# What does "System of a Down" mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2001, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114 "2001-12-05T22:36:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/1 "2001-12-05T22:36:56Z")
This has been bugging me for awhile–usually I’m pretty good at figuring out what band names mean (or if I can’t I can find the answer on one of the fansites). This one, however, has eluded me. Can someone please enlighten? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![RaCha\_ar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@RaCha\_ar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaCha_ar)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/2 "2001-12-06T03:46:09Z")
I tried looking on the [band’s official site](http://www.systemofadown.com), to no avail. However, there is a [BBS](http://bbs.sonymusic.com/wwwthreads.pl?action=list&Board=system&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5) there. Maybe you could try asking there and see how that works for you. ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/3 "2001-12-06T04:06:03Z")
It makes sense when you say it, but then when you think about it, you reconsider. I suppose it has to do with having a definite sheme or method of procedure of getting depressed, sick, or defeated. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/4 "2001-12-06T04:12:00Z")
Daron explains, “I thought of the name from a poem that I had written. It was originally called ‘Victims Of The Down,’ but Shavo didn’t really like the word ‘victims’ in the title, so I thought up ‘System Of A Down’ and it just clicked…Plus, now our album will be under the ‘S’ section, next to Slayer!” From [this interview](http://www.hardradio.com/shockwaves/system1.html). ---
**Author:** ![bahinko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@bahinko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahinko)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/5 "2016-01-01T14:18:08Z")
I understand the meaning of this phrase refers to the sequence of events that occur in the unexpected failure of a machine or system of machines. An example could be a agency or manufacture doing a study or investigation into events that lead up to the unexpected and/or the unknown failure resulting in the crash or failure of a system. An example could be an airplane or missile unwanted failure or crashing. The finished study of the failures leading up to the crash would show “the system of the down.” ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/6 "2016-01-01T16:52:22Z")
Wow, I think this might be the oldest zombie thread I ever started (and one of the first questions I ever asked as an SDMB member!) ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/7 "2016-01-01T22:14:41Z")
Isn’t a “system of downs” an American football term? First down, second down, third down, punt or go for glory? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/8 "2016-01-01T22:34:00Z")
If you read post #4 you will find that it doesn’t actually mean anything at all. The person who wrote it just thought the words “clicked”. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/9 "2016-01-02T01:27:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If you read post #4 you will find that it doesn’t actually mean anything at all. The person who wrote it just thought the words “clicked”. It was a big trend for band names in the 90s to simply consist of words that seemed like they fit together but were in fact just a bunch of non-sequiturs. Think: [ul] [li]Stone Temple Pilots[/li][li]Pearl Jam[/li][li]Smashing Pumpkins[/li][li]Alice in Chains[/li][li]Porno for Pyros[/li][li]Velvet Revolver[/li][li]Satan’s Flying Monkey Boner[/li][/ul] Ok, I made that last one up… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/10 "2016-01-02T01:51:32Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Isn’t a “system of downs” an American football term? First down, second down, third down, punt or go for glory? Well you could describe American football as being “based on a system of downs,” but “system of downs” by itself isn’t a known phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/11 "2016-01-02T02:04:24Z")
It makes me thing of Down syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/12 "2016-01-02T02:11:41Z")
Smashing Pumpkins isn’t a non sequitur, it’s a common thing for vandals to do in the weeks surrounding Halloween. It just turned out to be a cool band name. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/13 "2016-01-02T03:06:43Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Smashing Pumpkins isn’t a non sequitur, it’s a common thing for vandals to do in the weeks surrounding Halloween. It just turned out to be a cool band name. Yeah, but I’m pretty sure Billy Corgan finally admitted that there was no meaning behind his choice of it, other than it sounding cool (and them urgently needing an official band name)… ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/14 "2016-01-03T17:31:48Z")
Forget about that, I’m wondering why the [eyes of a horse were wired on a jet pilot that smiled when he flew over the bay.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDIQ-PnPSUE) ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/15 "2016-01-03T18:03:18Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > It was a big trend for band names in the 90s to simply consist of words that seemed like they fit together but were in fact just a bunch of non-sequiturs. > > Think: > [ul] > [li]Stone Temple Pilots[/li][li]Pearl Jam[/li][li]Smashing Pumpkins[/li][li]Alice in Chains[/li][li]Porno for Pyros[/li][li]Velvet Revolver[/li][li]Satan’s Flying Monkey Boner[/li][/ul] > Ok, I made that last one up… 😃 Most of these had a meaning, insider or alliterative or other ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/16 "2016-01-03T18:26:01Z")
Pearl Jam refers to semen… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/17 "2016-01-03T18:38:40Z")
[It started here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hm4LuS0LIg) ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/18 "2016-01-03T18:46:38Z")
Velvet revolver is a reference to guns n roses. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2016, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/19 "2016-01-04T01:56:15Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Yeah, but I’m pretty sure Billy Corgan finally admitted that there was no meaning behind his choice of it, other than it sounding cool (and them urgently needing an official band name)… I heard that “smashing” was the British slang term, so the band name means “Wonderful Pumkpins.” ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114/20 "2016-01-04T02:00:15Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > I heard that “smashing” was the British slang term, so the band name means “Wonderful Pumkpins.” Ah, well, that makes a lot of sense then, don’t it? 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-system-of-a-down-mean/97114.md?page=2)