System Of A Down

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If you want to see the many different views people have about SoaD songs,
go to this site:

http://freenet.am/~kzone/soad/1.htm

...and then 2.htm......3.htm....etc.

I'm sure there are many such sites and millions of views about the music.
Guess it's all in the mind.

Have Fun

>>By Skellstaff   (Monday, 21 Jul 2003 22:50)



SOAD have whole different style, than Linkin Park or Limp Bizkit (Those are good bands too). They are more in to political issues in their songs and music is more agressive and more complex than in regular crossover-bands. I mean, the guitarist guy, he's just crazy! He is one amazing guitarist. I dont say SOAD is the best band on the planet, but they are giving to crossover fans something new to listen.

>>By Blaze   (Monday, 21 Jul 2003 23:10)



How goes it? As for me, it goes... I just wanted to comment on System of a Down. They kick ass. BUT...(Yes there is a but.) Don't you people get bored of hearing the same songs over and over? Shit. I do. But yeah.... their first album was the best out of all of them. "Toxicity" was pretty damn good too. I dunno 'bout "Steal This Album" though. The one thing that I love about S.O.A.D. is that their lyrics are nothing but nonsense, but it all seems to come together. Try listening to it when you're fadded....It's tight shit.

>>By Ashes   (Tuesday, 22 Jul 2003 02:27)



Uhh, allow me to retort, soad's lyrical content is only nonsense to a person who dosent understand the political views of others.

I understand their views on war and politics, I am not saying that I believe it all, but what I am saying is that soads music is meaningful and if you dont understand it, just listen to something that your small brain can handle.....like Aqua.....(where'd they go anyways?...meh.)

I will not elaborate further unless needed.

>>By the skinthinner   (Thursday, 31 Jul 2003 22:51)



it's all in the mind you know. BLUE MEANIES! look out! anyway.
systems lyrics are NOT nonsense you chowder head. you are just a chowder head. chowder head. god, your a chowder head. any way. pull the cork out of your ear. let the chowder drain, and take another listen. that chowder is quite misleading. chowder head.


-"god man, we can't stop here...this is bat country!"

hahahaha!!! you feinds!

>>By Rear-Veiw Jesus   (Tuesday, 12 Aug 2003 14:52)



I like System of a Down, they have some good shit they got a really good sound and have three nice cd's. How ever I feel that this band is un-American and I think they need to sing more about what music really is about, but how ever who says music has to be sung about something and not politics I just think politics shouldent be in music, but System of a Down is a great group and Id recomend them to anybody!

>>By American   (Monday, 18 Aug 2003 17:21)



american, you are a moron. and your moronic post has provoked yet another one of my babble frenzies. system of a down should not sing about politics? are you a fucking mongoloid of some kind? they're not puppets playing music to amuse you and your hill billy buddies. just because you don't agree with their message is no reason to say ''I just think politics shouldent be in music''

music is a matter of opinion, and it's absurd that you have the testicular fortitude to suggest that system of a down change they're lyrical content, just so you can be sheilded
from anything new or diverse. and if i've said it once i've said it to many fucking times. SYSTEM OF A DOWN IS NOT ANTI-AMERICAN.

i'm glad your entertained by a their sound and i'm absolutly thrilled that it's at least activated some part of your mind, however your ignorace overshadows this progession and your gaull surpasses any i've ever seen. granted, you have your opinions and i can't change that. what i can do is retort with my more radical and at the same time far more sensible ones. although that is again a matter of opinion.

look, i'm sorry to spring this crazy almost illegible rant on you like this, but it really twists my testies when people say stupid things. the fact of the matter is, you, are a chowder head. not in the real sense, as i'm sure your a very nice person and i'd be tickled to have you over for tea and crumpets. you are a chowder head in the sense that musically, you are only gauged by sound, not the spoken word. i'm not asking for 'agreeance' (thank you fred) i'm just asking that instead of whining about how you want to close your eyes and be blocked from opinions divergant of yours,you should sit down, have a listen and hear what there talking about. if you don't agree, that's super debates are what holds society together. but at least you'll know what they mean and they'll be no further need for jesus (a.k.a malice) to fly off the handle again.

so, in conclusion. you are a chowder head. a crippeling disease, but thankfully, it is curable. open your mind. let those foreign opinions and words inside. and then you'll be okay.

p.s im very sorry about the atrocity of my spelling and grammar. i am a deplorable typist and a chowder head on a key board.

and jack is hot, you'll burn in hell.


---see ya sunday.

>>By Rear-Veiw Jesus   (Friday, 22 Aug 2003 00:41)



1. If SOAD were anti-American wouldn't they be biting the hand that feeds them? I'm sure they're happy with where they're living else they wouldn't be living there. Just because they speak out against certain American actions doesn't mean they hate every aspect of America. Democracy has it's advantages and disadvantages.

2. Noone has the right to say whether this discussion board should be filled with "intelligence" and not fans saying how much they love SOAD. That would be impinging on the universal (according to the UN) right of free speech and the pursuit of happiness that most nations agree upon. I'm pleased to see both fans and 'intellects' enjoy SOAD on a purely musical level or on a higher level such as their political/social commentary.

3. It's human nature to be passionate. Let the vitriol run free...

>>By ftad   (Monday, 25 Aug 2003 09:46)



I don't think I could enjoy any band just because of their message, if the music was rubbish. Neither would I listen to music with a great sound but a message I strongly disagreed with. Fortunately I enjoy both aspects of SOAD. I wouldn't say they were anti-American, and everything they say about the USA is well-deserved. I love them for both their sound and their meaning.

>>By Brazilman   (Monday, 25 Aug 2003 14:40)



I don't mean to look stupid, but I have some questions:
1. Who is Mr Jack? There is a song called Mr Jack and he's also thanked by Serj in Toxicity.
2. What is Jet Pilot about?
3. What does ATWA stand for? Does it stand for anything? If not, what does it mean?

>>By Brazilman   (Saturday, 30 Aug 2003 19:28)



I read on some other 'song meaning' thread on another discussion board that

1). Mr Jack = A guy called Jack who hijacks a car. Hence the play on the word 'jack'

2). Jet Pilot = (my intrepretation below)

It's some sort of war situation.

>Wired were the eyes of a horse on a jet pilot,
There is a horse, or an old man watching (eyes fixated on) a fighter jet (and pilot) fly by, the same way a kid watches a plane fly over his head.

>One that smiled when he flew over the bay,
The pilot is smiling arrogantly and flying over some bay (which bay I'm not sure)

>My horse, is a shackled old man,
I'm unsure if there is literally a horse, an old man, an old man on a horse, or a metaphor for something else. 'My' could even mean Serj is singing as if he is the creator of all things i.e. God. I think I'm going with Serj being God and using a horse as a metaphor for a shackled old man (which is actually there). Shackled could mean i) he is a political prisoner, ii) he is in panic and can't move, iii) he is a "slave", iv) he is tied to the war even though he did nothing to instigate it.

>His, his remorse, was that he couldn't survey,
>The skies, right before,
>Right before they went gray,
God's remorse OR in the past tense the horse/man, regretted the fact he didn't survey the sky fast enough to run away as the jet pilot dropped a bomb, there was a an explosion and everything went grey.

>My horse and my remorse,
Presumably the horse/man died.

>My, source, is the source of all creation,
>Her, discourse, is that we all don't survey
(Serj's satirical intention:) God (let's assume Christian) is saying that He created all things;
Her is referring to mother Earth and it's creatures; Mother Earth is sorry that this innocent old man and all other innocent victims of war cannot always survey the sky and run away from danger.

This could be all wrong of course. Everyone should have their own interpretation of SOADs songs.

3) ATWA = Air, Trees, Water, Animals. It has something to do with the misunderstanding of Charles Manson. I'll let you go do the further research if it has caught your interest.

>>By ftad   (Sunday, 31 Aug 2003 13:01)



Thanks for the answers! Big up to you and to System of a Down.

>>By Brazilman   (Sunday, 31 Aug 2003 18:21)



I just thought I'd stop by and point out how much I love System of a Down. They rule! And their lyrics are so deep and true. I love them.

>>By AccountFroze   (Monday, 15 Sep 2003 02:44)



I thought that Jet Pilot was on drugs, and the bad side effects.. could be me..... but you[re rioght with interpretations.....

>>By Campking   (Monday, 15 Sep 2003 17:05)



As the century nears it's formidable end....
SOAD RULEZZZZZZZZZZZ

That's it...

>>By -DIDA-   (Thursday, 18 Sep 2003 09:51)



I'm just wondering...a lot of people act as if their existance was based on these SoaD kids. I'm gonna say they sounded alright, not great. However, I will not appreciate anything they do souly based on the song Chop Suey. Maybe I'm an idiot and yall can tell me different. I was assuming that their reference to a self richeous suicide was Jesus? If I'm wrong someone please tell me. If I'm not...that's gotta be one of the worst ideas I've ever heard placated in music. Sorry if I'm offending you. That's just me.

>>By I800C0LECT   (Monday, 20 Oct 2003 04:55)



Alright thats it. I'm sick of you people.
To those who don't like System of a Down, WTF are you doing here? Don't you have something better to do than try to slam bands you don't even like? That is what I call a waste of a life. And, for people like Malice, you need to stop talking. Those of us who really like SOAD have been sitting here, listening to your INANE chatter, going on about GOD KNOWS WHAT are really getting sick of you. We could probably defend SOAD against the idiots who come here looking for a flamewar better if uneducated morons like yourself would stop talking. "Bulleing the helpless for years"?! What are you talking about. If you would like to explain yourself, go ahead. I expect it would take a few days to get that brain of yours unwound enough to remember what IF ANYTHING you were trying to say about SOAD. That is the most messed up thing I have ever heard. As for YOU, Anthem, you are also retarded. What are you doing here if you don't like them? Someone back there in the posts stated that there should be a mix of people who like and don't like SOAD. I disagree strongly. Find something better to do. But, back to "anthem". You are pathetic. What is wrong with you? You sacrifice actual points for the word "fuck." That's wonderful. And, while you sit there sputtering as you read this, how about you take a look at any good bands out there? All of them are innovative, finding new ways to play. Have you ever looked at the lyrics of them? Actually, they don't matter. What about rap (may it and its authors burn in hell, the losers.)? A large amount of them talk about nothing more than shooting people, doing drugs, having sex and other stuff. Its pathetic. but whats more, ITS NOT REAL. I dont know how anyone can like that shit, but thats them. It doesn't matter. People don't actually listen to that musci before they shoot some drugs or something, do they? No I didnt think so, jackass. You are such a fucking moron. you should die. Or at least go away. I don't know what you're doing here anyway with the people who actually like SOAD but it should end now. no more. Leave, and take what little you got out of beating Malice (because he's an idiot too.) before you lose it again. Good-bye, and may I never read your idiotic opinions ever again.

>>By Zephyr   (Friday, 24 Oct 2003 18:15)



The lyrics mean nothing. just listen to the cool music.

>>By Metal Immortal Returns Again   (Monday, 27 Oct 2003 23:59)



zepher, i wonder.... what would this board be like with out those who are willing to voice their displeasure of one of my favorate bands? would we just sit here and drool in extacy, going over how great SoaD is? do you think ranting will get your message across? is it better to call come one a "retard", than to rationally explain why we like System so much? what makes your violent display of intolerance any better than what SoaD puts so much work into denouncing? please don't be "buddy" in tool's "hooker with a penis". show respect if you ever want any.

normally i would be disagreeing with metal immortal, its just so fun. but i do agree that lyrics are not the most important thing, TO ME. but thats because i play bass. i compleatly understand how the majority of non-musitions could value the words over all else. its in front of all else. i do think that it important to get a singer that shares the same vales as the rest of the band. just so all can go in the same direction. but you gotta love what you love, so i ain't calling anyone out.

i think that system of a down is a rare band to come across. if you don't like them, you probably arn't listening hard enough. open your mind, open your heart. let the love flow.

>>By Agent Shiro-Joe   (Tuesday, 4 Nov 2003 23:34)



The lyrics do mean something. You just have to work out
1) what perspective Serj wrote the lyrics from
2) if the lyrics are literal or a metaphor for something else
I think these are the key things.

Like I wrote in my Jet Pilot analysis before, Serj could be writing from a whole lot of different perspectives (points of view). He could be writing as God. As an Armenian getting slaughtered. As a Turk. As Saddam Hussein if he wanted to. One interesting interpretation I picked up on Psycho was that I thought Serj was singing from a rock star's perspective. But others thought that it was from a female groupie's perspective.

Literal or metaphor? Like Pogo Stick is supposedly a metaphor for sex (I dunno if I'm supposed to call it a metaphor or simile). Suggestions- when he sings about 'the ships running ashore' I think is some sort of metaphor for some sort of political or social ship running aground. Roulette - a love song about how 'I, I know how I feel about you/ I, *don't* know how I feel when I'm around you' the ball going around the roulette table. That tapeworm song - pull the tapeworm from outta ya ass = stop taking drugs. But then there are literal songs. Like Science, Toxicity, and the Prison song. etc

The thing I like about attempting to decypher his stuff is that, your interpretation can never be proved wrong unless Serj himself says "no that's not what it mean"; and I think the band said they wouldn't explain the meanings to all the songs (Well they give hints and stuff in interviews. But that's about it.). They prefer it to be like a piece of visual art. Something you can ponder about and interpret how you want - let it evoke whatever emotions you allow it to, and not be wrong about these emotions.

>>By ftad   (Wednesday, 5 Nov 2003 17:13)



System of a down has it's own way to deal with different subjects. Like ftad said, Serj uses alotta different ancled to see things. It's fresh and most imporant; It's workin'!

But SOAD can also make entertainin' songs, like the one they re-mixed with Wu Tang Clan, "Shame on a nigga"
Chorus: (Serj Tankian) "Shame on a nigga who try to run game on a nigga"....

Or the one with puff daddy and lil' kim, "Will they die for you"
Chorus: (Serj Tankian) "How many niggaz that'll die for you
How many get the keys like to ride wit you
I ain't talkin' 'bout those that get high with you
Niggaz know, infrareds on ya head and they ride with you"

>>By Chromez   (Wednesday, 5 Nov 2003 20:12)



Toxicity is a literal song? I can understand it, but it's full of metaphors. Why are people eating seeds as a pastime activity may I ask?

>>By 2 L8 4 Sk8a H8a   (Wednesday, 5 Nov 2003 23:31)



seeds are the starting point of life. eating life before it can begin perhaps. or perhaps i should let ftad field this one.

>>By Agent Shiro-Joe   (Wednesday, 5 Nov 2003 23:56)



can someone tell me the meaning of chop suey. Im really curious.

>>By Osiris   (Thursday, 6 Nov 2003 01:39)



To Agent Shiro-Joe
Heh. Must've snapped. Couldn't be helped. I actually do agree with you on most parts, just learn how to use capitals though. Although I do think drooling 'in extacy' over SoaD would be fun to do. Its interesting that peopl are still posting on this thing, I hate this Flork thing. I was actually looking for a time-killer in Networking class and I found one. To be honest, I was actually trying to figure out the nationality of SoaD was, the websites I encountered were vague. One my idiotic classmates suggested they were from Spain. Ugh.

>>By Zephyr   (Thursday, 6 Nov 2003 01:45)



Toxicity
-----
Well the chorus "The toxicity of this city" is literal. But yeah other things in that song are metaphors. I think eating seeds is a past-time activity means taking drugs. Like opium comes from poppy seeds doesn't it? So Serj is saying that city folk have nothing to do so in their spare time they shoot up. Either that or eating seeds is an Armenian tradition (yes Zephyr they're Armenian) in which case it would be a literal. If you see the video clip for Toxicity the band really does eat seeds. I think they're being facetious with that :)

* * *

Chop Suey
-----
(My interpretation again)
The intro acoustic guitars gives an ambience of peace - that everything is normal
The drums come in; an ominous sound.

>Wake up
On a literal level it is a person waking up. On a non-literal level Serj is telling people to open their eyes up to the cover up of the Armenian Genocide
If you don't know of the Armenian Genocide here is but one of many links:
http://imia.cc.duth.gr/turkey/arme.e.html
I encourage you to do your own exploratory research on it via Google or some other search engine.

>Grab a brush and put a little (makeup)
Putting on makeup is an analogy to covering up the truth of the Armenian genocide.

>Grab a brush and put a little
>Hide the scars to fade away the (shakeup)
>Hide the scars to fade away the
Similar to the makeup analogy. The scars could be the deaths, literal scars (such as torture and injury) that the Turks inflicted upon them etc. that the Turkish government and people deny or try to hide.

>Why'd you leave the keys upon the table?
Here, Serj is writing as if he were an Armenian who was about to die. This person's question is directed to God (let's assume for simplicity it to be the Christian God). He is asking God why he left him to die. The keys are an analogy to either car keys (God didn't bother driving His car to come and save the Armenian from death) or house keys (this would be an analogy to God being in a human form [similar to Jesus Christ] leaving his keys behind and walking out of the house - the Armenian was a metaphorical set of keys).

>Here you go create another fable
Back to reality. Serj is speaking in first or second person towards the Turkish government. Fable (a fictitious narrative or statement) = cover up of the truth again.

>You wanted to
A more explicit intrepretation of the truth according to Serj. That is that the Turkish government created 'fables' because they wanted to. With references to the 'keys', this implies that God wanted Armenians to die as well, and Serj dislikes this.

>Grab a brush and put a little makeup
>You wanted to
>Hide the scars to fade away the shakeup
>You wanted to
>Why'd you leave the keys upon the table?
>You wanted to
>I don't think you trust
>In, my, self righteous suicide
Self-righteous = convinced of one's own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others, or narrow-mindedly moralistic. Due to the genocides, perhaps many Armenians committed suicide rather than face torture, rape and slaughter. Serj is playing with the connotation of 'self-righteous'; usually it has negative overtones, but Serj is using it satirically to point out that Armenians must have committed suicide for the wrong reasons- i.e. they were self-righetous.
[Other people have also said that self-righteousness is a comparison to Jesus dying on the cross to sacrifice himself to save mankind. The term self-righteousness is an antithesis to the term sacrifice- the pessemist/hebron would say Jesus' death was self-righteous (convinced of one's own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others : narrow-mindedly moralistic), the optimist/believer would say Jesus' death was a sacrifice (i.e. a beneficial thing). This makes sense to me and is probably correct too.]

>I, cry, when angels deserve to die, DIE
Angels = Turks, because according to the international courts of law, they are innocent. Innocents imply they are angels (holy; without sin). Serj is upset by this depiction of the Turks.

>Wake up
>Grab a brush and put a little (makeup)
>Grab a brush and put a little
>Hide the scars to fade away the (shakeup)
>Hide the scars to fade away the
>Why'd you leave the keys upon the table?
>Here you go create another fable
>You wanted to
>Grab a brush and put a little makeup
>You wanted to
>Hide the scars to fade away the shakeup
>You wanted to
>Why'd you leave the keys upon the table?
>You wanted to
>I don't think you trust
>In, my, self righteous suicide
>I, cry, when angels deserve to die
>In, my, self righteous suicide
>I, cry, when angels deserve to die
>Father, father, father, father
>Father into your hands, I commend my spirit
Serj is entrusting his life (spirit) to God (the Father) by trusting and believing in him

>Father into your hands
>why have you forsaken me
Serj (as the Armenian about to die) asking God why he left him to die
(Forsaken = to renounce or turn away from entirely)

>In your eyes forsaken me
eyes = God has seen all and still left him to die

>In your thoughts forsaken me
thoughts = God has thought about everything and still left him to die

>In your heart forsaken, me oh
heart = interpretation of the truth that exists in God's "soul" or immaterial part of Him

>Trust in my self righteous suicide
>I, cry, when angels deserve to die
>In my self righteous suicide
>I, cry, when angels deserve to die


* * *

Other link
-----
Also check out
http://www.systemofadownonline.com/ -> song meanings

Others think Chop Suey is about suicide, and that not every song is about the Armenian genocide and other stuff.

>>By ftad   (Thursday, 6 Nov 2003 08:38)



Um, ftad, i have been thinkin' my own theory of Chop Suey. Now, i don't know if this is all wrong, but i wanna know what ya think about this one:

Chop Suey is about this girl, who get's beaten up by her boyfriend. Guy does this alot, but still, she doesn't do shit about it. Infact, she leaves the keys of her apartment on the boyfriends table, so all that can start all over again. She tries to hide the scars and all, but she's so suicidial, that in deepest part of her mind, she wishes the guy to beat her to death. In chorus, Serj is talkin' by himself. "I cry when angels deserve to die"..... What do you think?

>>By Chromez   (Thursday, 6 Nov 2003 14:23)



Wow, I always thought that "Father into your hands, I commend my spirit" part was like the Christian Devil talking to God right after he was cast from Heaven. Many, many meanings to many different people....

>>By Zephyr   (Saturday, 8 Nov 2003 07:55)



system is cool. hey, american, whatya mean if only they were american? ARMENIANS RULE......live /w it.....SOADS GUNNA STAY ARMENIAN!!!! YEA!

>>By aaronzcandy   (Sunday, 9 Nov 2003 08:08)



Could be about suicide Chromez. The title itself Chop Suey! I take to be either slaughter by swords (my genocide thing) or slitting of wrists (suicide theory).
Hm I think I need a break from posting for a while.
Cheers to all SOAD fans. Peace to those who aren't.
~

>>By ftad   (Monday, 10 Nov 2003 11:58)



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