Aerials
System Of A Down [Toxicity] 2001 Lyrics
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We're one in the river
And one again after the fall
Swimming through the void
We hear the word
We lose ourselves
But we find it all?
'Cause we are the ones that want to play
Always want to go
But you never want to stay
And we are the ones that want to choose
Always want to play
But you never want to lose
Aerials in the sky
When you lose small mind
You free your life
Life is a waterfall
We drink from the river
Then we turn around and put up our walls
Swimming through the void
We hear the word
We lose ourselves
But we find it all?
'Cause we are the ones that want to play
Always want to go
But you never want to stay
And we are the ones that want to choose
Always want to play
But you never want to lose
Aerials in the sky
When you lose small mind
You free your life
Aerials so up high
When you free your eyes
Eternal prize
Aerials in the sky
When you lose small mind
You free your life
Aerials so up high
When you free your eyes
Eternal prize
The song Aerials by System of a Down is a powerful and insightful reflection on life and the human experience. The opening lines, "Life is a waterfall, we're one in the river, and one again after the fall," suggest that life is constantly changing and flowing, and we are all a part of that flow. The idea of being one in the river and one again after the fall is a profound observation on the interconnectedness of all living things, and the cyclical nature of life itself.
The lyrics go on to describe swimming through the void, and hearing the word. This can be interpreted in a number of ways, but it suggests that we are searching for meaning and purpose in our lives. We lose ourselves in this search, but ultimately, we find ourselves again. The chorus, "Cause we are the ones that want to play, always want to go, but you never want to stay," speaks to our tendency as humans to always be seeking something more, to be on the move, and to be constantly striving for new experiences.
The song also touches on the idea of putting up walls, and the importance of breaking these walls down in order to truly experience life. The line "Then we turn around and put up our walls" speaks to our tendency to isolate ourselves from one another, and to protect ourselves from hurt and pain. However, the chorus reminds us that we are the ones who want to choose, to play, and to experience life to the fullest.
Overall, Aerials is a beautifully written and thought-provoking song that encourages us to break down the barriers that separate us from one another and to embrace life with open arms.
Line by Line Meaning
Life is a waterfall
Life is constantly moving and flowing, like water cascading down a waterfall.
We're one in the river
We are all a part of the same journey, like a river flowing towards its destination.
And one again after the fall
Even when we stumble or fail, we can always pick ourselves back up and continue forward just like a river continuing to flow after a waterfall.
Swimming through the void
We're moving through empty space that is void of any obstacles.
We hear the word
We're listening for guidance or direction.
We lose ourselves
We get absorbed in our own thoughts, fears or doubts.
But we find it all?
Despite our own confusion, we'll find what we're looking for eventually.
'Cause we are the ones that want to play
We are the kind of people who are adventurous and spontaneous.
Always want to go
We have an itch that needs to be scratched, an urge to explore and push our boundaries.
But you never want to stay
We don't like to settle or stay put for too long, we're always looking for the next thing.
And we are the ones that want to choose
We believe in the power of decision making and having control over our own lives.
Always want to play
We see life as a game, a challenge that we can overcome.
But you never want to lose
We may be competitive, but we also fear the possibility of losing or failing.
Aerials in the sky
The world and its opportunities are endless and vast, like a beautiful and expansive sky.
When you lose small mind
When we stop limiting ourselves and our thoughts, we open ourselves up to greater possibilities.
You free your life
Breaking free from narrow-mindedness allows us to live more fully and embrace all that life has to offer.
Aerials so up high
When we have a broader perspective, we can soar above the mundane and trivialities of everyday life.
When you free your eyes
When we broaden our vision, we start to see things in a new light and discover new things.
Eternal prize
The reward for being open-minded and exploring the world is a sense of fulfillment and joy, something that lasts forever.
Life is a waterfall
The cycle of life continues on and on, just like water flowing down a waterfall.
We drink from the river
We take sustenance and nourishment from the same source that provides us with life.
Then we turn around and put up our walls
Despite the interconnectedness of life, humans still isolate themselves and build boundaries to separate themselves from others.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DARON MALAKIAN, SHAVO ODADJIAN, JOHN DOLMAYAN, SERJ TANKIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
A7Xremixes
I love this version because Serj isn't focusing on the guitar, so he doesn't cut off "after the fall"
Conner C
@Stitchy never forget about Shavo <3
Stitchy
@Conner C Let's not forget that super extra chunky bass though, 1 guitar alone didn't carry this.
Conner C
literally the reason I’m watching this over any other performance. The song sounds fine with 1 guitar, and serj’s vocals really shine here
Sans Souci
Exactly why I'm here
posthauski
I think I've seen too many videos of this song played live, and this is definitely the best live version of them all...
ictea02
Big Day Out 2002 was good too
Felipe Leite
the 2005 version at Astoria is the best
Hoxton
+posthauski Reading 2001 was good as well.
gumbyisaac !
“The increases in technology have not benefited the human race”
-Serj
Me agreeing to everything Serj says but then thinking about how we would’ve been able to watch this video anywhere I wanted at any time if it wasn’t for the increases in technology.