Soil by System Of A Down

Album: System Of A Down (1998)

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System guitarist Daron Malakian, who wrote this song with lead singer Serj Tankian, introduced it in concert by saying, "This song is about death, and friends that die, and life that dies."

In the song, Tankian sings about a troubled friend who uses a gun to end his life.
Soil was the name of Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian's band before they formed System Of A Down. That word doesn't appear in the lyric, which isn't uncommon for SOAD.
This is one of System Of A Down's first songs. They played it at their first gigs when they started performing in 1995, and included it on their first album in 1998. That self-titled album was produced by Rick Rubin, who signed the band. They took a while to catch on, but after touring for a solid year (including on Ozzfest), System expanded their fanbase far beyond Los Angeles, where they started, and became one of the biggest metal bands in America. Their run as a recording artist was brief: After their 2005 album Hypnotize, they didn't release any new material until 2020, when they returned with two new songs ("Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz" in support of Armenia, their ancestral land.

Comments: 18

Winzy from WashingtonI love s.o.a.d
My next new love after Metallica!
Smh from UsaWow...shot his gun...with out a dad...out of control...45 is the gun for his mind...shotgun was the gun for his head...45...April 5.....Do you know how many lives and sings that day (April 5 1994) has affected/inspired around the world. Art and God are as dead if you don't know this....RIP....I love you Kurt... Layne...Chris...Starr... Chester... Robin will know too....shame on anyone who doesn't get this and I pray for your senses and conscious to heal
Kian from TexasI don’t agree with anyone’s comment XD, I think this song it’s about a friend of them that kill himself, that’s why Serj says “don’t you realize evil lives in our motherf*cking skin” meaning that evil is always near us and tempting us to do harm to others and ourselves. And at the end when Serj says wtf did you take him away from us you motherf*ucker! In my opinion he’s telling that to the devil, because he “won” the soul of Serj’s friend who committed suicide. If you are a religious person you might know that committing suicide is a mortal sin. Idk this is how I interpreted the song.
Breanna from San Antonio, Txno, josh from australia the song is about a friend of the band who commted suicide. so who ever thouhgt that you are correct. i think it is vary sad that this would happen to one of the best bands ever.
Suite-pee from Columbus, OhSoil is one of the best songs ever wrote on THE best album Daron and Serj have ever done or will probably ever do.Hands f*kn down!No f*kn argument!That being said,may I add that stating the painfully obvious or totally retarded,is not f*kn necessary!if you cant "listen" to Soil 1 time and not know its about death,i need to come confiscate all SOAD discs and any other contraband you have! And yes,contraband is the right word.It should be forbidden for you to own.
Lawrence from Nokesville, Vatheir previous bassist didn't shoot himself in the head or commit suicide at all. he's the current bassist for Mt. Helium.
Cardio Toxin from El Paso, TxThis song is about a friend of the band that did commit suicide. why did u take him away from us you.... i think means, he was lead to the path that the others didnt follow, and that is why they couldnt comprehend it. And as far as a fourty-five, it is meant as a gun, and not a fkn vinyl record.
Blake from Hamilton, OhI really don't like this song. I like Dennis' theory.
Dennis from Toledo, OhDefinately has to do with someone involved in music, I like the bassist theory but haven't seen it anywhere else. "While I drove him with a forty-five" to me refers to a forty-five, i.e. a 45rpm vinyl record. This implies he feels some responsibility for the death, maybe by putting too much pressure on to release a single?

The time signature is weird (same as toadies' possum kingdom... 7 beats, then 8 beats) but i dont think that has anything to do with the meaning
Jasmine from Vancouver, CanadaSoil is about their previous bassist, who shot himself in the head.
Jimmy from Monroe, NyI personally think the song is about suicide. The beggining kind of sounds like two young boys killing their dad. I don't know it just seems to boys kill their dad and are friends and then one of the boys later kills himself. It's definately about suicide in some way.
Anthony from Melbourne, Fli figured why the eff did you take him away from us was just someone cursing at god, "why did this one have to go?" maybe a friend or family saying that.
Max from New York, NyMan I thought it was more specific than that. I thought it's specifically about a dad who killed himself and Serj is cursing at certain entities. May I say i really only liked the final minute and a half of the song, and that cute lil guitar solo is nice, fun, and easy to play.
Gabriel Maclean from Toronto, CanadaBut why would it "Blew of his own mofoing head"?
Gabriel Maclean from Toronto, CanadaIts about how if god is perfect, then why do people die from something thats in themselfs- cancer ect
Adam from Dumfries, ScotlandThere is a note of frustration with God and his methods in this throughout. The idea of evil being in the skin could be interpreted as an attack on God's methods. And of course referring to God as an "mf" 3 times at the end. Truly shocked me first time I heard that!
Josh from Perth, AustraliaThe song was written about friend of the band who died from cancer - 'dont you realise, evil lives in the muther-f**kin skin' ... 'why did you have to take him away from us you mother-f--ker'.Makes sense
Scott Baldwin from Edmonton, CanadaAnd alson,May I add that at the end,serj screams,"whay the f*ck did you take him away from us you mother-f*ckers",which symbolizes this is about death.

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