Songfacts Aerials by System of a Down

This song is about how people can lose their identities and become just like everyone else. Some lyric analysis:
"Life is a waterfall,we're one in the river, one again after the fall." - We all start off the same and we all end up the same.
"Swimming through the void, we hear the words,we lose ourselves, but we find it all." - As we go through life we are told lessons, but we ignore them. We forget who we really are in the mix of seeking the synthetic lifestyle, and that's the price to lose who we really are.
"'Cause we are the ones that wanna play, always want to go, but you never want to stay." - We always want to be part of the scene. We strive for what we want and when we get it, it still does not satisfy.
"And we are the ones that want to choose, always wanna play, but you never wanna lose." - We want and want. We do whatever we can but if trouble is ever near we do whatever we can to maintain innocence.
"When you lose small mind you free your life." - When we stop to see the full picture is when we really have control of our lives.
"Life is a waterfall, we drink from the river then we turn around and put up our walls." - We take and take and in the end we give nothing. This shows how greedy, oblivious and inconsiderate people can be. (thanks, joe - visa, CA)
The final track on the Toxicity album and the third single. The lyrics were written by Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian. Malakian wrote the music. (thanks, Nick - Paramus, NJ)
On the CD, right after the song ends, another song called "Arto" comes on. "Arto" is based on a traditional Armenian song with a chant that is played at funerals in the Armenian community. It is named "Arto" because their friend Arto Tuncboyaciyan played a duduk (a reed instrument similar to an oboe) on the track. Daron and Serj's grandparents both wept when they heard it. (thanks, Anthony - Willow Wood, OH)
Daron Malakian once said that this song is about the beauty of retarded children and how they see the world. They have also said that it is about nothing. (thanks, Ankabandoodoo - lala, MT)
The band performed this on Saturday Night Live in 2005. The first song they performed, "B.Y.O.B.," caused some controversy because they swore on the air.

Categories: Song Facts