits, including “American Idiot,” “Basket Case,” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” along with a brief cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.”
Several fans were also invited on stage, with the first, Brooke, joining Armstrong for the duet “Know Your Enemy.” As the set came to a close, he invited someone from the crowd to play guitar for “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” the final song of the night.
Green Day Live in Coachella pic.twitter.com/d3qyyjtcxz
– Sounds alternatively (@itsoundSalt) April 13, 2025
Thinking about people who said that Green Day should not play Coachella, how to just say that you hate fun pic.twitter.com/udlfn06l0w
– Hannah 🍅🍉 (@hannahcroteau) April 13, 2025
#Grenday brings a fan to the stage to play guitar for “Good Riddance” as they close their #Coachella2025 set pic.twitter.com/tecg9tjkoa
– Hollywood reporter (@thr) April 13, 2025
Setlist Highlights
Green Day’s Coachella 2025 Setlist:
'American Idiot'
'Holiday'
'Know Your Enemy'
'Boulevard of Broken Dreams'
'One for the Bastards'
'Longview'
'Welcome to Paradise'
'Hitchin’ a Ride'
'Brain Stew'
'St. Jimmy'
'21 Guns'
'Minority'
'Basket Case'
'When I Come Around'
“Wake Me Up When September Ends” (with the intro of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin”)
'Jesus from Suburbia'
'Bobby Soxer'
'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)'
Elsewhere this weekend, Lady Gaga delivered a theatrical five-act set, AG Cook brought out Danny Brown to perform various tracks before remixing Charlie XCX’s “Party 4 U.”
Charlie XCX featured Lorde, Billie Eilish, and Troye Sivan in her highly anticipated performance. Meanwhile, during the set by NOTEECAP, there were disputes after they led the crowd in singing anti-Margaret Thatcher lyrics, prompting fans to report that the live stream was soon cut off.
YouTube will broadcast the festival via the Coachella YouTube Channel. Check back here for all our Coachella updates.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/green-day-alter-jesus-of-suburbia-lyric-to-reference-palestine-during-coachella-2025-headline-performance-3854418?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=green-day-alter-jesus-of-suburbia-lyric-to-reference-palestine-during-coachella-2025-headline-performance
