Suggestions
System Of A Down (S.O.A.D) Lyrics
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From a post up high,
From where you see the ships afar,
From a well trained eye,
The waves all keep on crashing by,
If you are the light post,
Then you own the working class,
But if you want the answers,
Give a piece of your ass
Warning,
Post hypnotic suggestions,
Running the ships ashore,
The orange light that follows,
Will soon proclaim itself a God,
If you point your questions,
The fog will surely chew you up,
But if you want the answers,
You better get ready for the fire,
Get ready for the fire
The ships are multiplying day after day sir,
And they're coming close to the shore sir, shore sir,
We need to evacuate the light post,
It's all over
It's all over.
The lyrics of "Suggestion" by System of a Down are highly political and criticize the powerful individuals who are in charge of the working class. The opening lines, "Watching, from a post up high, from where you see the ships afar, from a well-trained eye, the waves all keep on crashing by," refers to the vantage point of those in power, looking down on the rest of society from a safe distance. The metaphor of the ships is a symbol of change; they are coming closer to shore, indicating that something significant is about to happen.
The second verse, "Warning, post-hypnotic suggestions, running the ships ashore," suggests that the people in power are manipulating the masses through propaganda and mind control. The orange light that follows and will soon proclaim itself a god represents the media and its ability to shape public opinion. Those who are brave enough to ask questions will be silenced, as the fog (symbolic of confusion and misinformation) will swallow them up. The final lines of the verse, "But if you want the answers, you better get ready for the fire, get ready for the fire," suggest that there will be consequences for those who speak out against the powerful.
The final lines of the song, "The ships are multiplying day after day, sir, and they're coming close to the shore, sir, shore, sir. We need to evacuate the light post. It's all over. It's all over," are a call to action, a warning that society must act quickly to prevent the arrival of the ships. The light post, which represents the working class, must be evacuated before it is too late. The song is a powerful critique of those in power, their manipulation of the masses, and the dangerous consequences of speaking out against their tyranny.
Line by Line Meaning
Watching,
Observing
From a post up high,
From a high vantage point
From where you see the ships afar,
From a distance the ships seem insignificant
From a well trained eye,
One who is knowledgeable and experienced
The waves all keep on crashing by,
The ongoing struggles and problems in life
If you are the light post,
If you are in a position of power and influence
Then you own the working class,
The working class is at your mercy
But if you want the answers,
If you seek knowledge and understanding
You better give a piece of ass,
You better offer something in return
Warning,
A call for attention
Post hypnotic suggestions,
Manipulation and influence
Running the ships ashore,
Causing the ships to crash
The orange light that follows,
An ominous presence or force
Will soon proclaim itself a God,
Will assert its dominance and control over others
If you point your questions,
If you challenge the status quo
The fog will surely chew you up,
Uncertainty and confusion will overwhelm you
But if you want the answers,
If you desire knowledge and truth
You better get ready for the fire,
Be prepared for the consequences and backlash
The ships are multiplying day after day sir,
The problems and challenges in the world are increasing
And they're coming close to the shore sir, shore sir,
And they are becoming more urgent and threatening
We need to evacuate the light post,
We need to abandon those in power and start over
It's all over
Things have reached a tipping point and change is necessary
It's all over.
Things have come to an end and a new beginning is possible
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DARON MALAKIAN, SHAVO ODAJIAN, JOHN DOLMAYAN, SERJ TANKIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind