I Turned Into A Martian by The Misfits Lyrics Meaning – Unearthing the Galactic Metaphor of Alienation
Lyrics
Possession of the mind is a terrible thing
It’s a transformation with an urge to kill
Not the body of a man from earth
Not the face of the one you love, ’cause
Well, I turned into a Martian
Whoa oh oh
I can’t even recall my name
Whoa oh oh
Times I never hardly sleep at night
Whoa oh oh
Well, I turned into a Martian today
I walk down city streets
On an unsuspecting human world
Inhuman in your midst
This world is mine to own, ’cause
Well, I turned into a Martian
Whoa oh oh
Well, I can’t even recall my name
Whoa oh oh
Times I never hardly sleep at night
Whoa oh oh
Well, I turned into a Martian today
Go go
Well, I turned into a Martian
Whoa oh oh
Well, I can’t even recall my name
Whoa oh oh
Times I never hardly sleep at night
Whoa oh oh
Turned into a martian
Whoa oh oh
Can’t even recall my name
Oh, won’t you tell me what the fuck is my name, Martian
Whoa oh oh
Whoa oh oh
In the throes of punk rock’s relentless energy, The Misfits carved a niche for themselves that transcends mere music. With their song ‘I Turned Into A Martian’, the group channels a metaphor as unyielding and abrasive as their sound. On the surface, it’s a punk anthem laden with interstellar imagery, but scratch beneath that extraterrestrial facade and you’ll find a depth that resonates with the misfit in us all.
Released in 1982 as part of the ‘Walk Among Us’ album, this track captures a sense of otherness searing through its rapid-fire progression. Misfits’ lead singer Glenn Danzig’s guttural tones become the gateway to exploring topics of identity, isolation, and the inherent struggles of understanding oneself in a world that can seem alienating at times.
An Anthem for the Alienated: The Heartbeat of Punk Escapism
At first blush, ‘I Turned Into A Martian’ might come off as a playful foray into sci-fi. Yet, the pulsating chord progression and relentless drumbeats create a lifeline to the alienated — those who feel estranged from their surroundings and their own identity. The Misfits don’t just sing about transformation; they embody the very essence of punk’s escapist core.
The song resonates with anyone who’s felt like an outsider, providing a kind of interplanetary anthem in which the ‘Martian’ becomes a symbol not of extraterrestrial life, but of the dispossessed and misunderstood souls here on Earth.
Possession of the Mind: A Tale of Losing Self
The line ‘Possession of the mind is a terrible thing’ isn’t simply a reference to a change in physical form, but a profound loss of one’s mental grasp on who they are. The foreboding idea of one’s identity being taken over, transformed into something unrecognizable, reflects a deep-seated fear of losing control, of becoming someone or something you no longer recognize — or worse, detest.
This shift can be tied to various real-life experiences, from the psychological changes brought on by mental health struggles to the identity crisis that often accompanies significant life upheavals. In essence, The Misfits are singing about the terror of not recognizing the ‘face of the one you love,’ a poignant metaphor for personal disconnection.
The Subversion of Dominance: Inhuman in Your Midst
The sentiment ‘This world is mine to own’ runs counter to the song’s overarching theme of alienation, presenting an intriguing contrast. It’s as if the speaker, having been turned into a ‘Martian,’ finds a newfound power in their otherness. There is an undercurrent of subversion here, the idea that those who are seen as outsiders or as different might not just possess the power to survive but to take charge, to ‘own’ the world that seeks to marginalize them.
This defiance against societal norms reflects the core attitude of punk rock — reclamation and empowerment in the face of alienation. Misfits, through this narrative, empower their audience to embrace their eccentricities and, in doing so, disrupt the status quo.
Memorable Lines That Resonate with Rebellion
‘I can’t even recall my name,’ roars from the vocal chords of Danzig, voicing the pinnacle of dissociation. This poignant admission captures the quintessential punk rock spirit of rebellion against the self as much as the system. It speaks to the disorientation that comes with a transformative experience, whereby even the most fundamental aspect of identity — one’s name — is forgotten amidst the cacophony of change.
Through this line, ‘I Turned Into A Martian’ seems to shed light on the fear and exhilaration of defiant uniqueness. These words become a battle cry for those who, by choice or by force, step away from the names and labels pushed upon them by society.
Unveiling The Hidden Meaning: Martian as Metaphor
While catchy chants of ‘Whoa oh oh’ might encourage a superficial reading of the song as a simple extraterrestrial tune, a closer examination unfurls a cloak of metaphors. The Martian symbolizes the ultimate outsider, an entity so far removed from human experience that there is no ladder of commonality upon which to step.
However, in this alien figure, we find a mirror for the human condition. ‘I Turned Into A Martian’ is a hyperbolic narrative that amplifies feelings of misunderstanding, displacement, and the universal yearning for connection. The Misfits encapsulate a profound sentiment that transcends the individual, reaching out to touch the Martian in all of us.
