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.
Come Back
Misfits Lyrics
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I've been waiting, endless waiting
Come back and bite my face
Come back little raven, decend your home
This is not then, it is not now
Come back, decend your throne
Well, on a corner slept my horrible corpse
I'm not alive for anyone
I think you realize what I've done
You gotta come back
You gotta come back
You gotta come back
You gotta come back
Come back little raven, here bite my face
I've been waiting, endless waiting
Come back and bite my face
I think you realize what I've done
We're on the corner, slashed my heart for fun
I'm not alive for anyone
I think you realize what I've done
You gotta come back
You gotta come back
You gotta come back
You gotta come back
You gotta come back, come back, well, come back
Right back to me
You gotta come back, come back, come on back
Right back to me
You gotta come back, come back, come on back
Right back to me
You gotta come back, come back, come on back
Right back to me, yeah
The Misfits' song "Come Back" is a haunting piece that touches on themes of death, resurrection, and yearning for redemption. The lyrics appear to be addressed to a raven or a bird of similar nature, urging it to come back and bite the singer's face, which could be interpreted as a way to snap out of a state of apathy or find a way to move on from past mistakes. The repetition of the phrase "You gotta come back" emphasizes the urgency and desperation of the situation, as if the singer may not have much time left to make things right.
The allusions to death and decay are prevalent throughout the song, creating a sense of unease and foreboding. The line "on a corner slept my horrible corpse" evokes an image of a lifeless body abandoned in the streets, while "we're on the corner, slashed my heart for fun" suggests a violent and senseless act of cruelty. However, there is also a glimmer of hope in the final lines, as the singer begs the raven to come back "right back to me," perhaps implying that by facing their past and seeking out redemption, they might still have a chance to overcome their inner demons.
Overall, "Come Back" is a complex and deeply personal song that invites multiple interpretations. Whether seen as a plea for salvation, a lament for lost opportunities, or a gothic love ballad, it remains a dark and haunting piece of musical poetry.
Line by Line Meaning
Come back little raven and bite my face
I am begging and waiting for my pain and suffering to come back to me.
I've been waiting, endless waiting
My longing for the return of my torment has been enduring and persistent.
Come back little raven, decend your home
Raven, my symbol of death, you must return to your natural habitat and take me with you.
This is not then, it is not now
The present reality is unlike the past, but I still want to escape it.
Come back, decend your throne
Raven, powerful ruler, come back and claim me as your subject.
I think you realize what I've done
I acknowledge the harm I have caused and now the consequences linger.
Well, on a corner slept my horrible corpse
I am living a lifeless existence, rotting away in a corner.
I'm not alive for anyone
My life has lost all meaning and I am dead inside.
You gotta come back
I desperately need my suffering and pain to return to me.
Come back little raven, here bite my face
I need to feel the physical sensation of pain, and the raven is the only one who can give it to me.
We're on the corner, slashed my heart for fun
I willingly invited harm upon myself, just for the sake of feeling something.
You gotta come back, come back, well, come back
I can't emphasize enough how desperately I need my suffering to return.
Right back to me
I can't escape my pain, so it's better if it just comes back to me.
Come back, come back, come on back
I am imploring my suffering to return to me, to take away the emptiness.
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: GLEN DANZIG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind