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.
Theme for a Jackal
Misfits Lyrics
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Wet waste of a girl
Theme for a jackal
Play you death-song
You probably listen
Stand idly by as they rape your children
Like you do now
All thoughts are in place
All deeds are complete
Play, theme for a jackal play
Die sweet prince
Meat tastes like mince
The jackal's eaten enough for today
Die sweet prince
Meat tastes like shit
Enough to make that jackal spit
Spit jackal spit
Spit and choke on the lives you've taken
You can't shake them loose
All morsels are gone, they're too small
Accessible from a source so tall
Little sister all of my love
Bitch
Bitch, she is
Cut her from the inside out
Dead daughter in the river
Entrance gained by her liver
Play, theme for a jackal play
They play you a death-song
You probably listen
Stand idly by as they rape your children
Like you do now
In fact you showed them how
Play, theme for a jackal play
Play, theme for a jackal play
The "Theme for a Jackal" by Misfits is a dark song that talks about an individual in society who is addicted to drugs or alcohol and whose behavior contributes to the destruction of their life and those around them. The lyrics "Dry drunk on a corner, Wet waste of a girl, Theme for a jackal," provide imagery of a person who is a shell of themselves, disheveled and unclean. The next verse, "Play you death-song, You probably listen, Stand idly by as they rape your children, Like you do now, In fact you showed them how," illustrates the apathy and complacency of the individual towards the harm their actions are causing to their loved ones. The phrase "death-song" means a song or tune that expresses the grief and sorrow of death, implying that the subject may want to die instead of coping with their addiction.
The chorus of "All thoughts are in place, All deeds are complete, Play, theme for a jackal play" portrays that the individual has reached such a level of hopelessness that they have given up on everything, including their life. The repeated line "Die sweet prince" is thought to be a sarcastic jab at the subject of the song, mocking them with the title of royalty when they are anything but. The lyric "Meat tastes like mince, The jackal's eaten enough for today" means that the subject isn't likeable and that everyone around them has had enough of their self-destructive behavior. The rhyme "Die sweet prince, meat tastes like shit, enough to make that jackal spit" is more mockery of the subject as they fall from grace, becoming nothing more than a source of disgust.
The verse, "Dead daughter in the river, Entrance gained by her liver, Play, theme for a jackal play," is one of the darker parts of the song as it speaks about a girl who has died after apparently abusing drugs, and the metaphor of the "liver" shows how destructive addiction can be. The final repetition of "They play you a death-song, You probably listen, Stand idly by as they rape your children, Like you do now, In fact you showed them how, Play, theme for a jackal play, Play, theme for a jackal play" underlines the subject's apathy and inability to change their ways. Overall, the "Theme for a Jackal" is a haunting song that illustrates the consequences of addiction and the pain and grief it can cause.
Line by Line Meaning
Dry drunk on a corner
Drunk and dehydrated on a street corner.
Wet waste of a girl
A girl who is a useless waste of space and time.
Theme for a jackal
A musical tune dedicated to a cunning predator.
Play you death-song
Performing music that represents dying or loss.
You probably listen
Likely to enjoy or relate to the death-song.
Stand idly by as they rape your children
Watching without interfering as others harm your own offspring.
Like you do now
This is an accurate representation of your current behavior.
In fact you showed them how
You're partly responsible for teaching them how to harm your children.
All thoughts are in place
All our thoughts are organized and clear.
All deeds are complete
All our actions have been accomplished.
Play, theme for a jackal play
Musically perform a tune dedicated to a sly and predatory animal.
Die sweet prince
Addressing a deceased loved one affectionately.
Meat tastes like mince
The flesh-to-be-consumed tastes ground-up and indistinguishable.
The jackal's eaten enough for today
The jackal predator has recently had its fill.
Meat tastes like shit
The flesh-to-be-consumed tastes revolting.
Enough to make that jackal spit
Disgusted enough to expel the meal consumed.
Spit jackal spit
Vocally expel your disgust, oh sly and predatory animal.
Spit and choke on the lives you've taken
Suffer the repercussions of the many lives that you have ended.
You can't shake them loose
It's impossible for you to free yourself from guilt or memories.
All morsels are gone, they're too small
Every bit and fragment is consumed, too tiny to suffice.
Accessible from a source so tall
Easily obtained from a plenty-providing height.
Little sister all of my love
A term of endearment towards a younger sibling.
Bitch
A derogatory term for a female.
Bitch, she is
That female is, indeed, a contemptible person.
Cut her from the inside out
Eliminate her from within her body.
Dead daughter in the river
A deceased female offspring, carelessly discarded in a body of water.
Entrance gained by her liver
Identifying feature or organ that helped the killer gain access to the daughter.
They play you a death-song
Others perform music to commemorate your death.
Play, theme for a jackal play
Musically perform a tune dedicated to a sly and predatory animal.
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: GLEN DANZIG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind