"Where Eagles Dare"
Single by the Misfits
A-side"Night of the Living Dead"
ReleasedOctober 31, 1979
RecordedJune 1979
The Song Shop, New York, New York
Genre
Length2:08
LabelPlan 9
Songwriter(s)Glenn Danzig
Producer(s)Danny Zelonky

"Where Eagles Dare" is a song by the American punk rock band Misfits. Written by frontman and vocalist Glenn Danzig, the song was recorded and first released in 1979, alongside the track "Rat Fink", as the B-side of the band's single "Night of the Living Dead". "Where Eagles Dare" was later included on the 1986 compilation album Misfits, also known as Collection I. A version of the song was also included on the compilation album Legacy of Brutality, which was released in 1985.

Recording and release

"Where Eagles Dare" was first recorded by the Misfits in January–February 1979 at C.I. Studios in New York, New York.[4] It was recorded again in June 1979 at the Song Shop in New York, New York, with Danny Zelonky producing.[4][5] The Song Shop recording of "Where Eagles Dare" was released alongside the song "Rat Fink" as the B-side of the band's single "Night of the Living Dead", which was issued on October 31, 1979.[5][6] The single, which was issued through Glenn Danzig's own label Plan 9 Records, consisted of 2,000 copies.[5] Due to a mastering error, the songs on the single had an especially bass-heavy sound.[7]

A version of "Where Eagles Dare", which was remixed exclusively by Danzig, was included on the 1985 compilation album Legacy of Brutality.[8] The song was remixed again for its inclusion on the 1986 compilation album Misfits (also known as Collection I), a process which fixed the mastering error present on the "Night of the Living Dead" single.[4][5] This "proper" remix, along with the rest of the songs featured on Collection I, was included in the 1996 box set The Misfits.[9]

Critical reception

In his book This Music Leaves Stains: The Complete Story of the Misfits, author James Greene, Jr. calls the song "a crude pounder whose blustery chorus challenges you to take it seriously".[10] Dan Ozzi of Diffuser.fm ranked the song #2 on his list of the 10 best Misfits songs, referring to the line "I ain't no goddamn son of a bitch / You better think about it, baby!" as being "one of the most well-known lyrics in punk rock history [... and] man, is it fun to sing."[1] Aaron Lariviere of Stereogum ranked the song #5 on his list of the 10 best Misfits songs, writing that "there's no question the song is gold, to the point where the phrase 'goddamn son of a bitch' has become indelibly linked with the band."[11]

The song plays during the ending credits Eli Roth's 2023 horror film Thanksgiving.

Personnel

Cover versions

"Where Eagles Dare" has been covered by such bands and artists as Bratmobile,[3] Katy Goodman and Greta Morgan,[13] Mac DeMarco,[14] and No Fun at All. The Nutley Brass recorded an instrumental lounge cover of the song for their 2005 Misfits tribute album Fiend Club Lounge.[15] Joe Pierce released a cover version on Halloween 2020

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Ozzi, Dan (May 23, 2013). "10 Best Misfits Songs". Diffuser.fm. Townsquare Media. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  2. ^ Katel, Jacob (March 11, 2010). "Top 20 Thursdays: Top 20 Classic Hardcore Punk Songs". Miami New Times. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Exposito, Suzy; Galil, Leor (May 12, 2016). "15 Great Misfits Covers". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d Kennedy, Mark. "The Misfits Recording Sessions". Misfits Central. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e Greene 2013, p. 122.
  6. ^ Downey, Ryan J. (October 29, 2018). "10 Movies That Inspired The Misfits". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Greene 2013, p. 32, 122.
  8. ^ Greene 2013, p. 72, 130.
  9. ^ Greene 2013, p. 122, 133–134.
  10. ^ Greene 2013, p. 32.
  11. ^ Lariviere, Aaron (October 31, 2012). "The 10 Best Misfits Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  12. ^ a b c d Greene 2013, p. 31–32.
  13. ^ Brennan, Collin (August 11, 2016). "Katy Goodman and Greta Morgan cover Misfits' "Where Eagles Dare" — listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  14. ^ Berenson, Sam (November 18, 2018). "Watch Mac DeMarco's 2018 Pitchfork Music Festival Paris Performance [Pro-Shot Video]". Live for Live Music. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  15. ^ "Fiend Club Lounge - The Nutley Brass". AllMusic. Retrieved September 13, 2019.

Further reading

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