The greatest comedic musician of all time is, of course, "Weird" Al Yankovic. While he is perhaps best known for his hilarious send-ups of pop hits, some of his best material is original. Yankovic's albums typically feature at least one of what he refers to as "style parodies," comic explorations of an entire style, genre, or body of work rather than simple re-workings of individual songs (the brilliant Zappa pastiche "Genius in France" from 2003's Poodle Hat album being a sterling example). Our latest effort, "Mars Needs Flesh," is a style parody in what we feel is a decidedly Yankovic-ian vein: lyrically, its chief influence is 1950s science fiction, but its musical inspiration is clearly 1970s punk rock, all the way from the crunchy guitar riff and bludgeoning drumbeat right down to the rough DIY recording techniques and murky mixing. All facets of the song taken together, "Mars Needs Flesh" is a style parody of the early output of American punk legends and horror-punk pioneers, the Misfits…who—not at all coincidentally—happen to be among Mike's all-time favorite bands, punk or otherwise.
Mike considers the "Mars Needs Flesh" lyrics a rousing success; while not especially clever or inventive, they perfectly encapsulate the genre he was hoping to evoke…the third verse even ventures outside of the well-trod realm of '50s sci-fi cinema and delves into 1950s pulp sci-fi, an aspect of the genre often overlooked by modern fans of the era. Musically, the song is a simple punk arrangement designed for maximum noise achieved with minimal musicianship; Angela, lacking Mike's punk pedigree, actually had a rather difficult time adapting her legato playing style to the crude, bombastic explosiveness of punk, but the end result is spot-on.
Though it turns out Mike cannot sing in the style of 1950s crooners-turned-rockers like the Big Bopper (such singers were hugely influential on former Misfits vocalist Glenn Danzig), Angela's ethereal backing vocals make the song work somehow. Inventive gal, that Angela.
Mike Hall: bass, drums, and vocals
Angela Hall: guitar, backing vocals
Lyrics by Mike Hall
Music by Mike and Angela Hall
Giant tripods in the street crush all things in their path
Their flying saucers dominate the skies
Behold the Martian war machine here for something to eat
It's Judgment Day now everybody dies
Mars needs flesh
The super-scientific minds of a planet laid to waste
Have come to Earth to feed upon us all
Atomic-powered death rays bring the Army to its knees
Amid the ash the human race will fall
Mars needs flesh
A thousand years after the end mankind rises anew
Though crudely armed with only sticks and stones
We'll fight these Martian bastards back to their hell in outer space
At the very least they'll choke upon our bones
Mars needs flesh
Copyright 2008, Mike and Angela Hall. All rights reserved. No unauthorized use is permitted.