What does Chop Suey mean?

System of a Down: Chop Suey Meaning

Album cover for Chop Suey album cover

Song Released: 2001


Chop Suey Lyrics

(Mumbles)
We're Rolling Suicide

Wake up(wake up)
Grab a brush and put a little makeup
Hide the scars to fade away the shakeup
Why’d you leave the keys upon the table?
Here you go create another fable
You wanted to
Grab a brush...

  1. anonymous
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    Mar 3rd 2009 !⃝

    They beat up and kidnapped a girl and made her hide the scars when they get pulled over "We're Rolling

    Wake up
    Grab a brush and put a little (makeup)
    Grab a brush and put a little
    Hide the scars to fade away the (shakeup)
    Hide the scars to fade away the"

  2. ambigu
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    Feb 14th 2009 !⃝

    It's about someone good that change himself to a bad person ,,when angels deserve to die'' He does something rong and he tries to cover the scars (,,put a litle makeup''),but there are rumors(,,here you go create another fable'').
    It's about good people going bad(,,I CRY WHEN AGELS DESERVE TO DIE,IN MY SELFRAGTHIOUS SUICIDE'')

  3. anonymous
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    Jan 14th 2009 !⃝

    It definately has to do with the singer and his wife. She "left the kids on the table" something happened to his kids, and the wifes to blame shes the "angel that deserves to die" his parents now forsake him for the accident or for his wife. He wants to kill himself "Self rightous suicide" because he cant bear whats going on

  4. anonymous
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    Jan 10th 2009 !⃝

    I think personally the song is brillant and sad. I think it's about someone getting ready for a day and hearing about innocent people dying (angels). I also think he accidently killed someone and at the time he thought that someone deserved to die. Now he regrets it. I don't think he gets on with his father and so he screams father to be loved. He thinks committing suicide will put things right. I think but thats my opinion.

  5. anonymous
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    Jan 7th 2009 !⃝

    This song is not fuckin about god. System of a down is an extremely politically active band and wouldn't waste their time attacking god. Its us who've fucked up our society not god!

    and the "blackrapture" guy on page one is 100% right about it. He explained it perfectly so I'm not gonna waste my time explaining it.

    just stop trying to make this song out to be hating on god and jesus.

  6. anonymous
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    Jan 6th 2009 !⃝

    This song is about his girlfriend getting in a bad car wreck. Makeup to hide her scars. The keys are him blaming himself. The religious stuff is him blaming god for what happened to her. I cry when angels deserve to die, the angel is his girlfriend.

  7. S.O.A.D.
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    Jan 3rd 2009 !⃝

    I think this song has multiple meanings.It talks about christianity,system of a down and many problems of nowday;s society.with "wake up" it means be born."grab a brush and put a little make up hide the scars to fade away the shakw up"I think it talks about a way of changing yourself so that you will get away.why you leave th keys up on the table talks about the keys of your live and anyone can take advantage of them.create another fable to disguise yourself.i don't think you trust in my self-righteous suicide talks about children who suffer from system of a down because they are killed whan they are born cause of their "meaningless lives" but they have a right to suicide.it angels deserve to die talks about them too.angels are those who committed no sins so those kids are like angels!and finally, in tne part where serj screams father into your hands I commend my spirit father why have you forsaken me it talks about his father didn't defend him when the doctors said ht should be killed!Also this song might be a tottaly religious song with parts from gospels and the Christ's crucifixion.the name chop suey refers to it's complicated melody and lyrics.that is my opinion!

  8. anonymous
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    Jan 1st 2009 !⃝

    I thought it was about suicide. But, as many people have said, this song could be about anything. I'm not good at interpreting though. I like to read other people's interpretations. But I guess we should remember that music is music and it's made solely for the purpose of being listened to and enjoyed, so don't think too hard on it or the enjoyment on the music is gone. If you have to think or research too hard on a song then it tends to go away a little. If a song is meant to be interpretated then when you lie down and listen to the music, then it should come to you. Sometimes we have to research just a little but you shouldn't try too hard so that when you listen you think 'interpret'.
    I just wanted to say that. Sorry if I went on and on.

  9. anonymous
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    Dec 29th 2008 !⃝

    the reason why it is called chop suey is because it was going to be called suicide, but they changed it to chop suey.

    SUEY-cide.

  10. AlexU6969
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    Dec 28th 2008 !⃝

    Ok I have been quite confused by this song but I think I have it. The song is about a womans life and her husband abuses her and treats her like shit . She wants to commit suicide because she fells that is the only way to escape the pain. Let me break it down.

    Wake up (Wake up)- Here the husband is telling her to get out of bed and do as he pleases.

    Grab a brush and put a little makeup
    Hide the scars to fade away the shake up- Here he is telling her to fix herself up and hide the bruises on her face that were caused by him.

    Why'd you leave the keys up on the table?
    Here you go create another fable- this is showing that the husband looks for any excuse to yell at her and beat her, and that she is trying to make up a story to protect herself

    I don't think you trust, in, my,
    Self-righteous suicide,- Here I think she is talking to god(or to someone close to her) and telling him that this is her decision and you just don't understand.

    I cry, when angels deserve to die-Suicide is obvioulsy a moral sin and she understands that and the effect it will have to the angels and to God.

    Father (father)
    Father (father)
    Father (father)
    Father (father)
    Father Into your hands I commit my spirit
    Father Into your hands, why have you forsaken me- Here she is saying to God, I have been so faithful, put my trust in you, how can you let this happen to me how can you let me down.

    This was my interpretation of one of the greatest songs ever written and I think my interpretation is pretty legit. Tell me what you think?

  11. anonymous
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    Dec 26th 2008 !⃝

    The song is about how suicide is viewed as an end to life compared to natural death.
    Keys upon the table refers to leaving a suicide note which gives the reasons, or keys, for taking ones own life.
    Grab a brush put on a little makeup is a reference that many who commit suicide do so having first gone through some banal normalities like putting on make up, even though it is pointless to do so given the desire to die.
    Hide the scars is a reference to how many suicides are born of those who find it difficult to share their problems and end up resorting to suicide.
    Father into your hands I commend my spirit, and Why have you forsaken me, are the last thoughts of the person committing suicide, in the same way that Christs last words are to God before he dies.
    These thoughts are posed in phrases which ask the listener to question why the suicide victim is taking this ultimate action, when the alternative to the majority who do not have suicidal thoughts is why would you do this when you have your whole life to lead and could do so and die a natural death in later life?

  12. anonymous
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    Dec 21st 2008 !⃝

    ive heard so many interpretations for this song some about jesus, some about suicide bombers, and other things...

    Christianity, Judaism (i mention this because some people think Jesus was Jewish), suicide bombers, genocides came from around Armenia and the middle east some all of these are plausible

  13. anonymous
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    Dec 8th 2008 !⃝

    This song DEF has something to do with religion. Jesus died to save man-kind and it is referred to as "self-righteous suicide". And if it did in fact have nothing to do with religion... why use scripture? DIRECT quotes. Esp the last words of Jesus Christ, which are often taken out of context anyway. Eh. Anyway, sounds against God and Jesus.

  14. CHAD
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    Dec 3rd 2008 !⃝

    As per an interview I read in one of my guitar magazines its about how we as a society view how people die.For example if someone dies from an overdose of drugs,one might say they deserved to die,instead of recognizing that they died from the disease of addiction.

  15. anonymous
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    Nov 26th 2008 !⃝

    The line about creating another fable pertains to the protagonist shutting off his Gamecube while in the process of saving a Zelda file. He must recreate the file, losing all progress up to that point, and while grappling with the staggering ramifications of this figures, "F this. I'll just play Mega Man instead. It's more difficult, yes, but also infinitely more rewarding". Ergo, the "self-righteous suicide" referred to henceforth.




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