What does 36 mean?

System of a Down: 36 Meaning

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Album cover for 36 album cover
Get "36" on MP3: Get MP3 from iTunes

36 Lyrics

Television in disgrace
Life you get old, it's the race,
Can you break out,
Can you break out,
Will you live at your own pace.

Life, so, unnecessary,

Television in disgrace
Life you get old, it's the race,
Can you break out,
Can you...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Jan 22nd 2007 !⃝

    Sorry, but you aren't quite right. Serj was 36 in 2003, the year AFTER Steal this album! was released. when the song was written, he was at most 35. However, if you add all the tracks up in order of album release (System of a down, Toxicity, Steal this album, etc.), 36 is the 36th song (13 on System, 14 on Toxicity, plus 9 to get to 36). Guess they couldn't come up with a better name. My interpretation of it:
    Television is disgrace
    ---
    TV is brainwashing people and not telling them the whole truth about important matters

    Life you get old, its the race
    --
    People waste their lives with TV.

    Can you break out, can you break out, will you live at your own pace
    --
    People should have the willpower to break away from TV's grasp and get out into the real world to find stuff out for themselves.

    Life so unnessecary
    --
    Life becomes poinless if all people do is sit at home watching TV

  2. anonymous
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    May 5th 2023 !⃝

    36 origin: At first it was written around 1996 because of the dragonfly recording. It appeared at the demo tape 4. They played it at Milan, Italy at 1998. It was later leaked as a song called “Your Own Pace” and later released in Steal This Album!.

    We have alot for the number 36. When I first heard this song I thought 36 meant dirty sex. I would say Serj was 36 but I’m not sure. It’s also the 36th song. On the cover it said “CD-36” have you seen the number 36 somewhere on tv? It’s brainwashing us. Also 36 3 6’s=evil TV=evil. You get what I’m saying? It’s an Illuminati number, meant to brainwash us.

  3. fukthisname
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    Sep 10th 2016 !⃝

    the top rated comment on this is wrong about the name origin. system of a down played this song in 1998

    /watch?v=kpO6sYWVixY

    the name of this song can have multiple meanings, but i think they just cleverly put that song in that spot just so that it could also be the 36th song..

  4. anonymous
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    Dec 18th 2015 !⃝

    I'm sorry but you're all wrong, it's a warning. How many times have you seen the number 36 on TV? Just randomly. It's an illuminati number, TV is brainwashing people and you have to set yourself free from it. Just look up what the number actually means.

  5. anonymous
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    May 12th 2013 !⃝

    The song's called 36 because it's their 36th song starting from their debut album. If you count it out you will see.

  6. anonymous
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    Sep 14th 2012 !⃝

    well i think this is about how even if you try you cant stop getting older and thats why life is so unnecesary

  7. anonymous
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    Jul 24th 2012 !⃝

    Propaganda messages from the government brainwashing us and changing our views of the world hiding the real importance in life. Also our culture has grown so dependent on television it is easy to manipulate our minds and let us believe in what we want to believe instead of the truth.

  8. anonymous
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    Mar 19th 2012 !⃝

    I'll go with the top-rated comment. It makes sense, since everybody is brain-washed by television, the image of what seems to be perfect (having a lot of money, a big house, a big nice car) and when he says ''life so unnecessary'' he means that being brain-washed is having an unnecessary life.

  9. anonymous
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    Mar 8th 2012 !⃝

    36, Three 6's, evil. TV=Evil.

  10. anonymous
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    Feb 2nd 2012 !⃝

    The Armenian genocide occured from 1915-1921... 15+21=36... A lot of system songs have references to the Armenian genocide... But it may b coincidence

  11. anonymous
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    May 20th 2011 !⃝

    not so much brainwashing as much as beliveing everything you see on tv as well as thinking for yourself and having your own thoughts and beliefs.

  12. anonymous
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    Dec 30th 2010 !⃝

    On system of a down's demo tape this song was called .36. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

  13. anonymous
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    Dec 27th 2010 !⃝

    the song is talking about television and how it is addicting to watch.also talking about people wasting there life on television.the life is so unnacessary part is saying what tv addicts would say

  14. Awesomedude
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    Aug 30th 2010 !⃝

    It Means Televison Is Brainwashing Minds.

  15. Dan_SOAD
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    May 8th 2010 !⃝

    I don't know if any of you guys have noticed, but on the Steal this Album CD it says: CD-36

  16. anonymous
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    Dec 2nd 2008 !⃝

    "television is disgrace" this refers to how tv is brainwashing, and it's disgraceful to see all the brain-washed people there are out there.
    "Life you get old, it's the race" this is about how people get old, and it's going to happen because we're the human race, and we get old. so why waste your time being brain-washed by tv?
    "can you break out, can you break out" this means, are you able to break free from all of this? are you able to live at your own pace and not the world's pace?
    "Life so unnecessary" this represents how life is truly unnecessary if you don't break away from the world and try to do things at your pace. the world and tv can't control you, you're in charge of yourself and you need to ask yourself, can i break out?

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