Hypnotize By: System of a DownSystem of a Down

Lyrics Why don't you ask the kids at Tiananmen Square Was fashion the reason why they were there They disguised it, hypnotized it Television made you buy it I'm just sitting in my car And waiting for my...Tiananmen Square Washypnotized it Television

Lyrics (cont.) She's scared that I will take her away from there dreams and her country left with no one there Mesmerize the simple minded Propaganda leaves us blindedno one theresimple minded Propagandablinded

Lyrics (cont.) I'm just sitting in my car And waiting for my girl (x2) Mood Theme

Works Cited Gale, Thomson. "System of a Down." Newsmakers 2006: Issue 4. Biography Resource Center. Web. 14 May Gale Group. "System of a Down." Contemporary Musicians 2002: Volume 36. Biography Resource Center. Web. 14 May "Hypnotize by System of a Down." SongFacts.com. Artisfacts, Web. 14 May "1989, Massacre in Tiananmen Square." BBC On This Day. BBC, n.d. Web. 25 May "System of a Down biography." 8notes. GNU license, Web. 18 May

System of a Down Biography System of a Down formed in They are still, to this day, a heavy metal/rock band. Their first moment of legitimate worldwide stardom was at the release of their album, Toxicity. It was released in 2001 and eventually went multi- platinum. Some of their most popular hits include Chop Suey and B.Y.O.B. They receive hundreds of offers each week to play in events. However, the band is currently on an indefinite hiatus (gale). Back

Tiananmen Square In 1989, several hundred people were brutally shot by the Chinese government during a political protest. It began as a protest of students’ who’s goal was democratic reform within the government. The government drove through the streets, shooting as many protesters as possible. Estimated casualties have been shown anywhere as little as 217 people or as large as 500 people (1989, Massacre in Tiananmen Square). Back

“…hypnotized it...” This lyric is simply stating the band’s belief that the government tried to “hypnotize” the people by use of propaganda or force. The people were not literally being hypnotize, but the purpose of propaganda is not to directly affect a person’s belief, but to make them subconsciously start to agree with the advertisement. This is what the word “hypnotize” means in this song (“hypnotize by system). Back

Television Around 1989, the time of the Tiananmen Square incident, the government was using any means possible to try and convince the people that they were right. They believed that the government did not need democratic reform. However, this tactic obviously did not work well enough, because the government still had to unleash the tanks on Tiananmen Square and kill protesters (1989, Massacre in Tiananmen Square). Back

“..no one there” In the lyrics it quotes “country left with no one there”. This is referring to the fact that there were no protesters left after the government killed everybody. It does not literally mean “country” but instead is using country to refer to Tiananman Square and the protesters that were brutally murdered. Back

Propaganda Propaganda is defined as the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, cause, or person. In the song, it is said “propaganda leaves us blinded”. When he says this, he is not only referring to the Tiananmen Square incident, but to people in general. He believes that propaganda can twist our beliefs into something we never would have thought we would believe. Back

“..simple minded..” This part of the lyrics is stating how the government would use advertising, persuasion, and propaganda to twist the people’s beliefs, particularly the more “simple minded” people, or the less intelligent ones. Back

Rhyme Scheme Rhyme Scheme is defined as the pattern of rhyming lines in a poem or song. The rhyme scheme for “Hypnotize” goes as follows: AAE AAF BDE BDF CE Back

Anaphora An anaphora is described as the repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses. It is utilized in the chorus of “Hypnotize” by repeating the lines “I’m just sitting in my car and waiting for my girl”. This was used because it helps to convey a message and create strong rhythm within the song’s lyrics. Back

“Was…”(rhetorical) Asking the listener/reader questions in the beginning of the song creates a rhetorical base for the song that makes the listener think about the actual message within the song, not just listen to the music. Back

Mood The general mood of this song is sad and dreary. The background beat to the song stays slow the entire song, although the singer begins to scream at some points. Mood is defined as a characteristic state of feeling. In the song, the dreary mood makes the listener understand that the song is conveying an important and sad message through the lyrics and beat. Back

Theme The theme of this song involves propaganda and advertisement, particularly propaganda through war and protest situations. Propaganda played a large influence on the incident at Tiananmen Square and plays a large influence on many worldly issues. It will twist peoples thoughts without them even knowing. That is the exact message that this song is attempting to convey. Back