Why did System of a Down name chop suey?
Matthew Wilson
Updated on February 28, 2026
The song was originally titled “Suicide” but Columbia Records forced the band to change it to avoid controversy. The song title is therefore a wordplay: “Suey” is “suicide”, “chopped” in half.
What is the meaning of self righteous suicide?
Self-righteous (WR). I committed (or I am going to commit) suicide and I am convinced that I have a good reason to do so, there’s nothing shameful in me committing suicide, so you shouldn’t judge me for it. I am sure it’s the right thing to do. In fact, it is (was, or will be) the only thing to do.
What am I chop suey meaning?
Informal Right away; quickly {Reduplication of Chinese Pidgin English chop, quick, of Chinese dialectal origin; akin to Cantonese gap1 and Mandarin jí, hasty, urgent, pressing both < Middle Chinese kip.} chop suey n.
What does the word Suey mean?
: a dish prepared chiefly from bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, onions, mushrooms, and meat or fish and served with rice and soy sauce.
Is Chop Suey religious?
Taylor Jade Campbell, an 8-year-old singer who last year rocked Slipknot’s “The Devil and I”, returns to lead a band of teenagers on “Chop Suey”. However, this time the lyrics have been changed, courtesy of Diane O’Keefe (a member of the O’Keefe Music Foundation team), turning the song into an ode to Christian faith.
Is Suey a word?
No, suey is not in the scrabble dictionary.
What is origin language of chop suey?
Word Origin for chop suey C19: from Chinese (Cantonese) tsap sui odds and ends.
When did System of a Down form?
1994
System of a Down/Active from
What is Chop Suey by system of a down?
“Chop Suey!” (originally, and sometimes mistakenly called “Suicide”) is the first single from Armenian-American heavy metal band System of a Down’s second album Toxicity. The single was released in August 2001 and earned the band its first Grammy nomination in 2002 for Best Metal Performance.
What was the original name of the song Chop Suey?
About “Chop Suey!” Rick Rubin, who produced Toxicity for System of a Down, cites this song as one of his most important projects. He told Rolling Stone: This song was originally going to be called “Self-Righteous Suicide,” and the record company rebelled. …
Was Chop Suey originally called self-righteous suicide?
About “Chop Suey!”. Rick Rubin, who produced Toxicity for System of a Down, cites this song as one of his most important projects. He told Rolling Stone: This song was originally going to be called “Self-Righteous Suicide,” and the record company rebelled.
Why is system of a down’s “wake up” so controversial?
However, it remains one of System of a Down’s worst performing US singles, particularly relative to the song’s global performance. Although the lyrics are viewed as confrontational, the singer is actually challenging the listener to “wake up” and reconsider the way that they judge and deride people who are engaged in self-destructive behaviors.