Stupify by Disturbed

Album: The Sickness (2000)

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Songfacts®:

When lead singer David Draiman was young, he dated a Latina girl, and her parents never approved of him because he's Jewish. The song is about racism.
This was Disturbed's debut single. It hit #10 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, but it was far from an overnight success. The band gauged which tracks would be the biggest contenders for singles by the reaction they got during live gigs. "Stupify" got a huge response, but it was a big battle to get it on the charts.

"It wasn't an instant thing at all," Draiman told Heavy Consequence in 2020. "It was a hard fight at radio. There wasn't anything like it at radio at the time. There was stuff close to it, but not close enough. You had people over at Giant Records that signed us who considered it a personal mission and battle to make that song break. They believed in the hook and what the song could do, and eventually, it started climbing, but it wasn't an instant thing by any means. It took six months to get it to where it was really cooking and getting in the Top 10. I remember hearing it in my car for the first time in the middle of downtown Chicago, stopped in the middle of traffic. I got out of my car and stood on the hood and screamed at the top of my lungs! (Laughs) It was an amazing, amazing moment, hearing it on the radio back in the day."
In the music video, the band performs in a dilapidated room where a neglected boy is forced to live, haunted by the ghostly figures around him. In a 2000 interview, Draiman said the boy represents his inner child: "This inner child has been damaged in such a way that the world he sees around him is dark and frightening and marred by life experience. It's haunted by specters and ghosts from the past."
This was featured in the 2000 movie Little Nicky, starring Adam Sandler.

Comments: 31

Michael from NcReligious discrimination is NOT racism and I've always found it preposterous that when someone speaks negatively about this religious group, ESPECIALLY when there's truth within the statement(s), they're called 'antisemitic'. Jewish people can change their names and no one would know that they are of the faith until they say something. They've had a history of it, so miss me with the 'racism' bulls--t. Her father didn't approve of him simply because he's white. End of story. That would be a racial prejudice and NOT racism itself. Society has yet to learn what the real definition of 'racism' is and not what Google says it is.
Brett from CanadaHonestly these lyrics are really awesome. Everyone takes them out of context. For one their not exactly about racism. He wrote out of anger and heart break when his girlfriends Latino family wouldn't accept him. The begging I been waiting my whole life for just 1 f... He's viewing the world around him in anger and how people treat each other. See but I don't get it don't you think we can take it out on credit. Do you think it can get to me if I don't let it. He's confused why everyone can't just be civil if we helped other people then they will help you. Take it out on credit. Then he is literally just ignored the terrible people who say bad things to him. Not letting it get to him. So in a way it's about rascism but more about how awful people are
A Dude With A Phone from Ya Mammy CribWell, the songs really catchy, with kind of vague, cryptic lyrics...had to be a hit. Good for anngrying up da blood sometimes. XD. But...I always thought it was "don't you think we can take it to another limit" instead of "it can take control when I don't let it"...and the "Te cha fed" part was "If I fe-ell"
But makes sense if that is Hebrew, because he is Jewish. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else ever heard it like this, or if there was a way to verify the lyrics. Rock On!
Zero from Nowhere, NjFor some reason I think the whole reason for the first Disturbed album is to simply get the mosh-pits going when they play the songs live. I don't know maybe they have some kind of meaning, but the lyrics are so vague in this song, it's hard for me to form an interpretation of it. I heard someone else's interpretation on another web site of the line "don't you think maybe we can put it on credit" as being like having an agrument and saying, "well, can we maybe talk about it later?" (credit cards let you pay for something later). The lines about waiting (my) whole life for just one f--k, would make sense if he IS talking about dating a girl, though sometimes songs have more than one central theme so...anyway, even if it's just to get people pumped up, it certainly does it's job, go see Disturbed live if you need proof.
Dylan from Euclid, Ohthis is my favorite song from disturbed
Corey from Richmond, VaGreat song Disturbed rocks!
Nes from Beirut, Lebanonthough short on lyrics, its a great song and very addictive... moreover i think this discussion nailed its meaning... gd job :)
Shawn from Yucaip, CaI've noticed on the local radio stations in So Cal, about 75% of the swearing in NOT censored.
Sam from San Diego, CaActually, instead of ROCK, like Kristin was saying, it's actually f--k. "I've been waiting my whole life for just one f--k" It says so in the lyrics.
Gabby from Or,This isn't my favriote song in the world/from Disturbed, tis good though I give it a 3 outa 5! (All of the Disturbed songs got that or higher)
Chantal from Oxfordshire, United Kingdomif the meaning of this song is true. well.
bout not having a lelationship with another 'religion' or 'race' well that is up to u.
there is a limit though. i wouldnt think anything less of david bout him having a relationship with a latino girl. its his decision. i think it is unfair that people judge others the way they do.
much respect
C frm UK
Christopher from Taylorsville, Nci think the song is plannly about Crack.
John from Phoenix, RiI think this song is about white supremacists. for or against im not sure because i heard the lead singer is jewish.
"all my people in the high rise"(jews)
"all my people in the projects"(blacks)
"all my people la hente in el bario"(latino)
getting stuified is how he describes the so called "jewish conspiracy"
Matt from Somewhere, TnThis is the best song ever. Get over it if you don't like it.
Mike from Falmouth, MaThis is a song to listen to to get a drug free adrenaline rush. You can't help but wanna scream along with David when this song plays.
Rachel from Cleveland, AlMaybe lay back on the cussing just a little!!
Dj from Pipestone, CoStupify is about Racism, Draimen once dated a latino girl and her parents never approved him of bieng Jewish descent
Jon from Sacramento, CaTo kristin, irmo, SC:
Draman said on his message board that the words you are referencing are all "f**k"'s, apart from the one time it's actually "luck".
Marie from Tuscaloosa, AlActually, Kristin, the lines are "And I been waiting my whole life for just one F--K. All I needed was just one F--K!"

"ROCK" is later in the song when he says "everybody in the left wing ROCK. Everybody in the right wing ROCK" ect.
Doug from Geff, IlThe line "Te Fa Ched" translates to dont be afraid.
Dillon from Siletz, OrThe line Te Fa Ched" means "Be Afaid" when translated to English.
Kristin from Irmo, Scthis song is about a powerful drug addiction.."i've been waiting my whole life for just one ROCK.. all i needed was just one ROCK" means rock cocaine. "maybe we could put it on credit" he wants them on the front the drugs (common for drug users).. "it can take control when i don't let it.. he's in severe denial of his problem..then admits "I GET STUPIFIED." All the gente in the barrio ROCK simply means addiction is color blind and affects all of us. When he says.. i can feel it all start slipping, that's his willpower to the drug breaking down
Zac from Simi Valley, CaThe phrase "all la gente en el barrio" translates to all the people in the neighborhood, but the barrio is basically the gheto for Mexicans. there are no white or black guys there. He says "la gente" to emphasize that.
Deyan from Wilmington, DeIsn't the word stupefy as in stunned in fear or confusion, because of what happened, and they just changed it, because they didn't want to reveal the true meaning?
Dominique from Albuquerque, Nmdon't you mean, "gente"
Tino from El Paso, Txim Hispanic and i know that in all spanish(not spanglish) it's "La Hente en el Barrio"
Schatten from Seattle, WaUm... It's hente', not gente. I'm looking at the lyric book from the album right now.
Nate from Chicago, Ili think you guys hit the nail on the head with this one.rock on
Aaron from Amelia, NeThe line is actually "and all the gente in the barrio", which, loosely translated, would just mean "all the people in the neighborhood". Why they didn't just use the latter instead of resorting to "Spanglish" is beyond me since both phrases have the same number of syllables and it'd make more sense anyway.
Nathan from Solomon, Ksits "La Henta In The Barrio" lyrics translation is in fact a talent.
Zach from Horn Lake, MsThe line "And la gente in the barrio" contains Spanish; it directly translates to "And the respectable people in the district", probably too long to fit into the song in English.

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