The Misfits are an American punk rock band often recognized as the progenit… Read Full Bio ↴The Misfits are an American punk rock band often recognized as the progenitors of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery. The group was founded in 1977 in Lodi, New Jersey, by vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist Glenn Danzig, and drummer Manny Martínez. Jerry Only joined on bass guitar shortly after. Over the next six years, membership would change frequently with Danzig and Only the only consistent members. During this time period, they released several EPs and singles, and with Only's brother Doyle as guitarist, the albums Walk Among Us (1982) and Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood (1983), both considered touchstones of the early-1980s hardcore punk movement. The band has gone through many lineup changes over the years, with bassist Jerry Only being the only constant member in the group.

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.

Witch Hunt
Misfits Lyrics

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Wipe out the weak and dying
I've got no use for you
Sent from Hell, I know they're lying
Just another sacrifice

We are on a witch hunt
Hunt her down for, will she sink or float?
We want independence from her spell.

Exterminate the undetermined
I've got no use for you
Sent from Hell, I know they're lying
Hang her by her neck to die

We are on a witch hunt
Hunt her down for, will she sink or float?
We want independence from her spell.

We're on a head hunt
We're on a blood hunt
We're on a witch hunt
and we're gonna get you
We're coming after you too

We're on a witch hunt
We're on a witch hunt

We are on a witch hunt
Hunt her down for, will she sink or float?
We want independence from her spell.

Were under a spell
We're on a head hunt
We're on a blood hunt
We're on a witch hunt

and we're gonna get you
We're coming after you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Misfits' song "Witch Hunt" are filled with violence, persecution, and fear. The song paints a picture of an organized attack on a woman accused of practicing witchcraft. The first two verses express a desire to eliminate the weak and the undetermined. The lyrics suggest that these individuals are somehow connected to witchcraft and should therefore be removed from society. The language used is aggressive, suggesting that the singer has no mercy or sympathy for those who are accused.

The chorus of the song acknowledges the group's zealous pursuit of the accused witch. The lyrics ask whether she will sink or float, referring to the idea that witches were traditionally tested for their guilt by being thrown into water. If she sank, she was deemed innocent, and if she floated, she was guilty of witchcraft. The chorus also references the desire for independence from the witch's spell, suggesting that the group sees her as a powerful force that must be destroyed to prevent her from exerting control over them.

The final verses of the song repeat the chorus, adding a sense of urgency to the lyrics. The group is not just on a witch hunt; they are also on a head hunt and a blood hunt, emphasizing the danger that they pose to their target. The song ends with a declaration that they are coming after their prey, creating a sense of foreboding for the listener.

Line by Line Meaning

Wipe out the weak and dying
Eliminate those who are feeble and about to perish

I've got no use for you
You do not serve my purpose

Sent from Hell, I know they're lying
They are harbingers of destruction, and I know they lie

Just another sacrifice
Just one more victim on the altar of our ambitions

We are on a witch hunt
We are searching for someone to blame

Hunt her down for, will she sink or float?
We will test her innocence with a trial by water

We want independence from her spell.
We seek liberation from her supposed magical influence

Exterminate the undetermined
Get rid of those who are unsure or indecisive

Hang her by her neck to die
Punish her with the noose, to take her life

We're on a head hunt
We search for heads to mount on our wall of trophies

We're on a blood hunt
We are searching for blood, to satisfy our thirst for vengeance