At 2:32 Serj Tankian (lead singer) was stuck thinking of lyrics. He asked his producer Rick Rubin for ideas when they were in his library and Rick told him to pick a random book off the shelf and flip to random page. He picked up and old bible and found “father into your hands, I commend my spirit” Rest is history. 10/10 album.
I've seen that clip of Joe Rogan with Rick Rubin. I call bs. Serj happened to flip randomly to one of the most iconic lines in the Bible, and it happened to match the rest of the song? No way. Maybe Serj flipped to one of the most recognizable passage in a randomly selected, widely recognized, bestselling book, which happens to be the basis for the biggest religion in the world, and rewrote earlier parts to match this 'random selection,' but i seriously doubt it. Rubin is either joking, or he is seriously claiming that if Serj flipped to Genesis 38:9, that we would have an entire song about pulling out? Or that the rest of the song would be talking about self-righteous suicide and then at the end, Serj would just being singing, "when he went in unto his brother's wife, he spilled it on the ground!"
An entire generation of alienated youth who were hurting inside found healing in bands like SOAD because they didn’t feel as alone anymore. You could see it in that crowd, iirc they put a “casting call” to their fans saying hey show up if you wanna be in our music video.
Still do….. and I’m fuckin 45! 20 years ago I was ready to call it…. Been doing great ever since. Now it’s 20 years later and…. I’m right back there again… Ready to quit. Maybe I’m on a 20 year cycle of deep depression. God I don’t want to make it to 65 then!!! Never planned on it though. Praying for a heart attack or stroke in my sleep soon!!
I remember their self-titled album coming out when I was in middle school and got it cause the cover was cool. They have been my favorite band ever since lol.
the song is about how we’re regarded differently depending on how we die. we judge people harder or have a lack of sympathy depending on the death, Daron (the guitarist) used an example saying “if I were to die of drug abuse, people would say I deserved it for abusing drugs in the first place, hence the line ‘I cry when angels deserve to die.’” the religious aspects make much more sense when you take this into account too. the song turns it around and emphasizes the choices that someone makes aren’t always tied to their value as a person. and in return, the one who knowingly harms themselves, can be viewed as more righteous than the person who high-handedly judges others with a lack of compassion. it’s such an important topic, even today.
100%. And lots of people like to talk about the "Father into your hands..." line that Rick Rubin has claimed was chosen at random, but of course those are the words that Jesus says in the Bible to God while on the cross. And if you consider that Jesus knew he was going to die, and chose not to avoid it, fits nicely into the theme.
The title was originally going to be _Suicide_ but the studio didn't like that. So they "chopped" the word suicide in half, leaving only the first part, "sui". Hence, "Chop Suey".
@@Trevor21230 the original title was actually apparently “Self-Righteous Suicide” before the record label rejected it, it was supposed to be along the lines of “Self-Right(Chop Suey)cide” as said from Rick Rubin. edit: as of a new interview with Shavo, it was in fact intially 'Suicide', Rick Rubin must've misremembered when asked about it, my apologies! x
SOAD are always big on people getting their own interpretations from their songs. Yes, this is what was quoted by Daron and others when asked about this song. At a time when they were copping a lot from the media and was of the few times where they felt they needed to justify due to the controversies. Songs can have different meanings as we move along in time. That song tapped into what society was and we knew at the time. Taylor has found her own meaning in the song, based on what we know now and how society is today. And i think her meaning has a positive spin that doesn't disrespect what Daron and Serj had in mind when writing it. Just think we should respect and celebrate the talent SOAD have in writing a song that still has meaning 30 years later even if changes in society and knowledge has changed how that song connects with people.
The real name of the song is "Suicide". But the label didnt let tthe band use that word. You can hear Serj talking: "It's rolling suicide." in the beginning
@@magic00squirrel He says in exactly "We're rolling suicide" and the real name of the song is actually Self Righteous Suicide, just like Serj sings in the chorus.
Yep I think the working title at one point was “chopped-suey” referencing “chopped - Suicide” but met with pushback. Not sure if that’s true, but there is some truth to it.
In the music video, Serj doesn’t say: “We’re rolling Suicide” at the beginning. It was only heard in the album. In the music video, it just starts the song.
I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and I was 18 when this song came out. At that time many of us had parents and teachers who were traumatised & emotionally stunted, and had zeto self awareness about it. They buried their emotions and tried to make us do the same. If we couldn't, if we were hurting and unwell, we were berated for being overly dramatic. We were supposed to just suck up domestic violence without letting it affect us. Music like this saved lives because it gave voice to our struggles and said, I see you. I'm going through the same thing. You're not wrong to have emotions
Looking back, it's interesting how during this period, countless musicians and bands work so hard to address their state of mind, giving voice and expression for those who were on the edge. Something we no longer see in music nowadays. I wonder what happened...
@@Ranzulx It could be that going to therapy and talking about those things, even with the people around you, has become more normal. I was born in 91 and I still remember a time when even depression was stigmatised. It doesn't mean that people have stopped expressing their feelings through music but the urgency to attract attention on those problems might have diminished a bit.
Chop Suey is important to me, my parents died from drugs and I've been told to my face they deserved it for living that life. But they were still my parents and didn't deserve to be scorned for dying
I'm sorry to hear that. In truth we all deserve death and scorn, but those people saying that to you, what they will be surprised to learn is that they are no better. We are all slaves to sin but thats why Christ died, that if we believe in him, we'll be granted everlasting life with him. He paid the price so we can live
Racecar. Get it? I love the dudes message and I agree with him, but I remember when that kind of thing would put me off. So what I will say is, anyone who outright condemns addicts has never been one or loved one. I’m not saying it’s their fault, probably a good thing they can’t wrap their head around it. But you gotta recognize it for what it is and carry on. The human experience is about story telling in a lot of ways. Reflect on what stories you’re telling yourself and how much you’re believing other people’s stories about you.
Your commentary at the end hit a raw nerve and before I knew it, I was in tears. The hardest thing about depression is the feeling of not being heard. The isolation is terrifying.
i love how ready you were to spew out your interpretation on the song and your confidence with it. im sure the band would love to see different people coming up with different interpretations like this.
The look of realization that you show when Serj sings of his father forsaking him is something many do not show or understand when viewing this vid. It is so telling to this song and its message. Thanks for that. PS one of my favourite songs.
And the best part about that whole section, for me, is how it was never in the song in the first place. I think Rick Rubin said that they were struggling for something in that section so he made him just grab a book in the studio, open a random page and use whatever the first thing he saw (or something along those lines) and like some kind of divine intervention - there is the PERFECT lyric for the song.
This song is absolutely timeless and I loved your reaction! That got serious quickly, right? It's such a perfect mix of amazing vocals & harmonies, the lyrics are fantastic, and the video just wraps everything up so nicely.
You got this song immediately. Twenty years later I'm so thankful the culture of writing off those in pain has turned around. Would love to hear your thoughts on Hi Ren by Ren
Updated: Originally they were going to call the song "Suicide" but Columbia records had them change it because it would be really difficult to get air time on mainstream platforms. So they code named it Chop Suey. Daron Malakian (lead guitar) said when he wrote the chorus out he was thinking of all the people who die from a drug overdose or suicide (he has struggled with both) and where do we get the self-righteousness to label it as something they deserved or did to themselves? Mind you this came out at the start of the opioid crisis.
The song is about how society judges those going through these struggles. We feel bad about addiction but will recoil when an addict approaches us for money for example
The guitar player Daron Malakian said that the part “I cry when angels deserve to die” is about how someone could be a good person but yet struggle with substance abuse and soon Die from it but other that don’t know what truly happened say “oh they deserved to die because they were on drugs” but a really bad person can die in a car crash and people that don’t know what happened are like “oh no I feel so bad for that person!” Which is why Serj tankian says angels deserve to die. (Btw I’m 14 so if my explanation doesn’t really make sense plz dont be rude 😭🙏)
You're 100% correct about the lyrics and the meaning. Don't be so quick to doubt yourself. Nobody's judging us and we are all in this together . Keep on Rockin 🤘😝🤘
For future reference… “but” and “yet” mean the same thing… so you shouldn’t say “but yet” any more than you should say “but but” or “yet yet” or “and and.”
@@JabezGill ''But yet'' is still grammatically correct because ''yet'' is also an adverb. ''But yet they'' or ''But yet I struggle'' etc is perfectly fine.
Wowwwww. Seeing you eyes wide, frightened/unsettled at times in the song, just subjected to the sonic and lyrical onslaught, culminating with your jaw literally on the floor as you’re moved to almost tears at the “why have you forsaken me?” line before that amazing harmonizing chorus to close the song. That was amazing to watch dude! Such an honest and visceral reaction. And even though I have heard this song a thousand times this is still my own reaction to this day. And for you to analyze it like that on the spot was also crazy too. System of a Down is no joke. Nothing like it on earth. Legends for a reason. Happy System of a Down birth, no going back now.
As a new subscriber I can only say that your reactions are pure and authentic and accurate and so very entertaining. I scrolled through your videos and didn’t see any for Tool. You must do a reaction to Forty Six & 2. Please. I’m so interested in what your reaction will be.
2:35 When you're shocked at him screaming FATHER!! Then realizing "oh shhh" that's deep. I'm happy you were able to appreciate this song and break down its meaning on the nose.
For them, the music is about real suicide and how people judge who commits suicide and blame the person for doing that... thats why he talk about the angels... when the person see nothing more then suicide as an option is when the angels deserve to die... and the name is the word suicide cut, or chopped... chop suicide turn into chop suey... found the channel today and really loved the videos, i have depression and had ppl around me who commited suicide, is really good to see you guys doing this work, hope it will help a lot of ppl.
This video was shot over one day where they played the same song over and over. The whole crowd are real fans that showed up that day. To see the energy they all show throughout shows how it resonates with people especially in a low income neighborhood like where this was filmed.
Hey so I'm a person who has pretty rough times with mental health, I'm currently on max dose of my meds and on waiting lists for a half dozen mental health services, also a metalhead. I wanted to maybe explain what I love about metal, because for me at least it's a form of therapy. Listening to tracks like this one, or let's say popular monster by falling in reverse or linkin park the hybrid theory album or any of dozens of other bands, albums and songs has gotten me through hard times. Because it contains exactly what I am feeling, raw and painful emotions that are hard to express but these songs are a conduit for that.
Growing up, I would listen to bands like this in their mutual rock/metal genre. Then I started listening to black metal which later led me to a life of underground harsh metal industrial. I can't get myself to listen to anything other than the same industrial genre; Hocico. Psyclon Nine. Die Sektor. Xentrifuge. Menschdefekt....and waayymore ...but System Of A Down is still a band I will enjoy so much to this day. Something about their sound and their story, and their attitude as people, makes them seem titanic.
i found your series today by accident, while looking for my fav songs. you have taken me down a three hour rabbit hole thank you. i liked "if you like using music to improve your mindset and mental health" i found that statement interesting, i have not used it that way. i have used it as a way on communicating what i can not verbally express. Chop Suey has a very personal resonance for me but in a very different way to your thoughts on the song. i guess that is the great thing about music, the art can be interpreted in many ways depending on the individual.
Why does this have so many downvotes, she's pretty spot on? The meaning behind the song is about how people are judged based on the circumstances of their death, some are a "tragedy" and others are "deserved", when in reality all death should be mourned equally, everyone has their own battles and hardships to tackle. She may not have been 100% on the ball but her interpretation wasn't all that far off either!! Bloody good reaction and review if you ask me!
@@SpookyApparition People not allowed hobbies anymore? Or a side hustle. Social media is a big part of our lives now, maybe she just enjoys it. Or uses it as practice, or a means to promote herself. Sure it may be BS but just assuming it is because she reacts to stuff on youtube is hardly a thorough investigation and mountain of evidence, is it?
Heartsupport is a nonprofit founded by Jake Luhrs (August Burns Red) and Taylor is a licensed therapist. This channel here and her work are meant to help open and facilitate conversations about mental health, as simple as that.
WHERE THE FCUK HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIVE ! ? This is so fcuking accurate !! Thank you so much, your interpretation brought tears to my eyes as in : Finally someone understands me and all the others people that suffer from mental issues or mental abuse. THANK YOU !!! (subscribed ;) )
Man I wish I could go back in time and hear this song again for the first time. The absolute insane amount of times that I’ve screamed “when angels deserve to diiiiiiie 🗣️ 🗣️ “ 😅😅
Something that grabs me every time I hear this song is the way it captures precisely that feeling of pain & despair turning to rage. That feeling of "you are supposed to love and protect me, but you don't" . That feeling of pain, judgement or betrayal can turn to all-consuming rage pretty easily (at least for me, I struggle with CPTSD as I am sure a lot of people do).
Hundreds of reactions to this song on youtube and plenty of those people giving their milquetoast reactions to the lyrics, finally someone actually understands the lyrics while still reacting to the music. A cookie for you!
I have been through six spine surgeries in my lower back from my work accident 17 years ago. My son was two weeks old at the time. I just try to live one day at a time and make it through that day. Worry about the next day. Tomorrow. I love my kids ❤and I could never do anything to hurt them!
Showing compassion and empathy for someone goes a very long way. I have been in this position of wanting to end it all. I was a police officer for 23 years. Made many suicide calls and had colleagues I knew end it as well as my grandpa I was named after. I’m familiar with this.
You must be one of the best, most comprehensible and capable therapists i have ever seen You understand human psychology much better than every single psychologist and psychiatrist i have ever interacted with Truly impressive and this is coming from someone who has repeatedly led said specialists to believe what i wanted them to believe I have had several depressions and closed myself in because i didnt want any external interference with my suffering so i figured how to tell psychologists that i was forced to consult what i wanted them to believe and understand what i wanted them to understand, effectively manipulating the system against itself to get rid of it and stay enclosed alone to fight my demons One of them learned the truth later and was shocked by it and the others never found out that they had been completely fooled and misled by me but really not a single one was ever able to figure out how i felt and why i felt that way, you on the other hand i feel like it would be a whole different fight to fool and mislead I maintain that skilled and competent therapists are better at understanding people and figuring them out than anyone else in this world
this song calls out the difference of optics of how we perceive people when they die by the way they die, for example when someone dies of an overdose many people say that person deserves it vs a soldier dying overseas, hence "i cry when angels deserve to die"
The song title was originally Suicide and the label made them change it. On the album there is a little cut from the studio of them saying "We're rolling Suicide."
metal as genre in general tends to revolve around the themes you brought up. The need to self reflect on the parts that we judge as ugly in ourselves and others, which we try to cover up in an expectation that the facade of makeup, makes us beautiful but we really need to reveal the self righteousness we imposed on ourselves and then step back so it can kill its self, leavin us to grow and reveal the natural beauty that scars have given us in hard emotion and physical pain It can be freeing to understand that scars also represent healing and experience and you dont have to where it all as badge of guilt and suffering but as representation of the power of an imperfect past . Metal tends to expose hypocrisy in ourselves, others a society we exist in and cultivate . It feels like it has to scream it at us, since it's seldom ever heard without repetition and it's degree of importance can be ignored with softer excuses for rational tones.
Fun fact about the last verse… when recording the band didn’t know what to use for the last verse, and the producer Rick Rubin told Serj to pick a random book off the shelf and said flip to a random page and there’s your verse. That’s where it came from. Wild
This is one of my go-to songs whenever I’m angry, depressed, have certain other thoughts/feelings, or am angry at God. Even if it doesn’t snap me out of it it usually helps me significantly!
For me that song confirmed my suicidal toughts. Iv been struggling with them for years. Best way to battle them is giving them a spot in your life, (angels deserve to dye) Bye recognising them and giving them a place, there was more room for the rest. net result... Im still here. Most of the time enjoying life. Somtimes those deamons show up... but they have no power over me, because the are not suppressed
Ive watched a lot of people react to this and it's wild to see you listen to it one time and completely understand the song. Most people take a little while to realize what he's talking about.
SOAD is filled with so much talent. I could just listen to the instrumentals of their songs. I wish they could kiss and make up and come out with new stuff
The bridge was a random selection when they were recording and couldn’t find the lyrics. Chop Suey (suicide) which in the beginning of the recorded track you can actually hear someone say “roll suicide”, is about how we as a society judge people by their death instead of evaluating their life, ie drug overdose and suicide…”angels deserve to die”. The original title was in fact “Suicide” but changed to Chop Suey to make radio friendly. Oddly enough, it was pulled from radio after the events of Sept 11. It returned to the charts doing well after the dust settled a bit from the 9/11 event, and should be noted not much music was released in that time period at all.
I had no idea who they were until I saw them live in 1999 when they opened for Limp Bizkit. We had record stores back then and I was there when they opened the next morning to buy their CD. Damn, those were good days.
They don't have music like this for kids/teens anymore sadly. Misfits who weren't the "popular" ones, found friends, people who became family, listening to this kind of music. No wonder kids are growing up valuing money, women, drugs, and violence. That's all that they see in music now. Or being told to go sell themselves and get their "bag" because that's what "bosses" do. Bring back rock, metal, and punk. Great reaction btw.
Fun fact about the "Father into your hands" lyrics: Serj, the lead vocalist,stated that they wanted something to fill in over the guitar breakdown, but couldnt find the right thing, so someone just opened a nearby book and started reading out loud. That book was the Bible, and those lines fit perfectly with the theme, so they kept it!
Rick Rubin did and interview on how the lyrics of this tune came about. Please look it up because it is not as you interpret it. It was a paragraph in a book on the shelf. But yet it is a legend of a song and a great one as that.
At 2:32 Serj Tankian (lead singer) was stuck thinking of lyrics. He asked his producer Rick Rubin for ideas when they were in his library and Rick told him to pick a random book off the shelf and flip to random page. He picked up and old bible and found “father into your hands, I commend my spirit” Rest is history. 10/10 album.
whaaaaaaaaaat
Facts - Rick confirmed on Joe Rogan.
It's true. The universe has chosen.
I've seen that clip of Joe Rogan with Rick Rubin. I call bs. Serj happened to flip randomly to one of the most iconic lines in the Bible, and it happened to match the rest of the song? No way. Maybe Serj flipped to one of the most recognizable passage in a randomly selected, widely recognized, bestselling book, which happens to be the basis for the biggest religion in the world, and rewrote earlier parts to match this 'random selection,' but i seriously doubt it. Rubin is either joking, or he is seriously claiming that if Serj flipped to Genesis 38:9, that we would have an entire song about pulling out? Or that the rest of the song would be talking about self-righteous suicide and then at the end, Serj would just being singing, "when he went in unto his brother's wife, he spilled it on the ground!"
@@dicklongsworth5749 😂😂well
An entire generation of alienated youth who were hurting inside found healing in bands like SOAD because they didn’t feel as alone anymore. You could see it in that crowd, iirc they put a “casting call” to their fans saying hey show up if you wanna be in our music video.
Still do….. and I’m fuckin 45! 20 years ago I was ready to call it…. Been doing great ever since. Now it’s 20 years later and…. I’m right back there again… Ready to quit. Maybe I’m on a 20 year cycle of deep depression. God I don’t want to make it to 65 then!!! Never planned on it though. Praying for a heart attack or stroke in my sleep soon!!
Your 100% spot on bro, I was one of them
Hell I got a invite myself to WB lot back in the day for static-x and the only video. Lived in Missouri, so no go but still
@@paulhowse6169Same here my man, I would’ve probably killed myself without SOAD and Korn.
I remember their self-titled album coming out when I was in middle school and got it cause the cover was cool. They have been my favorite band ever since lol.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
When I listen to SOAD
My neighbors do too
"This next song goes out to everyone in a 5 block radius..."
lmao
Haha hem yeah I got some troubles with police cuz o dat
Heck yeah!! 🤘
😂😂😂 laughed X2 after i've notice your name account (bounce!pogopogopogo✌️)
the song is about how we’re regarded differently depending on how we die.
we judge people harder or have a lack of sympathy depending on the death, Daron (the guitarist) used an example saying “if I were to die of drug abuse, people would say I deserved it for abusing drugs in the first place, hence the line ‘I cry when angels deserve to die.’”
the religious aspects make much more sense when you take this into account too.
the song turns it around and emphasizes the choices that someone makes aren’t always tied to their value as a person.
and in return, the one who knowingly harms themselves, can be viewed as more righteous than the person who high-handedly judges others with a lack of compassion.
it’s such an important topic, even today.
100%. And lots of people like to talk about the "Father into your hands..." line that Rick Rubin has claimed was chosen at random, but of course those are the words that Jesus says in the Bible to God while on the cross. And if you consider that Jesus knew he was going to die, and chose not to avoid it, fits nicely into the theme.
The title was originally going to be _Suicide_ but the studio didn't like that. So they "chopped" the word suicide in half, leaving only the first part, "sui". Hence, "Chop Suey".
@@Trevor21230 the original title was actually apparently “Self-Righteous Suicide” before the record label rejected it, it was supposed to be along the lines of “Self-Right(Chop Suey)cide” as said from Rick Rubin.
edit: as of a new interview with Shavo, it was in fact intially 'Suicide', Rick Rubin must've misremembered when asked about it, my apologies! x
SOAD are always big on people getting their own interpretations from their songs. Yes, this is what was quoted by Daron and others when asked about this song. At a time when they were copping a lot from the media and was of the few times where they felt they needed to justify due to the controversies.
Songs can have different meanings as we move along in time. That song tapped into what society was and we knew at the time. Taylor has found her own meaning in the song, based on what we know now and how society is today. And i think her meaning has a positive spin that doesn't disrespect what Daron and Serj had in mind when writing it.
Just think we should respect and celebrate the talent SOAD have in writing a song that still has meaning 30 years later even if changes in society and knowledge has changed how that song connects with people.
It's also a name of chinese dish chop suey, although idk if it's on purpose or not @@Maxwellish
The real name of the song is "Suicide". But the label didnt let tthe band use that word. You can hear Serj talking: "It's rolling suicide." in the beginning
It sounds like "we're rolling suicide", but maybe I'm wrong
@@magic00squirrel He says in exactly "We're rolling suicide" and the real name of the song is actually Self Righteous Suicide, just like Serj sings in the chorus.
Yep I think the working title at one point was “chopped-suey” referencing “chopped - Suicide” but met with pushback. Not sure if that’s true, but there is some truth to it.
In the music video, Serj doesn’t say: “We’re rolling Suicide” at the beginning. It was only heard in the album. In the music video, it just starts the song.
BRO!!!! i never knew that thank you soooooo much
I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and I was 18 when this song came out. At that time many of us had parents and teachers who were traumatised & emotionally stunted, and had zeto self awareness about it. They buried their emotions and tried to make us do the same. If we couldn't, if we were hurting and unwell, we were berated for being overly dramatic. We were supposed to just suck up domestic violence without letting it affect us. Music like this saved lives because it gave voice to our struggles and said, I see you. I'm going through the same thing. You're not wrong to have emotions
Looking back, it's interesting how during this period, countless musicians and bands work so hard to address their state of mind, giving voice and expression for those who were on the edge. Something we no longer see in music nowadays. I wonder what happened...
@@Ranzulx It could be that going to therapy and talking about those things, even with the people around you, has become more normal. I was born in 91 and I still remember a time when even depression was stigmatised. It doesn't mean that people have stopped expressing their feelings through music but the urgency to attract attention on those problems might have diminished a bit.
@@Ranzulx Disturbed still do and I feel highly grateful for that
Chop Suey is important to me, my parents died from drugs and I've been told to my face they deserved it for living that life. But they were still my parents and didn't deserve to be scorned for dying
I'm sorry to hear that.
In truth we all deserve death and scorn, but those people saying that to you, what they will be surprised to learn is that they are no better.
We are all slaves to sin but thats why Christ died, that if we believe in him, we'll be granted everlasting life with him. He paid the price so we can live
Racecar. Get it? I love the dudes message and I agree with him, but I remember when that kind of thing would put me off. So what I will say is, anyone who outright condemns addicts has never been one or loved one. I’m not saying it’s their fault, probably a good thing they can’t wrap their head around it. But you gotta recognize it for what it is and carry on.
The human experience is about story telling in a lot of ways. Reflect on what stories you’re telling yourself and how much you’re believing other people’s stories about you.
That’s very sad
Sending love from PH. We can all do this.
I'm 68 and still listen to SOAD every day! Love them!
Cause of death:heart attack or stroke or cardiac arrest
@@Yoloyiq This doesnt even make sense
@@McJavaEnjoyer bc soad’s music is very intense
You don't look even a day older than 25
Your commentary at the end hit a raw nerve and before I knew it, I was in tears. The hardest thing about depression is the feeling of not being heard. The isolation is terrifying.
i love how ready you were to spew out your interpretation on the song and your confidence with it. im sure the band would love to see different people coming up with different interpretations like this.
And how right she got it immediately, exactly how the band meant it.
The look of realization that you show when Serj sings of his father forsaking him is something many do not show or understand when viewing this vid. It is so telling to this song and its message. Thanks for that.
PS one of my favourite songs.
And the best part about that whole section, for me, is how it was never in the song in the first place. I think Rick Rubin said that they were struggling for something in that section so he made him just grab a book in the studio, open a random page and use whatever the first thing he saw (or something along those lines) and like some kind of divine intervention - there is the PERFECT lyric for the song.
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani
As a fellow German psychotherapist I can only agree with you on everything! What a powerful catharsis metal can be! Keep on rockin'!
This song is absolutely timeless and I loved your reaction! That got serious quickly, right? It's such a perfect mix of amazing vocals & harmonies, the lyrics are fantastic, and the video just wraps everything up so nicely.
This is such a unique song in every way but they totally made it work and that's why System of a Down is an absolutely special band
You got this song immediately. Twenty years later I'm so thankful the culture of writing off those in pain has turned around.
Would love to hear your thoughts on Hi Ren by Ren
yesss she needs to do Hi Ren, music of our times
"It's kind of unsettling"
Welcome to Gen X.
Nailed it....
Everything is unsettling to these people these days.
As a teenager S.O.A.D. changed my whole way of thinking and my view on the world. Forever a fan 🤘
Definitely need a deep dive down that rabbit hole.
Updated: Originally they were going to call the song "Suicide" but Columbia records had them change it because it would be really difficult to get air time on mainstream platforms. So they code named it Chop Suey. Daron Malakian (lead guitar) said when he wrote the chorus out he was thinking of all the people who die from a drug overdose or suicide (he has struggled with both) and where do we get the self-righteousness to label it as something they deserved or did to themselves? Mind you this came out at the start of the opioid crisis.
I think it was just going to be Suicide? At the start, you can hear 'we're rolling Suicide'
actually, it was going to be “Self-Righteous Suicide” but the record company rejected it, as said from Rick Rubin.
That's crazy but so cool to have learned just now 😂👍
@@Maxwellish there are three possible original titles based on who you ask... The track on the album starts with serj saying "we're rolling suicide"
I was looking for this comment
The song is about how society judges those going through these struggles. We feel bad about addiction but will recoil when an addict approaches us for money for example
Love your reactions!
"Some are born to sweet delight, some are born to endless night" - William Blake
I’ve grown to love watch you break down these songs! New subscriber!
Honestly, you have given me the most insightful interpretation of this song's lyrics. Definitely helped me to see another perspective. Thank you.
you gave me goosebumps when you spot on got the internal judgement point, no one has gotten that yet. We judge ourselves worse than others do.
The guitar player Daron Malakian said that the part “I cry when angels deserve to die” is about how someone could be a good person but yet struggle with substance abuse and soon Die from it but other that don’t know what truly happened say “oh they deserved to die because they were on drugs” but a really bad person can die in a car crash and people that don’t know what happened are like “oh no I feel so bad for that person!” Which is why Serj tankian says angels deserve to die. (Btw I’m 14 so if my explanation doesn’t really make sense plz dont be rude 😭🙏)
You're 100% correct about the lyrics and the meaning. Don't be so quick to doubt yourself. Nobody's judging us and we are all in this together . Keep on Rockin 🤘😝🤘
For future reference… “but” and “yet” mean the same thing… so you shouldn’t say “but yet” any more than you should say “but but” or “yet yet” or “and and.”
You have just proved why listening to metal is a good thing to grow up to!!
I'm not a truly english speaker but i understand everything that you said
@@JabezGill ''But yet'' is still grammatically correct because ''yet'' is also an adverb. ''But yet they'' or ''But yet I struggle'' etc is perfectly fine.
Wowwwww. Seeing you eyes wide, frightened/unsettled at times in the song, just subjected to the sonic and lyrical onslaught, culminating with your jaw literally on the floor as you’re moved to almost tears at the “why have you forsaken me?” line before that amazing harmonizing chorus to close the song. That was amazing to watch dude! Such an honest and visceral reaction. And even though I have heard this song a thousand times this is still my own reaction to this day. And for you to analyze it like that on the spot was also crazy too. System of a Down is no joke. Nothing like it on earth. Legends for a reason. Happy System of a Down birth, no going back now.
Your reactions are so pure 👌
As a new subscriber I can only say that your reactions are pure and authentic and accurate and so very entertaining. I scrolled through your videos and didn’t see any for Tool. You must do a reaction to Forty Six & 2. Please. I’m so interested in what your reaction will be.
2:35 When you're shocked at him screaming FATHER!! Then realizing "oh shhh" that's deep. I'm happy you were able to appreciate this song and break down its meaning on the nose.
You my friend know who to not only react but also understand a song. And you did it well
For them, the music is about real suicide and how people judge who commits suicide and blame the person for doing that... thats why he talk about the angels... when the person see nothing more then suicide as an option is when the angels deserve to die... and the name is the word suicide cut, or chopped... chop suicide turn into chop suey...
found the channel today and really loved the videos, i have depression and had ppl around me who commited suicide, is really good to see you guys doing this work, hope it will help a lot of ppl.
This song abd others like this helped me through my most difficult times.
Omfg your analysis resonated so deep within me, its spot on, its so crazy to hear it from someone else
at the begining you almost made me spit my milk thru my nose from tryin not to laugh when you said you thought it was like gental rock music
This video was shot over one day where they played the same song over and over. The whole crowd are real fans that showed up that day. To see the energy they all show throughout shows how it resonates with people especially in a low income neighborhood like where this was filmed.
Your understanding at the end was wonderful. Thank you. SOAD kept a lot of us alive.
Hey so I'm a person who has pretty rough times with mental health, I'm currently on max dose of my meds and on waiting lists for a half dozen mental health services, also a metalhead. I wanted to maybe explain what I love about metal, because for me at least it's a form of therapy. Listening to tracks like this one, or let's say popular monster by falling in reverse or linkin park the hybrid theory album or any of dozens of other bands, albums and songs has gotten me through hard times. Because it contains exactly what I am feeling, raw and painful emotions that are hard to express but these songs are a conduit for that.
Is it actually getting you through tough times? Or is it giving you an excuse to dwell on and marinate in those negative emotions?
This song reminds me of how much I hate being bipolar.... It's awesome!
I’ve just watched several reactions to this song and yours seems the most genuine. Thank you for that 😊
Growing up, I would listen to bands like this in their mutual rock/metal genre. Then I started listening to black metal which later led me to a life of underground harsh metal industrial. I can't get myself to listen to anything other than the same industrial genre; Hocico. Psyclon Nine. Die Sektor. Xentrifuge. Menschdefekt....and waayymore ...but System Of A Down is still a band I will enjoy so much to this day. Something about their sound and their story, and their attitude as people, makes them seem titanic.
i found your series today by accident, while looking for my fav songs. you have taken me down a three hour rabbit hole thank you. i liked "if you like using music to improve your mindset and mental health" i found that statement interesting, i have not used it that way. i have used it as a way on communicating what i can not verbally express. Chop Suey has a very personal resonance for me but in a very different way to your thoughts on the song. i guess that is the great thing about music, the art can be interpreted in many ways depending on the individual.
Why does this have so many downvotes, she's pretty spot on? The meaning behind the song is about how people are judged based on the circumstances of their death, some are a "tragedy" and others are "deserved", when in reality all death should be mourned equally, everyone has their own battles and hardships to tackle.
She may not have been 100% on the ball but her interpretation wasn't all that far off either!! Bloody good reaction and review if you ask me!
Because it's weird for a supposed "therapist" to be doing clickbait reaction videos.
@@SpookyApparition People not allowed hobbies anymore? Or a side hustle. Social media is a big part of our lives now, maybe she just enjoys it. Or uses it as practice, or a means to promote herself.
Sure it may be BS but just assuming it is because she reacts to stuff on youtube is hardly a thorough investigation and mountain of evidence, is it?
Heartsupport is a nonprofit founded by Jake Luhrs (August Burns Red) and Taylor is a licensed therapist. This channel here and her work are meant to help open and facilitate conversations about mental health, as simple as that.
to be able to see them live in my prime was a life achievement
Love the focus of this channel, and the mission of it. Congrats!
WHERE THE FCUK HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIVE ! ?
This is so fcuking accurate !!
Thank you so much, your interpretation brought tears to my eyes as in : Finally someone understands me and all the others people that suffer from mental issues or mental abuse.
THANK YOU !!!
(subscribed ;) )
Im 59
System is one of my top ten favorite bands your putta touch
My dear ♥️
Man I wish I could go back in time and hear this song again for the first time. The absolute insane amount of times that I’ve screamed “when angels deserve to diiiiiiie 🗣️ 🗣️ “ 😅😅
Glad I found this channel. Such a cutie analyzing some of my favorites
3:04 that Piano bit gets me every time. so cool.
I've listened to the song hundreds of times and never had noticed the piano... 😮. Thanks 👍 loved it too
Your reviews have been so fantastic. Thank you.
Something that grabs me every time I hear this song is the way it captures precisely that feeling of pain & despair turning to rage. That feeling of "you are supposed to love and protect me, but you don't" . That feeling of pain, judgement or betrayal can turn to all-consuming rage pretty easily (at least for me, I struggle with CPTSD as I am sure a lot of people do).
Hundreds of reactions to this song on youtube and plenty of those people giving their milquetoast reactions to the lyrics, finally someone actually understands the lyrics while still reacting to the music. A cookie for you!
Every time I listen to this song, no matter how many times.... always gives me chills and tears
I have been through six spine surgeries in my lower back from my work accident 17 years ago. My son was two weeks old at the time. I just try to live one day at a time and make it through that day. Worry about the next day. Tomorrow. I love my kids ❤and I could never do anything to hurt them!
This was an awesome era of music! 2001-System of a down, Disturbed, COLD, Coal Chamber, Sepultura, etc,,, fricken awesome music!!
Showing compassion and empathy for someone goes a very long way. I have been in this position of wanting to end it all. I was a police officer for 23 years. Made many suicide calls and had colleagues I knew end it as well as my grandpa I was named after. I’m familiar with this.
You must be one of the best, most comprehensible and capable therapists i have ever seen
You understand human psychology much better than every single psychologist and psychiatrist i have ever interacted with
Truly impressive and this is coming from someone who has repeatedly led said specialists to believe what i wanted them to believe
I have had several depressions and closed myself in because i didnt want any external interference with my suffering so i figured how to tell psychologists that i was forced to consult what i wanted them to believe and understand what i wanted them to understand, effectively manipulating the system against itself to get rid of it and stay enclosed alone to fight my demons
One of them learned the truth later and was shocked by it and the others never found out that they had been completely fooled and misled by me but really not a single one was ever able to figure out how i felt and why i felt that way, you on the other hand i feel like it would be a whole different fight to fool and mislead
I maintain that skilled and competent therapists are better at understanding people and figuring them out than anyone else in this world
2:14 How could you cut the song right there SHESUS?!
Really, it's a crime!
Forget mgk that's the real crime of rock
I always love when people try to break down the lyrics and they were chosen from a book literally at random 😂😂😂😂
Not sure why I clicked this video other than I saw it was for a fundraiser. I'm glad I did. Your words at the end were well said. Cheers!
Unsettling is the perfect word for SOAD. You nailed it.
this song calls out the difference of optics of how we perceive people when they die by the way they die, for example when someone dies of an overdose many people say that person deserves it vs a soldier dying overseas, hence "i cry when angels deserve to die"
As a gen x kid.music was our outlet.we didn't have any mental health help.this is why the music produced then was so good
The song title was originally Suicide and the label made them change it.
On the album there is a little cut from the studio of them saying "We're rolling Suicide."
This song is about how a person died is how they will be remembered.
I love the Golden Retriever energy while listening to music!
I love how you hear sounds and instantly start vibing with them
metal as genre in general tends to revolve around the themes you brought up. The need to self reflect on the parts that we judge as ugly in ourselves and others, which we try to cover up in an expectation that the facade of makeup, makes us beautiful but we really need to reveal the self righteousness we imposed on ourselves and then step back so it can kill its self, leavin us to grow and reveal the natural beauty that scars have given us in hard emotion and physical pain
It can be freeing to understand that scars also represent healing and experience and you dont have to where it all as badge of guilt and suffering but as representation of the power of an imperfect past .
Metal tends to expose hypocrisy in ourselves, others a society we exist in and cultivate .
It feels like it has to scream it at us, since it's seldom ever heard without repetition and it's degree of importance can be ignored with softer excuses for rational tones.
Have to say you've very quickly become my favorite reaction channel! Watched the slipknot videos and the breakdown of the lyrics were amazing!
I just loved watching you vibe out to this song you've never heard before
Love your reaction/reviews on this piece, thumbs up!
Fun fact about the last verse… when recording the band didn’t know what to use for the last verse, and the producer Rick Rubin told Serj to pick a random book off the shelf and said flip to a random page and there’s your verse. That’s where it came from. Wild
I appreciate your videos. You actually seem to care.
The beauty of SOAD. 😊
This is one of my go-to songs whenever I’m angry, depressed, have certain other thoughts/feelings, or am angry at God. Even if it doesn’t snap me out of it it usually helps me significantly!
I did the moira rose expressionless laugh when you said “gentle rock” 😂
Well said! Great Video
If you haven't yet, you should also react to their song "Aerials". You'll love it.
Powerful emotional song
i like this channel because they dont turn 5 minute song into 30 minute reaction video
For me that song confirmed my suicidal toughts. Iv been struggling with them for years.
Best way to battle them is giving them a spot in your life, (angels deserve to dye)
Bye recognising them and giving them a place, there was more room for the rest.
net result... Im still here. Most of the time enjoying life. Somtimes those deamons show up... but they have no power over me, because the are not suppressed
"father in to your hands I commend my spirit" is also one of the sets of last words for Jesus, fits the moment of the song for sure
Ive watched a lot of people react to this and it's wild to see you listen to it one time and completely understand the song. Most people take a little while to realize what he's talking about.
Subscribed right away. Absolutely loved the reaction and your take on it!
SOAD is filled with so much talent. I could just listen to the instrumentals of their songs. I wish they could kiss and make up and come out with new stuff
This is so intresting..... a therapist hearing this kind of music and... giving some words about it.... i love it!
You're a good therapist, I'm sure. Loved this analysis.
Your feelings are valid I was taught to not show emotion and I found a release in music if it wasn't for bands like this I probably wouldn't be here
The bridge was a random selection when they were recording and couldn’t find the lyrics. Chop Suey (suicide) which in the beginning of the recorded track you can actually hear someone say “roll suicide”, is about how we as a society judge people by their death instead of evaluating their life, ie drug overdose and suicide…”angels deserve to die”. The original title was in fact “Suicide” but changed to Chop Suey to make radio friendly. Oddly enough, it was pulled from radio after the events of Sept 11. It returned to the charts doing well after the dust settled a bit from the 9/11 event, and should be noted not much music was released in that time period at all.
System of a down got me through high school I'm 39 still listen to em
I never really understood the lyrics until just now. This song just got a million times better 😮🤘
Why did i cry listening to this.. this is my first time hearing this song
I had no idea who they were until I saw them live in 1999 when they opened for Limp Bizkit. We had record stores back then and I was there when they opened the next morning to buy their CD. Damn, those were good days.
They don't have music like this for kids/teens anymore sadly. Misfits who weren't the "popular" ones, found friends, people who became family, listening to this kind of music. No wonder kids are growing up valuing money, women, drugs, and violence. That's all that they see in music now. Or being told to go sell themselves and get their "bag" because that's what "bosses" do. Bring back rock, metal, and punk. Great reaction btw.
😮 the 1st person (not just reaxtor) to instantly get the EXACT intended message
Fun fact about the "Father into your hands" lyrics:
Serj, the lead vocalist,stated that they wanted something to fill in over the guitar breakdown, but couldnt find the right thing, so someone just opened a nearby book and started reading out loud. That book was the Bible, and those lines fit perfectly with the theme, so they kept it!
Serj Tankian is fantastic ! Greetings from Finland.
Absolutely 💯 well fecking said at the end in your statement 👏 👍 👌
Rick Rubin did and interview on how the lyrics of this tune came about. Please look it up because it is not as you interpret it. It was a paragraph in a book on the shelf. But yet it is a legend of a song and a great one as that.
Really liked your analysis of this song.