Hypnotize (System of a Down song)
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| “Hypnotize” | |||||
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| Single by System of a Down from the album Hypnotize |
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| Released | October/November 2005 | ||||
| Format | Vinyl, CD, Airplay | ||||
| Recorded | The Mansion Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California Akademie Mathematique of Philisophical Sound Research Los Angeles, California |
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| Genre | Alternative metal Nu Metal |
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| Length | 3:09 | ||||
| Label | American/Columbia | ||||
| Writer(s) | Daron Malakian, Serj Tankian | ||||
| Producer | Rick Rubin, Daron Malakian | ||||
| System of a Down singles chronology | |||||
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"Hypnotize" is the lead single for System of a Down's latest album of the same title, which was released on November 22, 2005 (see 2005 in music). The video was filmed on September 28, 2005, at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It reached number one on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks.
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[edit] Music
As in many Mezmerize/Hypnotize songs, guitarist Daron Malakian accompanies Serj Tankian in the vocal sections. Serj and Daron perform a harmony in the refrain before and after the instrumental bridge. The combination of the two vocalists gives the song a vocal range, with Serj handling the lower verses and Daron delivering the high parts of the refrains.
Musically, "Hypnotize" is somewhat of an enigma. It is difficult to determine whether the key is F# minor or F# major. The opening guitar riff and early verses use an upbeat melody that follows the F# major scale, but with a flatted sixth (a D instead of a D#). This produces a direct switch from a major key to the minor key of the same name. Even stranger is the minor-key bridge, which loyally follows the chords expected from an F# minor song (F#m, D, Bm, E, A, and C#). Musical discontinuities like this can be found all over the song.
The Eastern-themed instrumental bridge contains at least four overdubbed clean guitar tracks and a well-crafted, syncopated rhythm. The song leads up to a massive crescendo, then ends with a repeated portion of the opening riff with soft singing by Malakian.
[edit] Music video
The music video is mostly footage from one of the band's September 2005 concerts, (filmed at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan) but includes a CGI scene of painting along with the music; the audio is dubbed over with the studio track. The beginning and ending of the video show a helicopter spraying red matter across Grand Rapids(Forming at the end the album's artwork). This could possibly be the pesticide referred to in the song Attack of the same album.
[edit] Subject Matter
The song's lyrics in the verses reference the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and propaganda.
The chorus is unrelated with the rest of the song: in an interview with MTV, Daron stated that the song was written while he was actually sitting in his car waiting for his girlfriend.
However from the point of a listener this may well mean again, the reference to the "simple minded".
Another meaning that can come from the chorus is that while propaganda is rampant, life goes on.
[edit] Track listing
- All lyrics written by Serj Tankian, all music written by Daron Malakian, except where noted.
- All live tracks were recorded at the Hurricane Festival 2005 show.
[edit] Hypnotize (Promo Single)
- "Hypnotize" (Lyrics: D. Malakian/S. Tankian, Music: D. Malakian)
[edit] Hypnotize (Single)
[edit] CD1
- "Hypnotize" (Lyrics: D. Malakian/S. Tankian, Music: D. Malakian)
- "Science" (Live)
[edit] CD2
[edit] Hypnotize (Maxi-Single)
- "Hypnotize" (Lyrics: D. Malakian/S. Tankian, Music: D. Malakian)
- "Science" (Live)
- "Mr. Jack" (Live)
- "War?" (Live)
- "Forest" (Live)
[edit] Hypnotize (7" LE Single)
- "Hypnotize" (Lyrics: D. Malakian/S. Tankian, Music: D. Malakian)
- "Forest" (Live)
[edit] Hypnotize (iTunes single)
- "Hypnotize" (Lyrics: D. Malakian/S. Tankian, Music: D. Malakian)
- "Science" (Live at the London Astoria)
- "Psycho" (Live at the London Astoria - Clean)
- Ironically, the A-side and the live songs are on separate albums.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by "DOA" by Foo Fighters |
Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single January 21, 2006 |
Succeeded by "Perfect Situation" by Weezer |
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