"Down with the Sickness" is a song by American heavy metal band Disturbed. It was recorded in 1999 and released as the second single from the band's debut studio album, The Sickness. "Down with the Sickness" is one of Disturbed's best-known songs and is a concert staple, usually played as the last song. This was Disturbed's first single to be certified platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America.
"Down With the Sickness" is a nu metal song[2][3][4] that features an unusual "ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah" staccato noise from Disturbed's singer David Draiman at the end of the intro, which reappears before the last chorus.[5] Draiman has stated the sound was made possible by effects on his vocal cords after receiving surgery for acid reflux, but he has dismissed the rumor the noise was actually caused by heartburn, further explaining, "I mean the song originally was written and just had a pause. Mikey's beat is just so tribal and you know it just made me feel like an animal... [The noise] came out one day."[6]
Guitarist Dan Donegan has mentioned that the tuning for the guitar "is drop C-sharp... your bottom five strings are half a step down and your low string will be dropped to C-sharp."[7] This is sometimes referred to as "E♭ Drop D♭", the most common drop tuning for bands who play generally in E♭ standard instead of E standard.
Lyricsedit
A spoken segment near the end of the song describes a child who is physically abused by his mother and who ultimately retaliates. This segment is somewhat controversial and music critics sometimes express a negative opinion of its inclusion in the song. For example, Leor Galil of the Chicago Reader opined, "Yet I still find it hard to believe that the megasingle 'Down With the Sickness,' with its vocal breakdown in which front man David Draiman crudely describes being beaten by his mom (and vice versa), guided the band on to a path that's resulted in four albums topping the Billboard 200."[8]
However, the band has disavowed that this song is about literal child abuse, and that it is instead about a metaphoric abuse. Lead singer David Draiman explained to the Phoenix New Times:
...the screamed psychodramas in metal hits like "Down With The Sickness" ... are merely inspired by personal history, not a literal journal of his own tortured upbringing. "I'm really talking about the conflict between the mother culture of society, who's beating down the child yearning for independence and individuality, and the submission of the child."[9]
The "abuse" segment is not included in the radio edit or the music video.
Music videoedit
A music video composed of live concert footage was produced for the song. The song is known for its segment which features a boy being attacked and abused by his mother,[10] which was not featured in the music video. The music video was recorded at the "Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre" (at the time the Tweeter Center) in Tinley Park, Illinois, during Q101's Jamboree 2001.[11]
In other mediaedit
Since 2022, Phoebe Bridgers has used the song as her walk-on music when performing live. In 2023, David Draiman gave his blessing of its use after he saw footage of Bridgers' entrance on TikTok.[12]
Since February 2024, KFC used the song in a UK advertisement.[13]
^Breihan, Tom. "Disturbed Respond To Phoebe Bridgers' "Down With The Sickness" Entrance On Taylor Swift Tour". Stereogum. Stereogum Media. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
^Houston, Amy (February 5, 2024). "KFC's vertically gifted Tower Burger is too tall for TV". The Drum. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
down, with, sickness, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, novem. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Down with the Sickness news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Down with the Sickness is a song by American heavy metal band Disturbed It was recorded in 1999 and released as the second single from the band s debut studio album The Sickness Down with the Sickness is one of Disturbed s best known songs and is a concert staple usually played as the last song This was Disturbed s first single to be certified platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America Down with the Sickness Single by Disturbedfrom the album The SicknessReleasedOctober 31 2000 1 Recorded1999GenreNu metalLength4 38 album version 3 42 radio edit LabelGiantSongwriter s Steve KmakDan DoneganMike WengrenDavid DraimanProducer s Johnny KDisturbed singles chronology Stupify 2000 Down with the Sickness 2000 Voices 2000 Audio sample source source Down with the Sickness chorus filehelp Contents 1 Music and composition 2 Lyrics 3 Music video 4 In other media 5 Accolades 6 Personnel 7 Charts 8 Certifications 9 References 10 External linksMusic and composition edit Down With the Sickness is a nu metal song 2 3 4 that features an unusual ooh wah ah ah ah staccato noise from Disturbed s singer David Draiman at the end of the intro which reappears before the last chorus 5 Draiman has stated the sound was made possible by effects on his vocal cords after receiving surgery for acid reflux but he has dismissed the rumor the noise was actually caused by heartburn further explaining I mean the song originally was written and just had a pause Mikey s beat is just so tribal and you know it just made me feel like an animal The noise came out one day 6 Guitarist Dan Donegan has mentioned that the tuning for the guitar is drop C sharp your bottom five strings are half a step down and your low string will be dropped to C sharp 7 This is sometimes referred to as E Drop D the most common drop tuning for bands who play generally in E standard instead of E standard Lyrics editA spoken segment near the end of the song describes a child who is physically abused by his mother and who ultimately retaliates This segment is somewhat controversial and music critics sometimes express a negative opinion of its inclusion in the song For example Leor Galil of the Chicago Reader opined Yet I still find it hard to believe that the megasingle Down With the Sickness with its vocal breakdown in which front man David Draiman crudely describes being beaten by his mom and vice versa guided the band on to a path that s resulted in four albums topping the Billboard 200 8 However the band has disavowed that this song is about literal child abuse and that it is instead about a metaphoric abuse Lead singer David Draiman explained to the Phoenix New Times the screamed psychodramas in metal hits like Down With The Sickness are merely inspired by personal history not a literal journal of his own tortured upbringing I m really talking about the conflict between the mother culture of society who s beating down the child yearning for independence and individuality and the submission of the child 9 The abuse segment is not included in the radio edit or the music video Music video editA music video composed of live concert footage was produced for the song The song is known for its segment which features a boy being attacked and abused by his mother 10 which was not featured in the music video The music video was recorded at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre at the time the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park Illinois during Q101 s Jamboree 2001 11 In other media editSince 2022 Phoebe Bridgers has used the song as her walk on music when performing live In 2023 David Draiman gave his blessing of its use after he saw footage of Bridgers entrance on TikTok 12 Since February 2024 KFC used the song in a UK advertisement 13 In March 2024 it was added to Fortnite as a playable Jam Track in Fortnite FestivalAccolades editRegion Year Publication Accolade Rank United States 2015 Loudwire 10 Best Metal Riffs of the 2000s 14 3 United States 2016 Loudwire Best Metal Song of the 21st Century 15 WonPersonnel editDavid Draiman vocals Dan Donegan guitar electronics Steve Kmak bass guitar Mike Wengren drums percussion programmer Johnny K producer engineer Andy Wallace mixer Howie Weinberg masteringCharts editChart 2001 2020 Peakposition UK Rock amp Metal OCC 16 37 US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Billboard 17 4 US Alternative Airplay Billboard 18 8 US Mainstream Rock Billboard 19 5Certifications editRegion Certification Certified units sales Canada Music Canada 20 Ringtone Gold 20 000 United Kingdom BPI 21 Platinum 600 000 United States RIAA 22 Digital Platinum 1 000 000 United States RIAA 23 Mastertone Gold 500 000 Sales figures based on certification alone Sales streaming figures based on certification alone References edit Disturbed song Down with the Sickness surging in sales due to coronavirus National Globalnews ca Paolo Gregoletto Nu Metal Revered or Reviled The Top Ten All Axess January 5th 2015 Retrieved on September 23rd 2015 Shumka Dave 10 nu metal songs that still hold up on CBC music CBC Music February 14th 2013 Jon Hadusek August 20 2015 Disturbed Immortalized Consequence of Sound 10 Best Metal Riffs of the 2000s Loudwire December 26th 2013 Retrieved on October 1st 2015 Behind the Ball with Disturbed Dispelling the Rumor Behind the Sickness mtv com Headbangers Ball Retrieved 12 November 2015 Disturbed Learn to play Down with the Sickness YouTube 22 Sep 2010 Galil Leor 20 Aug 2015 Disturbed House of Blues Chicago Reader Sun Times Media LLC Retrieved 5 November 2015 Magahern Jimmy 26 June 2003 Disturbed amp Disturberer Phoenix New Times NT Media LLC Retrieved 4 November 2015 Ratliff Ben Rolling Stone Review of The Sickness Mudvayne s L D 50 Relative Ash s Our Time With You and Soulfly s Primitive Rolling Stone Archived from the original on May 10 2007 September 28th 2000 Retrieved on October 1st 2015 Q101 Jamboree 2001 Setlists setlist fm Retrieved 2015 05 20 Breihan Tom Disturbed Respond To Phoebe Bridgers Down With The Sickness Entrance On Taylor Swift Tour Stereogum Stereogum Media Retrieved 10 May 2023 Houston Amy February 5 2024 KFC s vertically gifted Tower Burger is too tall for TV The Drum Retrieved March 6 2024 10 Best Metal Riffs of the 2000s Loudwire Disturbed s Down With the Sickness Wins Best Metal Song of the 21st Century in March Metal Madness 2016 Loudwire Official Rock amp Metal Singles Chart Official Charts Company March 20 2020 Retrieved January 12 2024 Disturbed Chart History Bubbling Under Hot 100 Billboard Retrieved January 20 2024 Disturbed Chart History Alternative Airplay Billboard Retrieved January 20 2024 Disturbed Chart History Mainstream Rock Billboard Retrieved January 20 2024 Canadian ringtone certifications Disturbed Down with the Sickness Music Canada Retrieved 28 April 2022 British single certifications Disturbed Down with the Sickness British Phonographic Industry Retrieved January 19 2024 American single certifications Disturbed Down with the Sickness Recording Industry Association of America American single certifications Disturbed Down with the Sickness Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved 28 April 2022 External links editVideo on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Down with the Sickness amp oldid 1216134417, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
