Green Day’s 2004 ‘American Idiot’ performance on ‘Letterman’ re-uploaded to YouTube after Trump’s election win

Green Day‘s performance of ‘American Idiot’ on a 2004 episode of …Letterman has been re-uploaded to YouTube following Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.

• READ MORE: Green Day live in Manchester: an emphatic celebration of two timeless albums

Trump’s win will make him the first former President to go back to the White House in more than 130 years. He currently has 294 electoral votes, while Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has 223 (via BBC News).

In an apparent response to this result, a live rendition of Billie Joe Armstrong and co’s political hit single ‘American Idiot’ has been reshared on the YouTube channel for the Late Show With David Letterman.

Per a description, the trio appeared as the musical guests on the US chat show in September 2004. Letterman introduced Green Day by joking: “I don’t know how our next guests slipped past Secret Service…”

‘American Idiot’ was written and released during George W. Bush’s presidency, and appears on the band’s seventh studio album of the same name.

In the comments section of the new ...Letterman upload, one viewer wrote: “This is no coincidence.” Another said: “Usually these videos mark the death of someone. This one marks the death of something.”

A third person added: “Written during and to address the George W. Bush era. Even more accurate and appropriate today.” Someone else posted: “Perfect song for this day after a difficult election outcome.”

A separate comment read: “Last night proved the country is chock FULL of idiots. For the second time we become the laughing stock of the planet.”

Frontman Armstrong had endorsed Kamala Harris earlier this week. “I think there’s probably a lot of things that people disagree with,” he said, “but the one thing that we do agree on, is Trump has got to go and we need to turn the page.

“So everybody get out and vote, and vote for Harris. Pennsylvania. Even if you’re in California, get out and vote for blue.” He went on to say that voters needed to “stop Trumpism once and for all”.

Over the summer, Armstrong held up a Trump mask with the word “idiot” written across its forehead during a Green Day show in Washington, DC.

He also switched up a line in the ‘American Idiot’ title track. He sang, “I’m not a part of the MAGA agenda” instead of the original lyric, “I’m not a part of a redneck agenda“, as he has done at previous gigs.

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During the original ‘American Idiot’ tour, Armstrong was pictured donning a mask of then-President George W. Bush with the word “idiot” written across the forehead.

In 2023, Green Day launched a limited edition t-shirt featuring Trump‘s mugshot for charity. The ‘Ultimate Nimrod’ item used Trump’s viral photo to recreate their iconic ‘Nimrod’ cover, with the album’s title covering Trump’s face.

At the American Music Awards (AMA) in 2016, the group led a chant of “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA”.

Speaking to NME that same year, Armstrong blamed the rise of Trump on “uneducated white working-class people” people and compared him to Hitler. He even told a Trump-sympathising fan to stop listening to Green Day’s music.

• READ MORE: Green Day – ‘Saviors’ review: their best work since ‘American Idiot’

In 2018, the ‘American Idiot’ single soared up the charts in the UK as part of a campaign in protest against Trump’s visit to these shores.

Armstrong previously revealed that some of his family were “big Trump supporters”, adding: “And there’s no clear answer on why they’re supporting him because he doesn’t even have any policies.”

Meanwhile, David Letterman posted a clip of the ‘American Idiot’ performance on his Instagram as numerous late-night talk show hosts and former hosts shared their thoughts on Trump’s win.

Many figures from the entertainment world have been reacting to Trump’s victory, including Bruce Springsteen, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Jack White and Moby.

The post Green Day’s 2004 ‘American Idiot’ performance on ‘Letterman’ re-uploaded to YouTube after Trump’s election win appeared first on NME.