Leading the charge of the New York City ska revival scene, Mephiskapheles w… Read Full Bio ↴Leading the charge of the New York City ska revival scene, Mephiskapheles was formed in the East Village in 1990 by lead vocalist the Grand Invidious, guitarist Brendog and keyboardist Brian Martin. Within the course of the following months, the group's classic lineup -- also consisting of bassist Michael Bitz, trumpeter Osho Endo, alto saxophonist Alexander McCabe, and trombonist Greg Robinson -- was firmly in place, and over the next few years Mephiskapheles toured relentlessly up and down the East Coast, building a tremendous cult following. In 1994 they joined with producer Bill Laswell to record their debut LP God Bless Satan, originally issued on their own Pass the Virgin label. By 1996, with new drummer Wayne Dunton on board, Mephiskapheles toured the U.S. opening for the Buzzcocks; their second album, Maximum Perversion, was released a year later in 1999.

Mephiskapheles
Mephiskapheles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

D O G
G O D

My bologna
Has a first name
It′s "S A T A N"
My bologna
Has a second name

It's "D U V E M"
What was that bosshead?
It′s better than that
Sometimes it's thin
Sometimes it's fat
To catch a glimpse
Some say please

Mephiskapheles

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Six
Six

D O G
G O D

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Mephiskapheles" by the eponymous band are absurd and playful, as they blend together imagery of satanic bologna with a seemingly random string of letters that can be interpreted as either "DOG" or "GOD." The opening lines show a clear play on the classic Oscar Mayer jingle about a brand of lunch meat. However, by replacing the product's original tagline with "Satan" and "Duvem," which is an anagram of "Devum," or "of God," the song subverts the original advertising campaign's wholesome message. The repetition of this nonsensical phrase is only interrupted by the interjection of "bosshead," which is possibly a reference to the cartoon character Beavis, whose alter ego was "The Great Cornholio." The lines "sometimes it's thin" and "sometimes it's fat" may refer to the various influences that Mephiskapheles blends together in their musical style, which combines ska, punk, and metal to create a genre they call "skarock."

As the lyrics transition into the song's title, Mephiskapheles, the rhythm picks up with a count-off from one to six. This count-off emphasizes the number six which repeats three times, a possible reference to the number's association with the devil in Christian mythology. The rest of the song consists solely of the repeated letters "DOG" and "GOD," leaving the interpretation up to the listener regarding their significance. The absurdity of these lyrics adds to the overall playful and irreverent tone of the song, which aligns with Mephiskapheles' reputation as a fun and energetic live act.

Line by Line Meaning

D O G
The word 'DOG'

G O D
The word 'GOD'

My bologna
I am referring to my beliefs

Has a first name
My beliefs have a specific identity

It′s "S A T A N"
The identity of my beliefs is 'SATAN'

My bologna
I am still referring to my beliefs

Has a second name
My beliefs have another characteristic or aspect

It's "D U V E M"
That characteristic or aspect is 'DUVEM'

What was that bosshead?
I am addressing someone who doesn't understand my beliefs

It's better than that
My beliefs are superior to what that person thinks

Sometimes it's thin
My beliefs can be subtle