THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

55-System of a Down-Chop Suey!

2001-Number 17 single.

Best Bit-At 2.11. As the old Heavy Metal saying goes,’It’s heads down and I’ll see you at the other end.’ Presumably that old saying also applies to Alternative Metal. Progressive Metal. and Nu Metal.

System of a Down are a quartet of whom all the musical genres above apply. The band was formed in Glendale, California, United States, in 1994 by Serj Tankian, (lead vocals, and keyboards) Daron Malakian, (lead guitar) Shavo Odadjian, (bass) and Andy Khachaturian, (drums) Khachaturian left in 1997 and was replaced by John Dolmayan (drums.) They remained active until 2006, but re-united again in 2010, there has been no new Album since 2005, but in 2020 they did release two singles, a full 14 years after their latest Album. All of the bands members are of Armenian descent, being born to Armenian immigrants, or being immigrants themselves.

The discography of System of a Down includes five studio Albums released between 1998-2005, three of which have made the Number 1 spot on the American Billboard Album chart, and 19 singles issued between 1998-2020, of which the 2005 release ‘B.Y.O.B.’ remains their only charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 top 40, having made Number 27. In the UK four of their singles have reached the top 40, with this song being the most successful, in total worldwide System of a Down have sold in excess of 13 million records to date.

‘Chop Suey!’ is considered to be the signature song of System of a Down although it only reached Number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100. The likely explanation for it’s poor chart showing is that is was released only a month before the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the twin towers, and was one of many songs that radio stations were advised against playing for having inappropriate titles, or lyrics at that time. ‘Chop Suey was co-written by the bands members Daron Malakian, and Serj Tankian, they also produced the song with Rick Rubin, (see also best songs 977-610 and 305) who was a big supporter of the band, having signed them to his ‘American/Columbia’ record label in 1997.

‘Chop Suey!’ was the first single issued from ‘Toxicity,’ which was the second studio Album release from System of a Down in September 2001. The songs co-writer Daron Malakian has said,’The song is about how we are regarded differently depending on how we pass. Everyone deserves to die. Like, if I were now to die from drug abuse, they might say I deserved it because I abused dangerous drugs. Hence the line, ‘I cry when angels deserve to die.’ The lyrics,’Father, into your hands I commend my spirit,’ and ‘Why have you forsaken me,’ are a reference to Jesus’ death on the cross, as according to the Gospels, it was one of the seven things Jesus said while he was dying.

‘Chop Suey!’ was originally titled ‘Suicide,’ but the band realising that they would receive very little airplay with that title, came up with ‘Chop Suey.’ The songs title is a play on words,’Suey’ is ‘suicide’ ‘chopped’ in half. The songs producer Rick Rubin has said,’It’s an unusual song because the verse is so frantic. The style is so broken up and unusual. It’s both difficult to sing, and arguably difficult to listen to, but then the chorus is this big, soaring, emotional, surging, beautiful thing, and then it’s got this incredible bridge. It’s just real heavy, biblical and grand. It’s so unusual that it goes between these crazy rhythmic explosive verses into this emotional, anthemic ending.’

‘Wake up, grab a brush and put on a little makeup. Hide the scars that fade away the shake up. Why’d you leave the keys upon the table? Here you go create another fable. You wanted to.’