Empty Walls

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“Empty Walls”
“Empty Walls” cover
Single by Serj Tankian
from the album Elect the Dead
Released September 10, 2007 (Internet)
October 15[1], 2007 (CD)
Format Digital download, CD, Airplay
Genre Alternative rock
Art Rock
Label Serjical Strike/Reprise
Writer(s) Serj Tankian
Producer Serj Tankian
Serj Tankian singles chronology
"The Unthinking Majority"
(2007)		 "Empty Walls"
(2007)		 "Lie Lie Lie"
(2007)

"Empty Walls" is the first official single and first track off Serj Tankian's debut album Elect the Dead.[2][3] The song has been described as a "traditionally pummeling rocker".[4]

"Empty Walls" was released on September 10, 2007 as a digital download and September 25 as a CD single. It can also be found on a 2 track Reprise promo issue dated September 04, 2007[5] as well as in edited form on promotional copies that have been sent out to radio stations.

An acoustic version of the song also appears on the limited edition of Elect the Dead.[6]

The "Victorious Club Mix", as featured on the single, was produced by DJ LethalRush.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

[edit] CD single

  1. "Empty Walls" - 3:51
  2. "Gratefully Disappeared" - 1:41

[edit] 2 track promo

  1. "Empty Walls" - 3:49
  2. "The Unthinking Majority" - 3:47

[edit] Radio Edit promo single

  1. "Empty Walls" (Radio edit) - 3:52

[edit] 7" single

  1. "Empty Walls"
  2. "Empty Walls" (Victorious Club Mix)

[edit] Music video

Serj released one of the videos on September 11, 2007, which fits the theme of the video. The music video was directed by Tony Petrossian[7] and was uploaded onto YouTube on September 12, 2007. It shows young children playing in a daycare center, with their playing imitating the War on Terror in a tongue-in-cheek manner. In the beginning of the video there is a little girl playing with blocks in the shape of the World Trade Center, both of which are knocked over by a toy airplane thrown by a boy, clearly making the girl upset. There are various different images displayed in the coming scenes that are symbolic of or related to the War in Iraq (such as the children preparing for "war", a teddy bear being pulled down like the statue of Saddam Hussein, a presidential figure declaring "Mission Accomplished", imitation of the capture of Saddam Hussein, a child in a cage reminiscent of one of the Kenneth Bigley hostage videos, a toy plane being thrown into the blocks (the Twin Towers) mentioned above, and a child dressed and positioned in an imitation of a noted picture from the Abu Ghraib prison). A boy inside a play car puts on goggles and is driven into a playground wall where it explodes symbolic of the many suicide bombings at US Army checkpoints. The children performing acts similar to that of the US military are clearly distinguished by wearing helmets reminiscent of a soldiers helmet. All the while Serj, dressed in a top hat and suit imitating the notable American army recruitment advertisement, Uncle Sam, sings as they play. The video concludes as the children all look out the window of the daycare they are in and solemnly watch a Marine Corps detail load a flag draped casket into a hearse.

[edit] Chart positions

Chart (2007) Peak
position [8]
Billboard Canadian Hot 100 75
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 97
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks 3
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 4
UK Singles Chart 78
UK Rock Chart 1


[edit] References

  1. ^ Serj Tankian - Empty Walls (Reprise) - Single reviews
  2. ^ Serj Tankian Tuned. July 18, 2007. Accessed September 7, 2007.
  3. ^ Harris, Chris and Yasmine Richard. (July 20, 2007). System Of A Down Frontman Serj Tankian On Intimate Solo LP MTV. Accessed September 7, 2007.
  4. ^ Brown, August. (July 15, 2007). Tankian works outside the system. LA Times. (Free registration required.) Accessed September 7, 2007.
  5. ^ Elect The Dead 2 track promo
  6. ^ Warner Bros. Records online store (September 27, 2007)
  7. ^ System Of a Down singer to make album videos, by Metal Hammer, August 28, 2007. Accessed September 7, 2007.
  8. ^ Sky Is Over chart history. Retrieved on February 21, 2008.


[edit] External Links


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Serj Tankian
Serj Tankian · Dan Monti · Larry "Ler" LaLonde · Mario Pagliarulo · Troy Zeigler · Erwin Khachirian
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Brain · John Dolmayan · Diran Noubar · Ani Maldjian · Cameron Stone · Antonio Pontarelli · Fabrice Favre
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"The Unthinking Majority" · "Empty Walls" · "Lie Lie Lie" · "Sky Is Over"
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