System of a Down: Deer Dance Meaning

Deer Dance Lyrics

Circumventing circuses
Lamenting in protest
To visible police
Presence sponsored fear
Batallions of riot police
With rubber bullet kisses
Baton courtesy
Service with a smile
Beyond the staples center you can see america
With it’s tired...

1. anonymous

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   Apr 3rd 2009 !⃝

   Guys, please do not get mad at eachother for their interpretation, anywayz, I think that it is talking about the poor kids in Darfur, or in Africa, riot police could necesarily be referencing to the government pushing little children and killing innocent adults, the line about america is probably about how america is expected to "save the world" and help everyone because America is the world power, but they are not helping these poor children. When it says "little boy smiled it will all be well" is when America or someone actually helps them, because the term has been arised in america, the allies that help tell the poor children, with a smile, "it'll all be well"
2. Zigley

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   Jun 17th 2008 !⃝

   This song mentions the riot outside the staples center, but it is also about how we are becoming impersonal. Everything's is done as "courtesy with a smile" and we are given "kisses" everywhere. I was at a store once, they had just ripped me off for fifty bucks and the whole time the girl has this plastic Barbie smile on. It's scary!
3. anonymous

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   Apr 27th 2008 !⃝

   The word "Deer Dance" is a cultural reference to the Arizona Yaqui tribe of native Americans. The Deer dance and Deer song was meant as a peace offering to opposing tribes and a display of passive aggression. The Deer being a symbol of frailty and yet, survivability in a harsh environment.
   It is common knowledge, that Serj and the other guys, are a pretty literate bunch and that Serj has shown great interest in the Native American culture.
   
   This said, I agree to the interpretations that say the song was inspired by the Democrat summit concert incident. The Deer dance being a metaphor for the concert, as a peaceful show of opinions and the riot police as the direct aggressive response to peaceful passive aggression.
4. anonymous

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   Jan 28th 2008 !⃝

   I believe this song is about the riots in Los Angeles after four police officers were dismissed of assault when they beat up a guy who got violent with a cop for a traffic violation. I think the guys name was Rodney King who got beat up. yea the riots lasted a few days and got really violent with the public. riot police had to battle with the riot 24/7
5. cynic

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   Nov 21st 2007 !⃝

   This song is about the riots in 2000, but a deer dance (I do believe) is an indian dance for peace among the tribe, and in this song the tribe is america.
6. anonymous

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   Nov 15th 2007 !⃝

   "Beyond the staples center you can see america" and "With it's tired poor avenging disgrace" refers to other countries viewing America as a perfect,utopian society when its realy a war hungry country that bosses around other countries and forces those that protest to submit.
   
   the staples center represents how tourists from other countries come to america, but never realy get to see what america realy is, instead they are drawn to landmarks like the staples center.
   
   tired poor avenging disgrace represents americas youth protesting against the older generation (the crazy old men in the white house) that pushes them around.
7. anonymous

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   Aug 17th 2007 !⃝

   This song is about america and it 'pushing' smaller countries around

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
8. anonymous

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   Jul 11th 2007 !⃝

   Ya, soad is half armenian. I believe this song is about how america pushes around little 3rd world countries, like armenia. So its basically soad's view along with their personal experiences on how america treats the smaller weaker countries of the world.
9. anonymous

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   Apr 10th 2007 !⃝

   The song is very simply about the riots that took place outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles during the 2000 Democratic Convention where riot police were called out and fired rubber bullets in the crowd after the rioters became violent.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
10. anonymous

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    Feb 15th 2007 !⃝

    I thought it was about young, inexperienced kids joining the army from being pressured, and then they get shot out of their own overconfidence.
11. anonymous

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    Jan 22nd 2007 !⃝

    i saw this one episode of some show that showed a riot, somewhere near new york or something, near the seaside, there was a large building that was the staples center, and for the shortest time ever I thought that that's what it meant, because there were riot polices there and trying to "restore order." idk though.
12. crackSmOkinAssDouche

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    Jan 9th 2007 !⃝

    This song is about the concert they held a while back....but it also means that on the outside america looks so nice and peaceful when really on the inside there are terrible things happening.......a lot of these terrible things are being blamed on riot police
13. Quotan

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    Nov 3rd 2006 !⃝

    Hey I always just figured that this song was always about control and power over the weak
14. anonymous

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    Sep 21st 2006 !⃝

    Look, the whole system of a down crew is half armenian. That means there heritage originated in armenia, a small european country next to turkey. The whole crew donates money to charities helping people who were involved or had family involved in the "armenian genocide which I believe happened in 1912. The turkspolice and government brutalized, killed, raped, even starved the defenseless armenians. The turks lied to the armenians and marched them to their death. If you don't believe me, look up the "armenian genocide." many innocent people were killed during this massacre. Look it up on google. For example the line "pushing little children with their fully automatics, they like to push the weak around". That line means the turk government pushed the defenseless armenian people around. Just think about it and please read about the genocide. System would want you to be aware of it.
15. anonymous

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    Aug 31st 2006 !⃝

    Staples center riots, police behaviour, american policy, nuff said.

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