"Lonely Day" is the Grammy nominated second single from the 2005 album Hypnotize by the band System of a Down. It was written by guitarist Daron Malakian, who also provides the track's lead vocals.
It is a power ballad with melancholy lyrics and features one of the most complex guitar solos of System of a Down's repertoire (it should be noted that the guitar work resembles that of The Animals' "House of the Rising Sun"). However, it has been criticized by music reviewers and some English learning sites such as Pitchfork Media , and AntimoonForums ; for its lyrics, notably the fact that the song utilizes the double superlative "most loneliest."
Daron said about "Lonely Day": "I write a lot of songs and some of 'em I never thought worked for System so I didn't take 'em to System, and that's one that I wasn't going to take into the band, [...] I kind of [regretted] it." Bassist Shavo Odadjian said: "Yeah, we had to kind of get it out of him. He brought it and we loved it so much that he was like, 'I really don't want it on the record,' but ... it's something that needs to be heard." .
The music video contains footage of the band in a tour coach and many of the things they drive past are on fire; the fire possibly represents loneliness. Another interpretation is that the fire represents scenes from Iraq with buildings on fire from bombings, and life going on as normal while destruction of the city is happening in the background. Another interpretation comes from the last line "It's the day that I'm glad I survived" which led some fans to believe the song is about either September 11th or the Armenian Genocide. There is also reference to Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here album cover. At approximately 48 seconds there is a scene which can be seen as a reflection on the glass. This reproduces the album's cover art where two men, one of them on fire, can be seen shaking hands. The single and music video gained airplay in Australia and was #37 on the Australian Recording Industry Association charts.
The song ends the same way "Soldier Side - Intro", the first song on "Mezmerize" ends. This is because the next (and last) song on Hypnotize is "Soldier Side".
The music video for "Lonely Day" can be viewed on blank">Yahoo! Music and the official website.
The song received a nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 49th annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Wolfmother's single, 'Woman'.
The song is used in a trailer for the movie _Disturbia and can also be heard in the movie itself.
An EP of Lonely Day was also released.
