System of a Down: Forest Meaning
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Forest Lyrics
To the forest of denial
Speak with me my only mind
Walk with me until the time
And make the forest turn to wine
You take the legend for a fall
You saw the product
Why cant you see that you are my child
Why...
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1TOP RATED
anonymous Aug 1st, 2008 8:30am report
The lyrics are meant to have multiple meanings to different people. But in all, after years of research, the lyrics in this song seem to tell the story of the planet. How she gave birth to a wonderful species (Humans) who were undoubtably going to become her "seeds". We would eventually grow in technological advancements, and pollinate perhaps some uninhabited planets, as to spread her seeds.
Then the song tells of our seperation from nature into this material world we all live in. Our lives have become driven by a foundation of material items (money, cars, mortgages for houses, etc) and most herbal and natural remedies for thousands of illnesses are widely ignored by the rich, and therefore the poor.
I notice several attempts to describe humanities advancements, (eg: ... Walk with me for a time, and make the forest turn to wine... ... Walk with me until the end, and make the forest turn to sand...) I believe the latter is directed at how we destroy the forests in pursuit of money.
Now the rest of the song seems to be from the earth's perspective, as it seems to be pleading with humanity to embrace the real truth, and that truth is we ARE her seeds. We share the same fractal organization of nature that the earth does, and we have evolved to best suit ourselves in nature. But nature has also evolved to adapt to us. Now if we were to embrace a new world religion of how shall we say, Earthism (come call them hippies), then other religions will be wiped out, so there will not be anymore "circumcisions on the chair" and Television will be exposed as the brainwashing tube it has always been, and possibly people will wake up to the actuall effects of radio and microwaves bombarding us unnaturally, so there will be "no televisions in the air,"
Then it goes on to say "You made the weapons for us all, just look at us now!" As in we made the weapons, and now everyone wants them, and their willing to kill for them. The world is teetering on the brink of a world war. Foreign tensions are rising. And innocent people are dying as a result.
"Why can't you see that you are my child
Why don't you know that you are my mind
Tell everyone in the world, that Im you
Take this promise to the end of you"
This seems to be the author trying to further plead to the people on the planets behalf. Because if you think of the Earth as a giant living super-organism (which it is, if you think about it), it makes perfect sense with this song. So basically mother earth wants you to spread the word to all the people, and return to living in natural time, and to quit destroying our own biosphere, because the earth doesn't want to lose her seeds. Over-population is best solved by spreading out, branching off, leaving Earth and living elsewhere.
It is a fact that we cannot destroy this planet. We can only destroy our own biosphere, and make ourselves sick and cause our own deaths. Even a nuclear holocaust couldnt kill his planet, because in maybe 1000 years, or 50,000 years, maybe even a million years, which is a short time in the lifespan of our planet, it will return to the pristine conditions of untouched nature once again.
Thank you.
- Rob -
2TOP RATED
Smithereenz Nov 29th, 2007 11:04am report
Ah, Forest.
I was very high when I came to this conclusion. That may be why I am very correct or why I am very incorrect. I don't know, we'll see.
The "Forest" - The Biblical Garden of Gethsemane
According to The New Testament, minutes before Judas led the authorites to Jesus Christ and horribly betrayed him, Christ was praying at the Garden of Gethsemane (garden literally meaning "forest" in today's interpretation). He was there with his other apostles. They were supposed to be praying, but were sleeping instead, which angered Jesus. He woke them up and told them to pray. Jesus went off on his own. He knew what was to come of him - the betrayal, the ridicule, the pain, the crucification, the resurrection...yet, He was still scared shitless. He asks his father (GOD), "why me?" Jesus questions GOD and has his doubts. Jesus is even visited by Satan at this point.
One view of mine - I believe this song is GOD talking to Jesus Christ. This is GOD's view in the Garden (FOREST). GOD is angry at Jesus for His questioning and for His doubts. How dare you question GOD, especially after I have made it clear to you of your destiny. THUS, explaining these lyrics:
"Why can't you see that you are MY CHILD?
Why don't you know that you are MY MIND?
Tell everyone in the world, that I'M YOU?
TAKE THIS PROMISE to the END OF YOU"
"Walk with me my little CHILD
To the FOREST of DENIAL
Speak with me my only mind
Walk with me until the time
And make the forest turn to wine
You take the legend for a fall
You saw the product..."
My other interpretation - a George Orwell, "1984" type of thing.
We all know the book by George Orwell, "1984" explaining how the future may turn out if things continue the way they are going. The whole, do and speak as your told; Big Brother is watching you...yeah... -
3TOP RATED
anonymous Aug 18th, 2006 8:10pm report
I like the comment about the two countries us and iraq....But I thought about it and since the band members are from armenian descent they could be talking about turkey and armenia....Turkey being the father and armenia its child. During the first world war...The turks killed millions of armenians in a genocide....Then tried covering it up. Maybe turkey is taking armenia into the forest of denial...Denying that the genocide ever happened.
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anonymous Jul 17th, 2013 7:34pm report
Whenever I listen to forest, I think of how Moses brought the Israelites out of Egypt in the Old Testament. "Walk with me my little child" - refers to the Children of Israel. "To the forest of denial" - the children of Israel lost faith in God, and so God punished them by forcing them to wander through the wilderness (most likely a desert, but a forest is a type of wilderness) for forty years. "Why can't you see that you are my child?" Why can't the Israelites see that God is their one and only Father? "Walk with me until the time, make the forest turn to wine" - Keep with me until our journey is over, when we reach the land of milk and honey (the wilderness turning to wine). This is just what I get out of the song, what does everyone else think?
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anonymous Nov 11th, 2012 11:06pm report
Its Satan talking to man, saying you are my child, you are of my mind, your inheritantly evil, youve seen the forest, the forest of Denial (eden) where Satan believes that man and Satan are denied what is rightfully belonging to mankind. now come inside. ( to where he thinks we should be). Turn the forest to sand, Let Eden die, let Gods creation die. tell everyone in the world, that I'm you
take this promise to the end of you. Satan knows that if we take his promise it is the end of you. The legend was what hes saying God told them not to eat of the fruit of knowledge..hes sayings its not true..its just a legend but then says we took the legend and therefore caused the fall. -
Zobrie Mar 19th, 2012 3:42pm report
'' "Why can't you see that you are my child" (Humans created God, and not vice versa, that's why "YOU ARE MY CHILD")
"Why don't you know that you are my mind" (God is just an idea, he's just in our minds)
"Tell everyone in the world, that I'm you" (God isn't the one who makes things happened -catastrophes, murders, new lives, etc.-, but humanity is responsible for the way things are.) ''
This citation (from anonymous, 3rd top comment) seems to describe it all.
But when it comes to turn the forest to wine and to sand, it's turning forest into woods materials who are often not usefull.
To sand means to bring it to the ground.
To wine means to transform everything into wine to sell it for money. -
anonymous Nov 13th, 2011 11:41pm report
From all of the religious imagery i would say that the song is about religion. My guess is that the song says that religion is the child of ignorance. or something along those lines.
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anonymous Oct 14th, 2011 10:29pm report
I love this song. My interpretation is that is talks about Taliban and how they train their soldiers in the 'Forest' where there is denial and you where you have to speak 'their' only mind...and if you really think about it, the rest of the words fall in place....
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anonymous Jul 6th, 2011 7:23am report
I think a spiritual interpretation seems probable bearing in mind the religious symbolism, but tht's not to claim that SOAD are advocating any particular religion. If 'god'(as a generic spiritual entity) is in each of us, then these words may be seen as an inner conflict between the different sides of the self: the spiriutual and the more 'immediate' every day self. For me this is a song about inner conflict, free-will, and the opportunity to set things right.
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anonymous Jul 19th, 2010 7:41pm report
I think this song has a lot of meanings and I find all theories interesting. Guess the only one who knows the true meaning of this is the person who wrote the lyrics. They might have a specific image in mind, but perhaps they didn't convey it as well. I do not know much about the bible so sadly, I can only take the lines of the song and create my own image from it. But it is fun to create a whole new meaning. Thank you so much for sharing your interpretations.
-Sae200502167 -
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anonymous Mar 6th, 2010 3:36pm report
Idk but I think This is based on the first book in the bible, Genesis. The line, "Walk with me my little child into the forest of denial" is symbolizing Adam and Eve. In Genesis, God tells them to eat from any tree except for one tree that is possessed by Satan. One day they disobey god and eat from the cursed tree and God gets angry because they disobeyed him.
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Prototype2010 Feb 28th, 2010 2:26pm report
Most of the people here are completely wrong. Get one thing straight: SYSTEM OF A DOWN, INCLUDING SERJ, IS NOT CHRISTIAN/MUSLIM/JEWISH/PROTESTANT, WHATEVER. Serj believes in old Native American religions, not modern religions. The other members I am unsure, but they are not of a modern religion. So therefore, the lyrics do not come from "God's" perspective, "Jesus's" perspective, and/or "Satan's" perspective. The interpretations I've seen that could be correct are:
1) Serj's challenging/mocking of God and Jesus
2) Mother Earth speaking
The other thing, I know they have some songs that are about the Armenian genocide, but stop dwelling on the subject. This song has nothing to do between the relationship of Turkey and Armenia. Everyone needs to start researching the band's actual views and opinions before coming to some wacky conclusion. I'm not insulting anyone, or challenging anyone, I'm honestly giving you some advice. They aren't Catholic, so obviously the lyrics aren't supporting the Catholic views. -
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anonymous Jun 4th, 2009 6:29pm report
you guys are all off....obviously no american or western influenced mentality will understand.
they're political, and they're anti conformist (New World Order aka Israel USA UK).
you (america) make the weapons for us (middle easterns and others) all, just look at us now!
why cant you see that you are my child?---you come from us. our lands are holy lands, lands that my ancestors (YOUR ANCESTORS) lived on. its where the ancient civilization was spawned. as a persian american, i believe this is EXACTLY what they are speaking of. of coarse non of your mindsets would fathom such truth.
keep listening to your parents and your television, they teach you what you know! -
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