Ok, this is getting out of hand…
A couple of months ago System of a Down released “Mezmerize”, their 3rd studio album (sans STA). I personally enjoy their music, though I can’t say I was too impressed with this album, but I know a lot of people can’t stand them for whatever reason. That’s beside the point…
Their single, BYOB, has suddenly become “known” here. That’s right, after being out a good two months with constant airplay people here, many of which claim to be fans of the band, are just beginning to notice. Anyways, I have now corrected THREE people on what the acronym stands for (which is exactly three people too many). They have this notion that it stands for “Bring Your Own Beer”, further leading them to think it’s a song all about partying. Why? Because of exactly one line from the chorus:
“Everybody’s goin’ to the party, have a real good time”
Which is quickly followed by…
“Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine”
Oh, but it gets even better. Halfway through the song, after that line, comes this:
“Blast off, it’s party time
And we don’t live in a fascist nation”
And if you’ve heard the song and have an IQ higher than 6, you know it gets even MORE obvious that it’s politically motivated. You know, just like 98% of ALL their songs. I wonder, are some people even aware that the chorus is not, in fact, the only part of a song, and do they have to practice to get to the point where they can dismiss all but one line of a track with around 4 verses?
I should poll people on whether or not they know System of a Down’s major lyrical themes are political; I bet everybody under 18 answers “no” and looks at me like I have some sort of nasty growth on my forehead. But this is what happens when rap is the most popular form of music in my town (and seemingly America; On a national average, we suck at having taste in music), so any mention of the word “party” in a song’s lyrics automatically makes it about just that.
This reminds me of a time back in the sixth grade after Red Hot Chili Peppers released “Californication” (a great album, in my opinion), and a couple of my friends were saying that the title meant sex. I pointed out that it didn’t because of the whole “Cali” addition to the word, and they fervently tried to convince me I was wrong. Sure, it was the sixth grade, but we’d all learned how to speak English by then so I figured the meaning was pretty clear. Alas, even after the lyrics of the title track make it exceedingly obvious it’s about California/becoming a Californian, it just wouldn’t sink in.
Some people shouldn’t be allowed to listen to music that doesn’t consist of a drum machine, a keyboard, and a materialistic high-school dropout “singing”. Everything else is just tooooo complicated for them.
I personally think it is a great song, and I seem to have got the song right off hand. Even though I do not follow them in politics. I love their new cd. Even more so alot of the other songs. I do agree with you in the aspect of people just thinking it is a party song. Well if people had a I.Q higher then six they would relize that later on in the song they repeat over and over again.
Why don’t the presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Again wonderful post, and it is actually something I can really get into as I am really into music. At least music worth listening to, these days it is all crap filled.
Yes, those lines especially too. I can understand most people not “getting” a lot of heavier music, as the vocals tend to be harder to comprehend, but SOAD for the most part is really easy to understand. It’s just sad that they release something with an obvious message in it as a single, knowing the mainstream is going to eat it up, and then just about everyone misses the point.
It doesn’t help that they insist (for some odd reason) that they aren’t a political band. But you’re right: I bet these same people don’t realize that most of Dave Matthew’s songs are about sex.
“I pointed out that it didn’t because of the whole “Cali” addition to the word, and they fervently tried to convince me I was wrong.”
I take it this was after you told me the title had something to do with sex?
Meh, I have no memory of ever discussing that with you.
I knew what fornication meant, and I knew bands played with words to change the meaning. Plus I had seen Athony Kiedis, the day before I had that discussion with them, on MTV explaining the whole meaning behind it.
Ummm… In MTV it says, BYOB (Bring your own Beer).
P.S. That;s my ringtone. And it says it on there too.
Ok, since they didn’t bother explaining this on their official site:
Wikipedia’s article on BYOB
Seriously, think about it. The song has nothing to do with partying. Why would it be beer?
MTV also said the meaning behind Du Hast was “You hate”, before Rammstein released their English version of it (which is NOT a direct translation, but a play towards American audiences) which would’ve made them slightly justified, though still wrong. They could’ve just said it’s a play on German wedding vows, with “hast” (hate) being indistinguishable in pronunciation from “hasst” (have), but that’s just not as easy as saying it means “you hate” now is it?
Moral of today’s story: Never listen to MTV. The people running it are just as stupid as their average viewer.
I just found ou that MTV stands for “music television”. I dont know about you, but Pimp my Ride doesnt seem very music-centric to me. But, then again, i dont like hip-hop, so i must just not get it. Oh well, i guess i’ll go back to listening to Primus, or the Doors.