The Misfits disbanded in 1983, and Glenn Danzig went on to form Samhain and then Danzig. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music later became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock. After a series of legal battles with Danzig, Only and Doyle regained the rights to record and perform as the Misfits. They formed a new version of the band in 1995 with singer Michale Graves and drummer Dr. Chud. This incarnation of Misfits had more of a heavy metal sound, and released the albums American Psycho (1997) and Famous Monsters (1999) before dissolving in 2000. Jerry Only then took over lead vocals and recruited former Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena and former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone for a Misfits 25th anniversary tour.
This lineup released an album of cover songs titled Project 1950 and toured for several years. In 2005, Marky was replaced by Robo, who had played with Black Flag in the early 1980s and had also previously been Misfits' drummer from 1982 to 1983. This lineup released a single titled "Land of the Dead" in 2009. The Misfits' lineup of Only, Cadena, and drummer Eric "Chupacabra" Arce released a new album titled The Devil's Rain in October 2011. In 2015, it was announced that Cadena would be taking a break from music after receiving a cancer diagnosis, and was replaced by Only's son Jerry Caiafa II, presented as Jerry Other. That same year Soulfly's Marc Rizzo joined the band, also playing guitar. He filled in for Cadena, before Caiafa would move on to become the sole guitarist for the band.
In September 2016, for the first time in 33 years, Danzig, Only, and Doyle reunited for two headlining shows as the Original Misfits at that year's edition of Riot Fest, along with drummer Dave Lombardo and second guitarist Acey Slade. The Original Misfits lineup continued performing sporadically through 2019.
Each incarnation of the Misfits has made use of horror film and science fiction film-inspired themes and imagery, with makeup, clothing, artwork, and lyrics drawn from B movies and television serials, many from the 1950s through 1970s. Musically the band are often recognized as progenitors of the horror punk and psychobilly subgenres and have drawn from punk rock, heavy metal, and 1950s rock and roll and rockabilly to inform their style. Rolling Stone describes them as "the archetypal horror-punk band of the late 1970s and early '80s", and they are considered icons in punk music and culture.
Last Caress
Misfits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
I killed a baby today
And it doesn't matter much to me
As long as it's dead
Well, I got something to say
I raped your mother today
And it doesn't matter much to me
As long as she's spread
Sweet lovely death
I am waiting for your breath
Oh, sweet death, one last caress
Go
Sweet lovely death
I am waiting for your breath
Oh, sweet death, one last caress
Well, I got something to say
I killed your baby today
And it doesn't matter much to me
As long as it's dead
Sweet lovely death
I am waiting for your breath
Oh, sweet death
One last caress
One last caress, sweet death
One last caress, sweet death
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh
The lyrics of Misfits's song Last Caress portray a disturbed and nihilistic mindset. The song delves into themes of murder, rape, and a twisted desire for death. The first verse sets the tone with the lines “I got something to say, I killed a baby today,” which shock the listener and establish the narrator as violent and unremorseful. The next verse takes an even darker turn, stating “I raped your mother today, and it doesn't matter much to me, as long as she's spread.” The narrator is not only a murderer, but also a sexual predator. The chorus repeats the phrase “Sweet lovely death, I am waiting for your breath” which conveys the narrator’s desire for death as a release from their violent urges and pain.
The song's violent and disturbing lyrics are often interpreted as a critique of societal norms and expectations. The narrator’s screams for death and destruction may be interpreted as a rebellion against a society that values life and stability. The song's nihilistic themes suggest a disdain for the world and its values, as the narrator seems to find pleasure in the pain of others and is even excited by the prospect of his own death. The chorus of “Sweet lovely death, I am waiting for your breath” can also be seen as a commentary on the inevitable end to all life, regardless of one's actions or beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
I got something to say
I want to express myself
I killed a baby today
I ended the life of an innocent baby
And it doesn't matter much to me
I am indifferent to the fact that I took a life
As long as it's dead
What matters to me is that the baby is no more
Well, I got something to say
I have something more to express
I raped your mother today
I committed a heinous crime by sexually assaulting your mother
And it doesn't matter much to me
I am indifferent to the pain and trauma of my victim
As long as she's spread
What matters to me is the pleasure I derived from her misery
Sweet lovely death
Death is portrayed as alluring and desirable
I am waiting for your breath
I am looking forward to being embraced by death
Oh, sweet death, one last caress
The narrator wants to be saved by death
One last caress, sweet death
The narrator longs for the final touch of death
Well, I got something to say
The narrator has one more thing to say
I killed your baby today
I ended the life of another innocent baby
And it doesn't matter much to me
The narrator is still indifferent to the violence committed
As long as it's dead
Death is the only thing that matters to the narrator
Oh, sweet death
Death is worshipped and regarded as the ultimate escape
One last caress
The narrator longs for the release of death
Oh, oh
A cry of intense emotion
Oh, oh
A continuation of the previous cry
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Glenn Danzig
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind