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.
Jack The Ripper
Misfits Lyrics
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The moment of surprise
The end is near
I can taste the blood
When everything is done
You feel the fear
A million grains of sand
Like lives that I take
So you better run
So you better hide
You make no mistake
[Repeat: x7]
Where you gonna go?
Whatcha gonna do?
I know the answer
The knife is in my hand
As much as you can stand
I’m breathing down your neck
The blood it starts to run
Under the midnight sun
I ain’t finished yet
Your eyes start to spin
From this forbidden sin
The closer you get
As you start to fade
From this death parade
The tables are set
[Repeat: x7]
Where you gonna go?
Whatcha gonna do?
I know the answer
So as this moment dies
Along with your eyes
I must retire
And I’ll have no remorse
Your life has run its course
It’s hell burnin’ fire
So I give thanks to you
And everything you do
Will fill my desire
And I’ll have no remorse
Your life has run its course
It’s hell burnin’ fire
[Repeat: x7]
Where you gonna go?
Whatcha gonna do?
I know the answer
[Repeat: x16]
Now you're mine
Now you're mine
The Misfits' "Jack the Ripper" is a song that tells the story of a merciless murderer. The first stanza indicates the fear and shock in the eyes of the victim as the end nears. The next two stanzas display the killer's excitement, as he tastes the blood of his victims and feels power in his hands. The chorus repeats a haunting question, "Where you gonna go? Whatcha gonna do?" which is followed up with the killer's response, "I know the answer."
In the following verse, the killer describes how he revels in causing his victim's eyes to spin and the blood to run under the midnight sun. As the victim starts to fade from this death parade, the killer has no remorse as he retires, and the victim's life runs its course to hell-burning fire. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus and the chilling line, "Now you're mine."
The lyrics of this song prompt the listener to visualize the darkest and most gruesome aspects of humanity. With lyrics like "I can taste the blood" and "lives that I take", the Misfits are able to communicate the debauchery and fear that such a monster would cause. The song's melody, combined with its haunting lyrics, creates an eerie and unforgettable experience for the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
I can see it in your eyes
The singer can tell from the person's expression that they are about to be killed.
The moment of surprise
The person is caught off guard and was not expecting to be killed.
The end is near
The person's death is imminent and unavoidable.
I can taste the blood
The singer enjoys killing people and is eager to do so again.
When everything is done
After the killing is over and the person is dead.
You feel the fear
The person experiences immense fear before they are killed.
I feel it in my hands
The singer enjoys holding the knife and is excited to use it.
A million grains of sand
Each person the singer kills is one of many and is insignificant to them.
Like lives that I take
The singer takes pleasure in ending people's lives.
So you better run
The person should try to escape, but it is ultimately futile.
So you better hide
The person's only hope is to try to conceal themselves from the singer.
You make no mistake
The person should be aware that they will be killed, and their fate is sealed.
Where you gonna go?
The person has nowhere to run and is trapped.
Whatcha gonna do?
The person cannot do anything to stop their impending death.
I know the answer
The singer knows that the person will be killed.
The knife is in my hand
The singer is holding the murder weapon.
As much as you can stand
The singer will continue to kill the person until they can no longer bear it.
I’m breathing down your neck
The singer is getting closer and closer to the person, making them feel scared.
The blood it starts to run
The person begins to bleed after being stabbed.
Under the midnight sun
The murder takes place at night.
I ain’t finished yet
The singer will continue to kill the person.
Your eyes start to spin
The person's eyes are rolling back as they are dying.
From this forbidden sin
Killing someone is a terrible, immoral act.
The closer you get
The closer the person is to death.
As you start to fade
The person is dying and losing consciousness.
From this death parade
Killing people is a gruesome activity.
The tables are set
The person's fate has already been decided, and they will die.
So as this moment dies
The moment that the person is killed is fleeting.
Along with your eyes
The person's life is ending as their eyes close.
I must retire
The singer will stop killing people for the time being.
And I’ll have no remorse
The singer feels no guilt or regret about killing people.
Your life has run its course
The person's life has come to an end.
It’s hell burnin’ fire
The person is going to Hell because they have died.
So I give thanks to you
The singer is grateful to the person for giving them the opportunity to kill them.
And everything you do
Every gesture or movement the person makes before dying satisfies the singer.
Will fill my desire
The singer's desire is to kill people, and the person has provided them with that opportunity.
Now you're mine
The person is now dead and belongs to the singer.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HOWARD KEITH DEBONO, RAY MERCIECA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind