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Down With the Sickness
Disturbed Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Can you feel that?
Ah, shit
Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah
Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Drowning deep in my sea of loathing
Broken your servant I kneel
(Will you give in to me?)
It seems what's left of my human side



Is slowly changing in me
(Will you give in to me?)

Looking at my own reflection
When suddenly it changes
Violently it changes (oh no)
There is no turning back now
You've woken up the demon in me

Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Open up your hate, and let it flow into me
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
You mother get up come on get down with the sickness
You fucker get up come on get down with the sickness
Madness is the gift, that has been given to me

I can see inside you, the sickness is rising
Don't try to deny what you feel
(Will you give in to me?)
It seems that all that was good has died
And is decaying in me
(Will you give in to me?)

It seems you're having some trouble
In dealing with these changes
Living with these changes (oh no)
The world is a scary place
Now that you've woken up the demon in me

Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Open up your hate, and let it flow into me
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
You mother get up come on get down with the sickness
You fucker get up come on get down with the sickness
Madness is the gift, that has been given to me

(And when I dream)
(And when I dream)
(And when I dream), (and when I dream)
No mommy, don't do it again
Don't do it again
I'll be a good boy
I'll be a good boy, I promise
No mommy don't hit me
Why did you have to hit me like that, mommy?
Don't do it, you're hurting me
Why did you have to be such a bitch

Why don't you
Why don't you just fuck off and die
Why can't you just fuck off and die
Why can't you just leave here and die
Never stick your hand in my face again bitch
Fuck you
I don't need this shit
You stupid sadistic abusive fucking whore
How would you like to see how it feels mommy
Here it comes, get ready to die

Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Open up your hate, and let it flow into me
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
You mother get up come on get down with the sickness
You fucker get up come on get down with the sickness
Madness has now come over me

Overall Meaning

"Down With the Sickness" is a song about giving in to your darkest desires and embracing the madness within. The lyrics begin with the singer asking if the listener can feel something, which is presumably the darkness within themselves. The next lines describe the singer as drowning in their own loathing and broken to the point of kneeling. The question is then posed - will the listener give in to the singer's madness?


The chorus is a call to action for the listener to join the singer in their madness. The repeated phrase "get up, come on get down with the sickness" is an invitation to embrace the darkness and let it flow into them. The second verse again offers the listener a choice - deny the sickness rising within or give in to it. The singer reveals that what was once good within them is dying and decaying. The bridge offers a glimpse into the singer's traumatic past, with a series of disturbing lines spoken to an abusive mother before launching back into the chorus. This time the final line declares that madness has now come over the singer.


Overall, "Down With the Sickness" is a song about confronting the darkest parts of oneself and embracing them. It presents a chaotic and violent image of madness, but the chorus offers the idea that embracing one's madness can be a release from pain and suffering.


Line by Line Meaning

Can you feel that?
Are you aware of the intense emotion and energy that is being projected through this song?


Ah, shit
An expression of frustration with the way things are in society.


Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
The chorus serves as a call to action, urging listeners to join in on the intense energy of the music and lyrics.


Drowning deep in my sea of loathing Broken your servant I kneel (Will you give in to me?)
Feeling overwhelmed with negative thoughts and emotions, the artist is reaching out for help and asking for submission from those around them.


It seems what's left of my human side Is slowly changing in me (Will you give in to me?)
The artist is going through a personal transformation where they feel like they are losing their humanity, and they want others to join them on this journey.


Looking at my own reflection When suddenly it changes Violently it changes (oh no) There is no turning back now You've woken up the demon in me
The singer is seeing themselves transform before their own eyes, and they are powerless to stop it. They blame the person who caused this awakening within them for unleashing their dark side.


It seems you're having some trouble In dealing with these changes Living with these changes (oh no) The world is a scary place Now that you've woken up the demon in me
The singer is aware that others may struggle to accept their changes and the darkness that comes with it. They want others to know that they understand the fear and uncertainty they may be experiencing.


Get up, come on get down with the sickness Get up, come on get down with the sickness Get up, come on get down with the sickness Open up your hate, and let it flow into me Get up, come on get down with the sickness You mother get up come on get down with the sickness You fucker get up come on get down with the sickness Madness is the gift, that has been given to me
The chorus is a call to action for listeners to embrace their hatred and negative emotions and let them flow freely. The artist believes that their madness is a gift to be shared with others.


I can see inside you, the sickness is rising Don't try to deny what you feel (Will you give in to me?)
The artist can sense the darkness in others and is urging them to embrace it. They want others to submit to them and join in their madness.


It seems that all that was good has died And is decaying in me (Will you give in to me?)
The artist is fully embracing their dark side and feels that there is no longer any good left within them. They want others to join them in their decay.


No mommy, don't do it again Don't do it again I'll be a good boy I'll be a good boy, I promise No mommy don't hit me Why did you have to hit me like that, mommy? Don't do it, you're hurting me Why did you have to be such a bitch
The singer is recounting traumatic experiences with their mother, blaming her for causing their emotional pain and acting out in response to it.


Why don't you Why don't you just fuck off and die Why can't you just fuck off and die Why can't you just leave here and die Never stick your hand in my face again bitch Fuck you I don't need this shit You stupid sadistic abusive fucking whore How would you like to see how it feels mommy Here it comes, get ready to die
The artist is expressing rage and a desire for revenge against their mother. They use violent language to describe their hatred and wish for her to experience the pain she caused them.


Madness has now come over me
The song ends with the singer fully embracing their madness and accepting it as a part of who they are.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dan Donegan, David Draiman, Michael Wengren, Mike Wengren, Steve Kmak

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

Jon Keys


on Land of Confusion

It's a cover of a Genesis song!

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