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.
The Haunting
Misfits Lyrics
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It purges from within
Death, it holds you in its arms
And kisses you goodnight
Oh, oh, oh, the darkness comes
Oh, oh, oh, I feel its bite
Oh, it purges from within
It's over, it's over
This haunting, it's over
They cut my wrists, and watch me bleed
Inside a dream
It's over, it's over
This haunting, it's over
They cut my wrists and watch me bleed
They stop haunting me
The darkness bleeds violent sights
It purges from within
Death, it holds you in its arms
And kisses you goodnight
Oh, oh, oh, the darkness comes
Oh, oh, oh, I feel its bite
Oh, it purges from within
It's over, it's over
This haunting, it's over
They cut my wrists, and watch me bleed
Inside a dream
It's over, it's over
This haunting, it's over
They cut my wrists and watch me bleed
They stop haunting me
The Misfits song "The Haunting" is a powerful depiction of the struggle with inner demons and the desire to overcome them. The lyrics are haunting, yet hopeful, and they paint a vivid picture of darkness, violence, and death from which the singer seeks to escape. The first verse describes the darkness as bleeding violent sights and purging from within, a metaphor for the pain and trauma that the singer has experienced. Death is personified as holding the singer in its arms and kissing them goodnight, perhaps implying a desire for release and rest from the suffering.
The chorus repeats the phrase "It's over, it's over," suggesting a sense of finality or resolution. The haunting that has plagued the singer is finally coming to an end, but not without a struggle. The second verse reveals that the singer's wrists have been cut, possibly as an act of self-harm or suicide, and that the haunting has taken place inside a dream. The haunting is both real and surreal, as the singer struggles to distinguish between reality and their own inner demons.
Overall, "The Haunting" is a powerful and emotional song that deals with themes of trauma, self-harm, and the desire for inner peace. The lyrics are open to interpretation but offer hope for overcoming one's internal struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
The darkness bleeds violent sights
The darkness is accompanied by violent and disturbing images
It purges from within
The darkness is not external, but is instead something deep within the singer that needs to be purged
Death, it holds you in its arms
The singer feels like death is inevitable and inescapable
And kisses you goodnight
The prospect of death is portrayed as comforting or peaceful
Oh, oh, oh, the darkness comes
The darkness is a recurring and inescapable entity
Oh, oh, oh, I feel its bite
The singer feels the impact of the darkness on their being
It's over, it's over
The haunting or torturous experience is coming to an end
This haunting, it's over
Referring to the troubling and traumatic experience
They cut my wrists, and watch me bleed
The artist feels like they are being tormented and harmed by some external force
Inside a dream
The artist feels like this is all happening in their head and is not grounded in reality
They stop haunting me
The singer is free from the torment they were previously experiencing
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID CALABRESE, JERRY CAIAFA, MICHAEL C. EMANUEL, PAUL CAIAFA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind