B.Y.O.B. Lyrics
You!
Why do they always send the poor?
[Verse 1: Serj Tankian]
Barbarisms by Barbaras with pointed heels
Victorious Victorias kneel for brand-new spanking deals
Marching forward, hypocritic and hypnotic computers
You depend on our protection, yet you feed us lies from the tablecloth
[Chorus: Serj Tankian]
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, ooh-ooh
Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time
Dancin' in the desert, blowin' up the sunshine
[Verse 2: Serj Tankian]
Kneeling roses disappearing into Moses' dry mouth
Breaking into Fort Knox, stealing our intentions
Hangars sitting dripped in oil, crying, "Freedom!"
Handed to obsoletion; still, you feed us lies from the tablecloth
[Chorus: Serj Tankian with Daron Malakian]
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, ooh-ooh
Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time
Dancing in the desert, blowing up the sunshine
Everybody's goin' to the party, have a real good time
Dancin' in the desert, blowin' up the sunshine
Blast off, it's party time
And we don't live in a fascist nation
Blast off, it's party time
And where the fuck are you?
[Refrain: Daron Malakian with Serj Tankian]
Where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why they always send the poor?
[Verse 2: Serj Tankian]
Kneeling roses disappearing into Moses' dry mouth
Breaking into Fort Knox, stealing our intentions
Hangars sitting dripped in oil, crying, "Freedom!"
Handed to obsoletion, still, you feed us lies from the tablecloth
[Chorus: Serj Tankian with Daron Malakian]
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, ooh-ooh
Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time
Dancing in the desert, blowing up the sunshine
Everybody's going to the party, have a real good time
Dancing in the desert, blowing up the sun
Where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
[Outro: Serj Tankian & Daron Malakian]
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
They always send the poor, they always send the poor
About
“B.Y.O.B.” (“Bring Your Own Bombs”) is the first single released from American heavy metal band System of a Down’s fourth album Mezmerize.
Like their earlier song “Boom!,” it was written in protest against the Iraq War.
B.Y.O.B. means “Bring Your Own Bombs,” as opposed to the common interpretation “Bring Your Own Booze,” referring to the Iraq War as one big party for the United States, where instead of Jägerbombs they drop real ones.
It made onto numerous “Top 40” playlists around the globe, including Germany, New Zealand, Australia and the United States, and occasionally made it to #1 on other music shows.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
[The band was concerned about releasing “B.Y.O.B.”] because we’ve been pegged as such a political band, and it’s something we’ve been trying to shy away from so people will understand the different aspects of the band.
I don’t see it as a political song. The lyrics sing, “Why don’t presidents fight the war?/Why do they always send the poor?” but that’s not a thought to politics or anything else. That’s just a viewpoint. That’s just a question. And I think, more than politics, we try to spark questions that the powers that be don’t want you to ask. It’s more about a social commentary. I think it’s about a few different things as opposed to being pointed at one thing.
The second Iraq war (The US. led invasion) started 2003 and evolved into an occupation that lasted until 2011. The United States got involved in Iraq again 2014 in Operation Inherent Resolve which is still ongoing.
- 2.B.Y.O.B.
- 3.Revenga
- 4.Cigaro
- 5.Radio/Video
- 8.Question!
- 9.Sad Statue
