Down with the Sickness
Encyclopedia
"Down with the Sickness" is a song by American heavy metal
band Disturbed. The song was recorded in 1999 and was released as the second single from their debut studio album, The Sickness
. The song is one of Disturbed's best-known songs and is a concert staple, usually played as the last song. This was their first single to be certified platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America
.
A music video composed of live concert footage was produced for the song. The music video excludes the "abuse" segment as does the radio edit of the song.
It also features an iconic staccato scream from singer David Draiman
at the end of the intro, which reappears throughout the song; the now famous "Ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah" noise, which they (as explained on the Decade of Disturbed documentary) got inspiration for during a visit to a Chicago Zoo.
, the Delaware Blue Hens and the Houston Texans
have played it as the players enter the field, and mixed martial artists, Steve Cantwell
, Rousimar Palhares
, and Mark Bocek
have entered to the song at various Ultimate Fighting Championship
events.
The song is also included on the soundtrack of the film Queen of the Damned
, featured in Rock Band 2
and as part of the Guitar Hero 5
downloadable content library (both with the Uncensored "abuse" segment intact), and sung with piano accompaniment by Richard Cheese throughout the film and the during the end credits of Dawn of the Dead
(2004). It has also been used on the first episode
of the eleventh season of South Park
. It is currently the opening theme song on the Travel Channel
show Paranormal Challenge
.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Disturbed. The song was recorded in 1999 and was released as the second single from their debut studio album, The Sickness
The Sickness
The track "Stupify" actually lasts 4:07, but skipping to the track or ripping it produces a song that's 4:33. There's a 0:26 backwards-played instrumental part hidden in the pregap between tracks 3 and 4 that can only be heard by rewinding / playing straight through.-Chart...
. The song is one of Disturbed's best-known songs and is a concert staple, usually played as the last song. This was their first single to be certified platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
.
A music video composed of live concert footage was produced for the song. The music video excludes the "abuse" segment as does the radio edit of the song.
It also features an iconic staccato scream from singer David Draiman
David Draiman
David Michael Draiman is an American songwriter and the lead singer for the metal band Disturbed. Draiman is known for his distorted voice and rhythmic singing style...
at the end of the intro, which reappears throughout the song; the now famous "Ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah" noise, which they (as explained on the Decade of Disturbed documentary) got inspiration for during a visit to a Chicago Zoo.
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 5 |
| Modern Rock Tracks | 8 | |
| 2006 | Hot Ringtones | 6 |
Personnel
- David DraimanDavid DraimanDavid Michael Draiman is an American songwriter and the lead singer for the metal band Disturbed. Draiman is known for his distorted voice and rhythmic singing style...
– vocals - Dan DoneganDan DoneganDan Donegan is an American musician and guitarist for heavy metal band Disturbed. Donegan began playing guitar as a teenager and eventually formed a band called Vandal, which was an '80s-style hair band...
– guitar, electronics - Steve KmakSteve KmakSteve "Fuzz" Kmak is an American bass guitar player, best known for his work with the heavy metal band Disturbed. Kmak founded the band Brawl in 1994 with guitarist Dan Donegan and drummer Mike Wengren. They played small clubs in Chicago before singer David Draiman answered their ad, after which...
– bass guitar - Mike WengrenMike WengrenMike Wengren is a drummer from Chicago, Illinois, best known for his work with the heavy metal band Disturbed, he is one of the founding members of the band, which was formed in 1996.-History:...
– drums, percussion, programmer - Johnny KJohnny KJohn Karkazis, better known as Johnny K, is a Grammy Award nominated producer/engineer/mixer/musician and songwriter. He owns Groovemaster Recording Studios in Chicago...
– producer, engineer - Andy WallaceAndy Wallace (producer)Andy Wallace is a Grammy Award-winning music studio engineer with a long track record of successful productions, beginning with the 1986 production of the Run-DMC/Aerosmith collaboration on "Walk This Way" with Rick Rubin...
– mixer - Howie WeinbergHowie WeinbergHowie Weinberg is a music mastering engineer who has worked with numerous bands.- Career :He has worked at Masterdisk, New York City, since 1977...
– mastering
In media
The song has been used often as entrance music in sports. Professional football teams, the Rutgers Scarlet KnightsRutgers Scarlet Knights
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey...
, the Delaware Blue Hens and the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
have played it as the players enter the field, and mixed martial artists, Steve Cantwell
Steve Cantwell
Steven Francis Cantwell is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
, Rousimar Palhares
Rousimar Palhares
Rousimar Palhares, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and his physical strength. His nickname, Portuguese for "tree stump", comes from his short, stocky, heavily muscled build. Many of his victories are by Leg-locks...
, and Mark Bocek
Mark Bocek
Mark Andrew Bocek is a Canadian mixed martial artist. He competes in the Lightweight division.-Background:Bocek is one of Canada's first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts and has been studying the art for more than a decade...
have entered to the song at various Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
events.
The song is also included on the soundtrack of the film Queen of the Damned
Queen of the Damned (film)
Queen of the Damned is a 2002 film adaptation of the third novel of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series, The Queen of the Damned, although the film contains many plot elements from the latter novel's predecessor, The Vampire Lestat. It stars Aaliyah as the vampire queen Akasha, and Stuart...
, featured in Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
and as part of the Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5 is a music video game and the fifth main entry in the Guitar Hero series. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision, and released internationally in September 2009 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, 3 and Wii consoles...
downloadable content library (both with the Uncensored "abuse" segment intact), and sung with piano accompaniment by Richard Cheese throughout the film and the during the end credits of Dawn of the Dead
Dawn of the Dead (2004 film)
Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his directorial debut. It is a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name and stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, and Jake Weber. The film depict a handful of human survivors living in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin shopping mall...
(2004). It has also been used on the first episode
With Apologies to Jesse Jackson
"With Apologies to Jesse Jackson" is the first episode of the American animated television series South Park, and the 153rd episode overall. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 7, 2007...
of the eleventh season of South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
. It is currently the opening theme song on the Travel Channel
Travel Channel
The Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
show Paranormal Challenge
Paranormal Challenge
Paranormal Challenge is an American paranormal competitive reality spinoff television series that premiered on June 17, 2011 on the Travel Channel...
.
Covers
- Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the MachineRichard Cheese and Lounge Against the MachineMark Jonathan Davis , known by his stage name Richard Cheese, is an American musician and comedian. He was born in New York...
recorded a cover of "Down with the Sickness" for their 2002 album, TuxicityTuxicityTuxicity is the second album from Richard Cheese, released October 1, 2002. The title is a reference to the System of a Down album Toxicity.-Track listing:# "She Hates Me" – 1:43# "Fell in Love with a Girl" – 1:31...
, which was featured in Zack SnyderZack SnyderZachary Edward "Zack" Snyder is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, and producer. After making his feature film debut with the 2004 remake Dawn of the Dead, he gained wide recognition with the 2007 box office hit 300, adapted from writer-artist Frank Miller's Dark Horse Comics...
's 2004 remake of Dawn of the DeadDawn of the Dead (2004 film)Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his directorial debut. It is a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name and stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, and Jake Weber. The film depict a handful of human survivors living in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin shopping mall...
. - "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
used the song in his polka medley, "Angry White Boy Polka", on his 2003 album Poodle HatPoodle HatPoodle Hat is the Grammy Award-winning 11th studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released on May 20, 2003 on Volcano Records. The album debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200. The album was released on an Enhanced CD...
.