A.D.D. by System of a Down Lyrics Meaning – The Anthem of Disillusionment in the Modern Era
Lyrics
You sent us back in body parts
You took our wills with the truth you stole
We offer prayers for your long lost soul
The remainder is an unjustifiable
Egotistical power struggle
At the expense of the American dream
Of the American dream, of the American
We don’t give a damn about your world
With all your global profits and all your jeweled pearls
We don’t give a damn about your world
Right now, right now
We don’t give a fuck about your world
With all your global profits and all your jeweled pearls
We don’t give a fuck about your world
Right now, right now
Right now, right now
There is no flag that is large enough
To hide the shame of a man in cuffs
You switched the signs then you closed their blinds
You changed the channels and you changed their minds
The remainder is an unjustifiable
Egotistical power struggle
At the expense of the American dream
Of the American dream, of the American
We don’t give a damn about your world
With all your global profits and all your jeweled pearls
We don’t give a damn about your world
Right now, right now
We don’t give a fuck about your world
With all your global profits and all your jeweled pearls
We don’t give a fuck about your world
Right now, right now
Right now, right now
Right now, right now
Right now, right now
No flag large enough
Shame on the men in cuffs
Close their blinds
The remainder is an unjustifiable
Egotistical power struggle
At the expense of the American dream
Of the American dream, of the American
We don’t give a damn about your world
With all your global profits and all your jeweled pearls
We don’t give a damn about your world
Right now, right now
We don’t give a fuck about your world
With all your global profits and all your jeweled pearls
We don’t give a fuck about your world
Right now, right now
Right now, right now
Right now, right now
Right now, right now-now-now-now
In a world of rapid media cycles and fleeting public attention, few songs manage to resonate deeply and capture the zeitgeist of dissent quite like System of a Down’s ‘A.D.D. (American Dream Denial)’. This track, off their 2002 album ‘Steal This Album!’, is a musical grenade lobbed at the illusions populating the American social and political landscape.
The band, no stranger to political activism and commentary, crafts a blistering critique of the commodification of democracy and the military-industrial complex. The visceral anger and potent lyricism have turned this track into an anthem for those disillusioned by the broken promises of a nation they once held in high regard.
The Brutal Truth of War in Sharp Relief
System of a Down has a knack for slicing through the facades of propaganda to reveal the grim realities beneath. In ‘A.D.D.’, this cutting clarity is at its most potent. ‘We fought your wars with all our hearts, You sent us back in body parts’ speaks to the physical and psychological toll waged on soldiers, pulling the veil from the glorified image of warfare to expose its tragic costs.
The mention of ‘body parts’ not only conjures the violence of battle but also suggests the fragmentation of the self. Soldiers return as shells of their former selves, leaving us to ponder whether the ‘American Dream’ justifies such human wreckage.
A Struggle Against the Powers That Be
As the song progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that the ‘A.D.D.’ System of a Down speaks to isn’t merely a clinical condition but a state induced by societal distractions and misdirections. ‘The remainder is an unjustifiable, Egotistical power struggle, At the expense of the American dream’ illustrates the band’s perception of a society caught in a cycle of greed and power plays, all while regular citizens are left chasing an ever-elusive promise of prosperity.
The phrase ‘egotistical power struggle’ evokes the self-serving nature of those at the helm, turning public service into a personal chess game, and leaving ‘the American dream’ as the ultimate casualty.
An Anthem for the Disenchanted
The repeated proclamation, ‘We don’t give a damn about your world,’ hits like a battering ram against the edifice of corporate and governmental indifference. This chorus becomes a rallying cry for the disenchanted masses – those who feel forgotten by a system that’s fixated on ‘global profits and all your jeweled pearls’ instead of the well-being of its citizens.
The use of profanity in the latter iterations of the chorus underscores the intensity of the sentiment. It’s a raw, unfiltered dismissal of the status quo, a rejection loud enough to ring through the halls of power.
The Hidden Meaning Behind ‘No Flag Large Enough’
Beneath the surface of blunt phrases, System of a Down merges symbolic imagery, as seen in the line, ‘There is no flag that is large enough, To hide the shame of a man in cuffs.’ Here, they allude to the idea that national pride cannot conceal the injustices committed within its border – the flag, often a symbol of freedom, is inadequate to cover the shame of systemic failures.
The man in cuffs is more than an individual; he is representative of any person whose freedoms have been compromised by an unchecked system. The symbolism is a powerful indictment of a nation’s blind spots – especially concerning personal liberty.
The Memorable Lines That Define a Generation’s Frustration
While ‘A.D.D.’ is punctuated with poignant verses throughout, it’s the blunt simplicity of lines like ‘Right now, right now’ that captures the urgent craving for change. This immediacy is a call to action, to address the disillusionment not at some vague future point, but at this very moment.
The simplicity and repetition of ‘right now’ speaks to the pervasive impatience with slow, bureaucratic processes that seem to overlook the immediate troubles of the common people. It is a demand for change that is as instant as the news cycle, as non-stop as the media that drives the nation’s attention deficit disorder.
