Green Day has released an official music video alongside their new song, “Back in the USA,” from their new greatest hits compilation God’s Favorite Band. The album is the first compilation of the band’s hit songs since 2001’s International Superhits!.
In the video, the band is living in a 1950’s inspired black and white world. Billie Joe Armstrong is given a pair of sunglasses that lets him see the television in color.
He then goes to show the glasses to his friends, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt. That’s when they discover that the glasses show them the true meaning behind what they see.
The band then sets out on a mission to reveal the true intention of the president by using the special sunglasses. By placing the glasses on the camera broadcasting the president’s speech, the public is able to see the truth as well. The president (resembling president Donald Trump) is revealed as a grotesque alien creature.
After the truth is revealed, the world turns from black and white into full color while Green Day is seen performing on the presidential broadcast.
This music video is surely meant to be the band’s satirical portrayal of the U.S. today.
Watch Green Day’s Music Video for “Back in the USA”
The video, directed by Brendan Walter and Greg Yagolnitzer, seems to merge the idea of the 1998 Gary Ross movie Pleasantville with the 1988 John Carpenter film They Live. In Pleasantville, two siblings get trapped in a 1950’s black and white sitcom where color is restored to the people when reality is revealed to them.
Trailer for Gary Ross’s Pleasantville
In They Live, a man comes across a pair of sunglasses that reveals the truth in the world in a similar way that the band sees through the sunglasses in the music video. The video also portrays an alien creature similar to those seen in the film.
Image from Poster for John Carpenter’s They Live
God’s Favorite Band also contains a new version of Green Day’s “Ordinary World” that features country music star Miranda Lambert. You can stream the song on Spotify below:
You can find where to purchase or stream Green Day’s God’s Favorite Band compilation HERE.
What do you think of Green Day’s new song and music video? Will you be purchasing or streaming God’s Favorite Band? Let us know by tweeting us @CelebMix!