Down with the Sickness

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"Down with the Sickness"
Single by Disturbed
from the album The Sickness
ReleasedOctober 31, 2000[1]
Recorded1999
GenreNu metal
Length
  • 4:38 (album version)
  • 3:42 (radio edit)
LabelGiant
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Johnny K
Disturbed singles chronology
"Stupify"
(2000) 		"Down with the Sickness"
(2000) 		"Voices"
(2000)
Audio sample
"Down with the Sickness" (chorus)

"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.

Music 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[edit]

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 video[edit]

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 media[edit]

  • 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]
  • In March 2024, it was added to Fortnite as a playable Jam Track in Fortnite Festival

Accolades[edit]

Region 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] Won

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart (2001–2020) Peak
position
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[16] 37
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[17] 4
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[18] 8
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[19] 5

Certifications[edit]

Region 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]

  1. ^ "Disturbed song 'Down with the Sickness' surging in sales due to coronavirus - National | Globalnews.ca".
  2. ^ "Paolo Gregoletto: Nu-Metal – Revered or Reviled? The Top Ten". All Axess. (January 5th, 2015). Retrieved on September 23rd, 2015
  3. ^ Shumka, Dave. "10 nu metal songs that still hold up on CBC music". CBC Music. (February 14th, 2013)
  4. ^ Jon Hadusek (August 20, 2015). "Disturbed – Immortalized". Consequence of Sound.
  5. ^ "10 Best Metal Riffs of the 2000s". Loudwire. (December 26th, 2013). Retrieved on October 1st, 2015
  6. ^ "Behind the Ball with Disturbed: Dispelling the Rumor Behind the Sickness". mtv.com. Headbangers Ball. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  7. ^ ""Disturbed – Learn to play "Down with the Sickness"". YouTube. 22 Sep 2010.
  8. ^ Galil, Leor (20 Aug 2015). "Disturbed – House of Blues". Chicago Reader. Sun-Times Media, LLC. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  9. ^ Magahern, Jimmy (26 June 2003). "Disturbed & Disturberer". Phoenix New Times. NT Media LLC. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  10. ^ 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
  11. ^ "Q101 Jamboree 2001 Setlists". setlist.fm. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  12. ^ Breihan, Tom. "Disturbed Respond To Phoebe Bridgers' "Down With The Sickness" Entrance On Taylor Swift Tour". Stereogum. Stereogum Media. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  13. ^ Houston, Amy (February 5, 2024). "KFC's vertically gifted Tower Burger is too tall for TV". The Drum. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  14. ^ "10 Best Metal Riffs of the 2000s". Loudwire.
  15. ^ "Disturbed's 'Down With the Sickness' Wins Best Metal Song of the 21st Century in March Metal Madness 2016". Loudwire.
  16. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart". Official Charts Company. March 20, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  17. ^ "Disturbed Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  18. ^ "Disturbed Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  19. ^ "Disturbed Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  20. ^ "Canadian ringtone certifications – Disturbed – Down with the Sickness". Music Canada. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  21. ^ "British single certifications – Disturbed – Down with the Sickness". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  22. ^ "American single certifications – Disturbed – Down with the Sickness". Recording Industry Association of America.
  23. ^ "American single certifications – Disturbed – Down with the Sickness". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 April 2022.

External links[edit]

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