Question!

"Question!"
Single by System of a Down
from the album Mezmerize
Released	July 12, 2005
Recorded	The Mansion (Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California) Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Length	3:20
Label	American, Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Serj Tankian
Producer(s)	Rick Rubin, Daron Malakian
System of a Down singles chronology
"B.Y.O.B." (2005) "Question!" (2005) "Hypnotize" (2005)
Maxi single
Cover of the maxi single of "Question!".
DVD single
Cover of the DVD single of "Question!".
Music video
"Question!" on YouTube

"Question!" is a song by Armenian American metal band System of a Down. It was released in July 2005 as the second single of their fourth album Mezmerize.

Music video

Shavo Odadjian produced the video (and co-directed it alongside Howard Greenhalgh) after allegedly having an image of the video in a nightmare. It is claimed that before the dream he had no intentions of producing the video. In fact he didn't want any special treatment over other possible producers for being in the band so he submitted his idea anonymously.

The video was shot in the now-closed Los Angeles Theater, which opened in 1931. "It's an amazing old theater that is due for renovation," Tankian said of the place. "I'm glad they haven't renovated it yet, because it has the right character for what we were looking for. It has a fairy tale vibe."

Composition

"Question!" is written in the key of E minor — a somewhat unusual key for System of a Down, which normally relies heavily on Cm, C#m, and F#m. The song uses four different time signatures (5/4, 9/8, 3/4, and 4/4). The acoustic guitar intro and part of the verse is in 9/8, expressed as 3+2+2+2 (This phrasing suggests a hemiola, and is essentially 4/4 with an extra eighth note on beat 1). The verse briefly switches to 3/4 when Tankian sings "Are you dreaming?". The guitar motif after the acoustic intro is in 5/4. This same section appears throughout the song as well. Choruses one and two are in 3/4. The third chorus and the heavy tremolo-picked section towards the end underneath the vocals is in 4/4. Serj Tankian plays acoustic guitar in the intro and deeper in the background behind lead guitarist Daron Malakian.

Track listing

CD single

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Question!" (Album Version)	S. Tankian	S. Tankian	3:21
2.	"Sugar" (Explicit Live Version)	S. Tankian	D. Malakian, S. Odadjian	3:54

Maxi CD single

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Question!" (Album Version)	S. Tankian	S. Tankian	3:21
2.	"Forest" (Explicit Live Version)	S. Tankian	D. Malakian	5:11
3.	"Prison Song" (Explicit Live Version)	S. Tankian, D. Malakian	D. Malakian	3:27
4.	"Question!" (Live Video)	S. Tankian	S. Tankian	3:25

DVD single

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Question!" (Concept Video)	S. Tankian	S. Tankian, D. Malakian	3:48
2.	"B.Y.O.B." (Concept Video)	S. Tankian, D. Malakian	D. Malakian	4:17
3.	"Sugar" (Explicit Live Version)	S. Tankian	D. Malakian, S. Odadjian	3:54
4.	"B.Y.O.B." (Explicit Live from Astoria)	D. Malakian, S. Tankian	D. Malakian	4:19

Personnel

• Serj Tankian – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
• Daron Malakian – vocals, electric guitar
• Shavo Odadjian – Bass guitar
• John Dolmayan – drums

Chart positions

Chart (2005)	Peak position
Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)	29
Ireland (IRMA)	47
UK Singles (OCC)	41
US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100	2
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)	9
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)	7

External links

• Template:MetroLyrics song