Hypnotize (System of a Down song)

Infobox Single
Name = Hypnotize


Artist = System of a Down
from Album = Hypnotize
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
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 3:09
Label = American/Columbia
Writer = Daron Malakian, Serj Tankian
Producer = Rick Rubin, Daron Malakian
Chart position = * #48 UK
* #61 U.S. Billboard Hot 100
* #1 U.S. Modern Rock Tracks
* #5 U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks
Last single = "Violent Pornography" (2005)
This single = ""Hypnotize" (2005)
Next single = "Lonely Day" (2006)
Misc =

"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 and is the band's biggest international hit.

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 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.

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).It is unknown but very possible if the artwork is inspired or created by guitarist Daron Malakian's father Vartan Malakian who is an artist. He had done the artwork for a couple System Of A Down album covers ironically, Hypnotize. This could possibly be the pesticide referred to in the song Attack of the same album.

ubject 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.

Track listing

*All live tracks were recorded at the Hurricane Festival 2005 show, except where noted.

Hypnotize (Promo Single)

tracklist|collapsed= |lyrics_credits=yes |music_credits=yes
title1=Hypnotize |lyrics1=D. Malakian, S. Tankian |music1=D. Malakian |length1=3:09

Hypnotize (Single)

CD1

tracklist|collapsed= |lyrics_credits=yes |music_credits=yes
title1=Hypnotize |lyrics1=D. Malakian, S. Tankian |music1=D. Malakian |length1=3:09
title2=Science |lyrics2=S. Tankian |music2=D. Malakian |length2= |note2=Live

CD2

tracklist|collapsed= |lyrics_credits=yes |music_credits=yes
title1=Hypnotize |lyrics1=D. Malakian, S. Tankian |music1=D. Malakian |length1=3:09
title2=Mr. Jack |lyrics2=S. Tankian, D. Malakian |music2=D. Malakian |length2= |note2=Live
title3=War? |lyrics3=S. Tankian |music3=D. Malakian |length3= |note2=Live

Hypnotize (Maxi-Single)

tracklist|collapsed= |lyrics_credits=yes |music_credits=yes
title1=Hypnotize |lyrics1=D. Malakian, S. Tankian |music1=D. Malakian |length1=3:09
title2=Science |lyrics2=S. Tankian |music2=D. Malakian |length2= |note2=Live
title3=Mr. Jack |lyrics3=S. Tankian, D. Malakian |music3=D. Malakian |length3= |note3=Live
title4=War? |lyrics4=S. Tankian |music4=D. Malakian |length4= |note4=Live
title5=Forest |lyrics5=S. Tankian |music5=D. Malakian |length5= |note5=Live

Hypnotize (7" LE Single)

tracklist|collapsed= |lyrics_credits=yes |music_credits=yes
title1=Hypnotize |lyrics1=D. Malakian, S. Tankian |music1=D. Malakian |length1=3:09
title2=Forest |lyrics2=S. Tankian |music2=D. Malakian |length2= |note2=Live

Hypnotize (iTunes single)

tracklist|collapsed= |lyrics_credits=yes |music_credits=yes
title1=Hypnotize |lyrics1=D. Malakian, S. Tankian |music1=D. Malakian |length1=3:09
title2=Science |lyrics2=S. Tankian |music2=D. Malakian |length2= |note2=Live at the London Astoria
title3=Psycho |lyrics3=S. Tankian, D. Malakian |music3=D. Malakian |length3= |note3=Live at the London Astoria - Clean

*Ironically, the A-side and the live songs are on separate albums.

External links

* [http://www.systemofadown.com/words-hypnotize.html#4 "Hypnotize" lyrics on the band's official website]
* [http://lryicsiarepository.org/song/system_of_a_down-hypnotize.html Marcus Northbridge's Analysis]