Serj Tankian’s New Song ‘Elasticity’ Is So Delightfully Weird
System of a Down's Serj Tankian has just unveiled the details behind his new solo EP, Elasticity, that comes out on March 19. The title track, which the singer had originally intended to be a new SOAD track, has just been released and it is so delightfully weird.
The four-minute song is an exercise in eccentricity, shifting from a pulsing electronic opening to something more reminiscent of the noisy surf rock of The Trashmen and their immortal hit, "Surfin' Bird" and the animal sounds in "Rock Lobster" by the B-52s.
As is typical, Tankian's more nonsensical lyrics — Papapapapapapa where are you going bebebe / What are you saying Dadadadadadada / Naaaa.nana...nothing — are intertwined with something much more significant and poetic — Far and away, where the sorcerers have seen the lore / Turning night into day / With a fresh ratatouille of blood and gore.
"When I conceived possibly doing another record with the guys from System of a Down a few years back, I started working on a set of songs that I arranged in rock format for that purpose," explained Tankian. "As we weren’t able to see eye to eye on the vision going forward with an SOAD album, I decided to release these songs under my moniker."
The band did, however, come together late last year two release two new songs, "Genocidal Humanoidz" and "Protect the Land," as a direct response to the war on Artsakh, which had impacted the Armenian community. Proceeds from the songs then went to direct aid for those affected by the war.
View the lyrics to "Elasticity" directly below and watch the music video for the EP's title track, directed by Vlad Kaptur, toward the bottom of the page, where you'll also see the Elasticity artwork and track listing.
Pre-order the Elasticity EP, out on Alchemy Recordings/BMG, here.
On Feb. 16, the System of a Down singer will also release his Truth to Power documentary, which places a focus on his activism through music as he sheds light on corrupt structures of power around the world. Head here to watch the trailer.
Serj Tankian, "Elasticity" Lyrics
Burp
Papapapapapapa where are you going bebebe, what are you saying Dadadadadadada
Naaaa.nana...nothing,You blew you blew me baby out of the water bebe out of the water Bebe Dadadadadada
Naaa..nana..nothing,I won’t be betrayed by you,
I won’t lie awake for today,
Right away,
I don’t need to pray to you
I don’t want to sacrifice my day, not this way.Muppetmamuppetmuppet where are you going bebe , what are you saying Dadadadadadada
Naaaa.nana...nothingYou blew you blew me baby out of the water bebe out of the water Bebe Dadadadadada
Naaa..nana..nothing,I won’t be afraid of you,
I won’t lie and beg for today,
Right away,
No more fun and games for you,
I don’t need to sacrifice my day, not this way.Far and away, where the sorcerers have seen the lore,
Turning night into day,
With a fresh ratatouille of blood and gore,
Never will we tread on the weak and the frail,
Never will we switch the head for the tail,
Never will we drink the milk from her pail,
Never will we utter the word, Before.Don’t you know revenge is upon the day,
Lovers have no remorse dancing right through the rains,We must all kiss goodnight before they return again,
Bright esoteric lights for all of us but the vain,
No more searching for God when we are looking for the grains,
Rectifying the cross for the loss of the slain,
Now wipe the cane,Far and away, where the sorcerers have seen the lore,
Turning night into day,
With a fresh ratatouille of blood and gore,
Never will we tread on the weak and the frail,
Never will we switch the head for the tail,
Never will we drink the milk from her pail,
Never will we utter the word, Before.Don’t you know revenge is upon the day,
Lovers have no remorse dancing right through the rains,
We must all kiss goodnight before they return again,
Rectifying the cross for the loss of the slain,
Now wipe the cane.
Serj Tankian, "Elasticity"
Serj Tankian, Elasticity EP Artwork + Track Listing
01. "Elasticity"
02. "Your Mom"
03. "Rumi"
04. "How Many Times?"
05. "Electric Yerevan"
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