# System of a Down **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924 "2002-12-26T03:01:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/1 "2002-12-26T03:01:03Z")
Does anyone know what Chop Suey translates to? I do…but I want to see who literally gets it down! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/2 "2002-12-26T03:06:10Z")
5 views? come on…please. System of a Down is also another thing that may be frightening… ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/3 "2002-12-26T03:18:31Z")
System of a Down is a band? What does a band have to do with a question about chop suey? > **[The Difference Between Chop Suey and Chow Mein in Chinese Cuisine](https://www.thespruceeats.com/chop-suey-and-chow-mein-4077054)** > > Chop suey and chow mein are both Chinese stir-fry dishes, but they do have different origins and ingredients. > [@](#): > > He christened his creation, chop suey, which is the English pronunciation of the Cantonese words “tsap seui” (“tsa-sui” in Mandarin) which means “mixed pieces”. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/4 "2002-12-26T04:29:04Z")
Maybe you should lurk awhile… ---
**Author:** ![Azargoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Azargoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azargoth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/5 "2002-12-26T04:32:20Z")
The name System of a Down comes from a poem written by either the lead singer or the guitar player it had the original name of Victims of a Down, and was changed. That was the story given by Serj and Darren around the time of their first albumn. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/6 "2002-12-26T04:32:41Z")
I believe he’s asking some sort of question about the lyrics of a song. But that insight is as far as my mystical powers go. I don’t know what his question actually is, why he didn’t make it clear what he was asking, why he posted the question here instead of in Cafe Society, or why he is asking at all if he knows already. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/7 "2002-12-26T04:38:45Z")
Here is a link to the lyrics of the song: [Chop Suey!](http://www.lyrics.ly/lyrics.php/System+Of+A+Down/Toxicity/Chop+Suey!) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/8 "2002-12-26T04:41:36Z")
Perhaps [Chop Suey](http://www.letssingit.com/?http://www.letssingit.com/system-of-a-down-chop-suey-pjt5fjn.html) is an update/remake the old Kenny Rogers tune [Just dropped in](http://www.lyricscafe.com/r/rogers_kenny/krog12.html) ? Maybe not. Just throwing a few fish into the fire here to see which side of our zircon tweezers needs re-encrusting 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/9 "2002-12-26T05:10:51Z")
GQ isn’t the place for `intelligence tests' or `quizzes’ or games in general. If you know and want to see if we know, put it in IMHO. If you want to share good quizzes you happen to know, put it in MPSIMS. If you want to tell me I’m a fucking tard who should be shoveling llama shit in some Andean hellhole, put it in The BBQ Pit. If, however, you actually have a question with a factual answer, put it in General Questions. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/10 "2002-12-26T05:16:57Z")
I think that fauxpas posted in another thread that he is only 14 years old, so maybe that explains his OP. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/11 "2002-12-26T05:52:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*I think that fauxpas posted in another thread that he is only 14 years old, so maybe that explains his OP. \*\* He’s 13, according to his profile. And remember that people of all ages make the mistake of starting threads in the wrong forums. I don’t think any explanation is necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/12 "2002-12-26T06:02:33Z")
I believe that the song is about Jesus. When angels deserve to die. Self-rightous suicide. They be sing’n about the LORD. ---
**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/13 "2002-12-26T08:32:38Z")
YES!!! Thank you Muad! 🙂 Very brilliant…sheer brilliance radiates in your eye! ---
**Author:** ![bensonGemini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@bensonGemini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bensonGemini)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/14 "2002-12-26T14:19:57Z")
It’s not difficult to see that its lyrics have a religious tone to it. In fact, there are straight biblical quotes dealing with Jesus in his final hour. System of a Down Father into your hands, I commend my spirit Father into your hands why have you forsaken me Luke 23 46Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. Matthew 27 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The real question is… what does it mean!? And how does the term ‘Chop Suey’ relate to it? Are they Christians preaching the word? Are they Satanic? Is that why they say angels deserve to die? What is it? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/15 "2002-12-26T15:08:20Z")
Off-topic note to azargoth. ‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law’ is the motto above the door of the Abbey of Thelema in Gargantua and Pantagruel by Francois Rabelais. Crowley just appropriated it, as he did much else. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/16 "2002-12-26T15:13:11Z")
Gee, I was all prepared to lay out the ecological, hydrological, and geological aspects, origins, and ramifications of the downs, comparing them, (with the proper asides and footnotes, of course), to moors, heaths, and wolds. And here we have simply another question about cryptic lyrics that has escaped from **Cafe Society**. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/17 "2002-12-26T17:50:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fauxpas \* > \*\*YES!!! Thank you Muad! 🙂 Very brilliant…sheer brilliance radiates in your eye! \*\* Did he pass your little test? ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/18 "2002-12-26T18:37:08Z")
tomndebb, you REALLY crack me up! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/19 "2002-12-26T20:50:05Z")
Well tomndebb I sort of wanted to know the Biblical Response towards it. No they’re Buhdidst(forgive me for the spelling of that word)yet their songs have never related to their religion, they sort of impulse their Christians or Believers…who knows perhaps they are… ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924/20 "2002-12-26T21:06:55Z")
`Buddhist,’ dude. Dictionaries can be your friend. 🙂 If they are singing religious songs about Jesus’ final hours (and I think they are, given **bensonGemini** ’s posts), I don’t think they are Buddhist at all. I think that points rather strongly to them being Christian. If you can come up with some evidence of System of a Down’s memebers being Buddhist, I’m all ears. (Note that I didn’t actually understand the post. I picked up on certain keywords and went from there. **fauxpas** , you should work a little on your grammar and proofreading skills.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/system-of-a-down/144924.md?page=2)