"Night of the Living Dead" is the fourth single by the horror punk band the Misfits. It was released on October 31, 1979, on singer Glenn Danzig's label Plan 9 Records. 2,000 copies of the single were pressed on black 7" vinyl.^[1]^[2] The night of its release the band performed at Irving Plaza in New York City and sold the single at the door.^[2]

"Night of the Living Dead" is titled after the 1968 horror film of the same name, and the song's lyrics address the zombie plot of the film: "You think you're a zombie, you think it's a scene/from some monster magazine/Open your eyes too late/This ain't no fantasy boy".^[1] A re-recording of the song was later included on the band's debut album, Walk Among Us. "Where Eagles Dare" shares its title with a 1968 war film. "Rat Fink" is a cover of a song by Allan Sherman from his 1963 album My Son, the Nut, which itself is a parody of "Rag Mop". It was the only cover song that the Misfits recorded during their early era, though it was credited on the single itself, and on later releases, to Danzig.^[1]

Re-releases and other versions

Different versions of all three tracks appeared on compilation albums years after the original single went out of print. An alternate version of "Where Eagles Dare" was released on Legacy of Brutality in 1985, with overdubbed guitar and bass tracks recorded by Danzig. Different versions of "Night of the Living Dead" and "Where Eagles Dare" appeared on Misfits the following year, while "Rat Fink" appeared on Collection II in 1995. All three songs appeared, in all of their different versions and recordings, in The Misfits box set in 1996.

Cover versions

"Night of the Living Dead" was covered by 88 Fingers Louie on their 1995 album Behind Bars, and by the Troublemakers on the 2000 Misfits tribute album Hell on Earth. "Where Eagles Dare" was covered by Therapy? on the 1997 tribute album Violent World, by The Robots on Hell on Earth, by Bratmobile on their The Real Janelle EP, by Sloppy Seconds as a 1987 single featuring Bobby Steele, and by No Fun At All on their 1997 EP "And Now For Something Completely Different".

Track listing

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Night of the Living Dead"	Glenn Danzig	2:02

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Where Eagles Dare"	Danzig	1:51
2.	"Rat Fink" (originally performed by Allan Sherman)	Allan Sherman, Johnnie Lee Wills, Deacon Anderson	1:50
Total length:			5:43

Personnel

Band

Glenn Danzig – vocals
Bobby Steele – guitar, backing vocals
Jerry Only – bass guitar, backing vocals
Joey Image – drums

Production

Wayne Vlcan – engineering
Danny Zelonky – producing

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Von, Eerie (1996). The Misfits box set (Box set liner notes). The Misfits. New York City: Caroline Records. CAR 7529-2.
^ ^a ^b "Misfits discography". Misfits.com. Retrieved 2008-11-27.

v t e Misfits
Jerry Only Glenn Danzig Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein Dave Lombardo Acey Slade Franché Coma Mr. Jim Bobby Steele Joey Image Arthur Googy Robo Dr. Chud Michale Graves Marky Ramone Dez Cadena
Studio albums	Walk Among Us Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood Static Age American Psycho Famous Monsters Project 1950 The Devil's Rain
Live albums	Evilive Evillive II Dead Alive!
Compilation albums	Legacy of Brutality Misfits Collection II The Misfits Cuts from the Crypt
EPs	Beware 3 Hits from Hell Evilive Psycho in the Wax Museum
Singles	"Cough/Cool" "Bullet" / "We Are 138" / "Attitude" "Horror Business" / "Teenagers from Mars" "Night of the Living Dead" / "Where Eagles Dare" "Halloween" "Die, Die My Darling" "Dig Up Her Bones" "I Wanna Be a NY Ranger" "Scream!" "Monster Mash" "Day the Earth Caught Fire" "Land of the Dead" "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"
Other songs	"Hybrid Moments" "Last Caress" "London Dungeon" "Skulls" "Mommy, Can I Go Out & Kill Tonight"
Associated acts	Balzac Black Flag The Damned Danzig Dr. Chud's X-Ward Gorgeous Frankenstein Gotham Road Graves Kryst the Conqueror Murphy's Law Osaka Popstar Ramones Samhain The Undead
Tribute albums	Violent World Hell on Earth Fiend Club Lounge Twitchfits Vol. 1 (2023, Closed Casket Activities)
Related articles	Discography Songs recorded List of members List of cover versions 12 Hits from Hell Plan 9 Records Misfits Records The Crimson Ghost
Category

Living Dead films

Official films

Romero's Dead series	Night of the Living Dead (1968) Dawn of the Dead (1978) Day of the Dead (1985) Land of the Dead (2005) Diary of the Dead (2007) Survival of the Dead (2009)
Dead series remakes	Night of the Living Dead (1990) Dawn of the Dead (2004) Day of the Dead (2008) Day of the Dead: Bloodline (2017)
Return of the Living Dead series	The Return of the Living Dead (1985) Return of the Living Dead Part II (1988) Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993) Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis (2005) Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave (2005)
Night of the Living Dead 3D series	Night of the Living Dead 3D (2006) Night of the Living Dead 3D: Re-Animation (2012)

Unofficial films

Zombi series	Zombi 2 (1979) Zombi 3 (1988) After Death (1989) Killing Birds (1988) Others
Dead series remakes and sequels	Night of the Living Dead: 30th Anniversary Edition (1999) Children of the Living Dead (2001) Day of the Dead 2: Contagium (2005) Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead (2011) Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection (2012) Night of the Living Dead: Darkest Dawn (2015) Night of the Animated Dead (2021) Others
Documentaries	Document of the Dead (1981/1989/2012) Birth of the Living Dead (2012)
Parodies	Night of the Living Bread (1990) NOTDOT (1991) Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006) Night of the Living Carrots (2011)

Homages

Other media

Soundtracks	Dawn of the Dead The Return of the Living Dead "Night of the Living Dead" (1979)
TV series	Day of the Dead (2021)
Print media	Escape of the Living Dead (2005 comic) Empire of the Dead (2014–2015 comic) The Living Dead (2020 novel)
Video games	Land of the Dead: Road to Fiddler's Green (2005) City of the Dead (cancelled)