B.Y.O.B.

This song first came on the radio aabout three days ago and has been amazing- all the way from Daron's first desperate scream to Serj's constant asking "why do they always send the poor?!" "B.Y.O.B." stand for "bring your own bomb" and this is definately the message of the song. It means that we should fight our own war with our own "bombs", ourselves, and not for someone else, as President Fucktard loves to do, constantly sending people poor in education, money, and purpose to fight his war. "every city gripped in oil, crying freedom!" shows that our war is being fought for oil and other "necessities" and we cover up our horrible war with cries that we have given the Iraqi people "freedom." The best part of the song is definately when Daron screams "Blast off, it's party time, and we all live in a fascist nation, blast off, it's party time and where the fuck are you?" I think this shows how we live in comfort (a party) and the line "and where the fuck are you?" shows how we do not see or feel the horrors of dubya's war that are masked by propagandist American media. We are fed "lies from the tablecloth," meaning lies from our parents, that they heard from the media, who lies to us under an age-old oath of fear-inspired loyalty to the American "freedom" fist. People have certainly been de-sensitized, as is shown by an interview of a Phantom-bomber pilot during the Gulf-war, in which when asked what he thought of the explosions, he replied, shockingly, "They looked so real." Presidents are the ones who send us into war, often for their own desires, and I think Serj wants to know why the fuck "Presidents fight the war" instead of sending the poor, those who do not know what they are doing or even more often what they are murdering for.

The first thing I note about the song is there are three distinct sections. The verses, the chorus, and the bridge all have very different musical feels. I interpret the verses as the truth, the message that they are trying to get out to people. The chorus is the media and the propaganda. The bridge is the desperate wake up call. With that framework in mind, let's look at the words.

The first four lines conjure the thought of a smiling, well dressed woman responsible for crimes against humanity, while the people are oblivious because they are enveloped in popular culture and marketing. (When we amplify everything, we hear nothing). The next four lines harken the same obliviousness, while espousing the idea that those who lie and propagandize to us depend on us. If we do not remain as unquestioning "hypnotic computers," we would no longer protect them.

The chorus is laid back, and Orwellian. Everything is fine. We're all having a good time. War is fun.

The second verse took some looking around and thinking. My best guess is that it has to do with the US's support of Israel. The lines about Fort Knox strike me as economical. The gold standard in an economy impedes a government from creating money out of thin air, and devaluing the currency thereby making its people poorer. With that in mind, they have taken the gold from us and stolen our future "intentions," or goals; aspirations. The next line is about the clamor for foreign oil and the unjust means by which western nations have acquired it (this goes back at least to Iran in the 50s). Again, the atrocities are masked in "cries of freedom," while in reality we march to inevitable doom.

Chorus again. Don't worry. Everything's fine. Keep on consuming. Think nothing of the future because it's all going to be okay.

WAKE UP. HELLO? We are NOT A FASCIST NATION. We should not be supporting these foreign wars. We should not be allowing the few in power (that's in corporations AND government; governments and corporations working together for their own benefit is Fascism) lie to us. Control us. Weaken us. Rob us of our individualism, and leave us divided and ignorant. WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!?

After this, the lyrics all repeat. But the most notable part is that when the "wake up" section comes back, it is very sudden. I think it is meant to be an even bigger calling. It should surprise people in the song when it comes. It should wake them up.

So.

Where the fuck are YOU?

"B.Y.O.B." originally means "Bring your own Beverage" in party terms, but in this song it is supposed to mean "Bring your own Bombs." And when they say "party" they mean war.

This song is not about partying at all, because if you read the lyrics it's obvious.

Generally, it is just an anti-war song. Also, it's about how they send the poor into war.

First off I would like to say that SOAD is my favorite Rock band of all time. They kept it real and attempted to open the masses blind eye to real world problems with every song they released.

My interpretation of this song is not unlike many others. Daron and Serj are protesting the Iraq War by calling out the leaders of the U.S. and asking why they are sending poor americans (troops) into a war based on greed and this nation's appetite for oil.

My interpretation of the first verse that some have trouble understanding:

"Barbarisms by Barbaras With pointed heels Victorious victorious kneel For brand new spankin' deals"

SOAD is calling out not only women, but men as well, that are distracted from the ongoing atrocities of the war by material things and "brand new spankin' deals."

The chorus of the song: "Everybody's going to the party have a real good time....."

They are mocking the media and the propaganda spread by the media and the leaders of the nation. The media sends the message that our troops are being sent to right the wrongs of 9/11, and attempting to stop terrorism, but in reality they are fighting a war for oil (and perhaps opioids).

Another part of the song points out how our politicians and leaders continually reject the idea that the U.S. is a fascist nation when in reality we are tip-toeing on the line of fascism.

This is a brilliant song that calls for the attention of the masses. Serj and Daron did a great job attempting to open the eyes of the nation. It's an interesting and disturbing fact that a group of Armenians can see the corruption that is rampant in the U.S. while millions of others simply turn a blind eye to the horrific and senseless war that is still going on more than a decade after this song was released.

it stand for BRING YOUR OWN BOMB(S). sounds like a fuckin' anti war song to me

crap .. post got messed up. try again...

I think bombomb is mostly correct, but I'd like to put in my thoughts about the song as well.

BYOB stands for Bring Your Own Bomb (that is what bombomb said, i think it's true as well)

My god is of bible blood with morbid eels Victorious Victorious steel can your spending kneel?

Fighting for God & country (GWB says God Bless America a lot, prays, devout christian etc), victorious steel - our tanks and ships and planes and electronics being most of our war. Can you spending kneel .. pretty obvious.

marching forward hypocritic and hypnotic computers you depend on our protection

marching forward being hypocritical, maybe because gov't has a backwards view on the war, and geopolitically definetely not making any good marks. Hypnotic computers, new technologies like smart bombs, etc you depend on our protection, we do depend on it a lot in this war. Goes back to the whole BYOB thing.

yet you feed us lies from the tablecloth
an interesting line. Makes it sound like Bush is playing God.

everybody is going to the party have a real good time dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine I think the party is Iraq and propaganda from the gov't makes it almost sound like a party. Sarcasm obvioulsy from SOAD here, but they really need people to enlist because of the shortage of troops. Dancing in the desert, blowing up sunshine, being careless, wreckless in Iraq.

kneeling roses disappearing into Moses' dry mouth Dont' know what kneeling roses is but Moses and his people were condemned to roam the DESERTS for 40 years before being able to enter the promised land because they have sinned. Maybe us going into IRaq is condeming them to 40-ish years of wandering before getting what they deserve.

breaking into Fort Knox stealing our intentions getting what GWB wants - war. while we didnt necessarily agree.

every city gripped in oil crying freedom! handed to obsoletion obvious. we hear about the oil thing all the time. countries just being used for oil - pretty much obsolete. why not have it just be a giant oil field instead of a country.

blast off, it's party time and we all live in a fascist nation blast off, it's party time and where the fuck are you? almost like bliss. it's party time, time for war. our nation is war-mongering. where the fuck are you, why arne't you out here in Iraq, partying, fighting?

Why don't presidents fight the war? Why do they always send the poor? I don't know why don't they? :P

I agree with shadowwiththeeyes. SOAD has always been about global issues, not just American issues. War and poverty are global issues, and this dynamic of the upper class never going to war is usually true (in almost all countries). Unfortunately, this system will probably always be in place, and there is little we can do about it because we don't hold the power in this country (i'm assuming none of you are rich...).

First off, as an active duty member getting ready to go to Iraq. I can give you all some facts. First, being in the military doesn't mean you are poor. I've been in 3 years now and I drive a '00 Corvette, pay for my house, and have a lot of nice toys. The money in the military is good and when you deploy it is tax free. In four months I'll make around 12,000 dollars tax free. Second, reservists are always told that you can be called up at a moments notice. Reserves don't make much money for 1 weekend a month or two weeks a year. The reason people join reserves are to make a few extra bucks on the weekend, get free medical and dental, and get free money for college. And they are told more often than not that they are the first to go to war so the active duty can keep operations in check at home bases. Weekend warriors who milk benefits shouldn't complain when the government calls upon them to get work out of their investments. The military recruits about 100,000 people a year. This war has been going on for a few years now, why do people keep signing up? Numbers might be down, but not that much. I'll tell you why, they want a piece of the action and they want to serve. There hasn't been a draft since vietnam and there won't be unless a disaster like a nuclear attack occurs. Lastly, this war was based on weapons. Some weapons were found but the big ones haven't been. Probably because they got shifted to Iran, but that's another story. This war is justified by the pain in the ass that Saddam Hussein caused the whole middle east by not following UN sanctions for over 10 years. Sure we didn't do wat the UN wanted, but what kind of pressure did they put on Saddam? And what about all the genocide Saddam comitted in Iraq. Please some of you seem really smart, research the last ten years and tell me that it wasn't time to fix this. Don't let a band who makes millions of dollars influence your political beliefs, they are more likely more mistrued than you are. System's music is good but these rants get old and the lies they push on America's youth is just as bad as a politicians. Use your civil liberty, get out and vote in your states lower level elections and educate yourself on candidates. Once you get your representatives straight push on towards the whitehouse.

I think bombomb is mostly correct, but I'd like to put in my thoughts about the song as well.

BYOB stands for Bring Your Own Bomb (that is what bombomb said, i think it's true as well)

Fighting for God & country (GWB says God Bless America a lot, prays, devout christian etc), victorious steel - our tanks and ships and planes and electronics being most of our war. Can you spending kneel .. pretty obvious.

marching forward being hypocritical, maybe because gov't has a backwards view on the war, and geopolitically definetely not making any good marks. Hypnotic computers, new technologies like smart bombs, etc you depend on our protection, we do depend on it a lot in this war. Goes back to the whole BYOB thing.

an interesting line. Makes it sound like Bush is playing God.

I think the party is Iraq and propaganda from the gov't makes it almost sound like a party. Sarcasm obvioulsy from SOAD here, but they really need people to enlist because of the shortage of troops. Dancing in the desert, blowing up sunshine, being careless, wreckless in Iraq.

Dont' know what kneeling roses is but Moses and his people were condemned to roam the DESERTS for 40 years before being able to enter the promised land because they have sinned. Maybe us going into IRaq is condeming them to 40-ish years of wandering before getting what they deserve.

getting what GWB wants - war. while we didnt necessarily agree.

obvious. we hear about the oil thing all the time. countries just being used for oil - pretty much obsolete. why not have it just be a giant oil field instead of a country.

almost like bliss. it's party time, time for war. our nation is war-mongering. where the fuck are you, why arne't you out here in Iraq, partying, fighting?

I don't know why don't they? :P

rtil - "I don't know why don't they?"

Good point, i mean Presidents have been fighting the wars ever since the mongols.. Why can't our presidents be more like Chenggis Khan out there in the battlefield riding horses and throwing spears? :rolleyes:

Honestly, can you imagine George Bush out there fighting? The thing is this is a new age, and we haven't had presidents fighting the wars since the before the middle ages...well 200 odd years ago if you count Pres. George Washington ....even though he wasnt president at the time.. :/

Really the whole question or idea that system is trying to bring through the song is about as thought provoking as asking why pigs don't fly..