We Are 138

The origins of "We Are 138" are mired in ambiguity. Glenn Danzig wrote the song in 1978 and simply states that it's "about violence" - a credible claim, considering that he's the source of the lyrics, and that violence is a recurring theme in Danzig's songs both as a solo artist and with the Misfits.

It's been theorized that "We Are 138" was inspired by the 1971 dystopian sci-fi film THX 1138, a George Lucas production that centers around androids who control human behavior. Misfits bassist Jerry Only and guitarist Bobby Steele support this assertion, although Danzig disputes it (his response to their statements: "They didn't write it, and they don't know what the f--k it's about"). Only and Steele mention badges the band made featuring human/robot hybrids with the number 138 on their foreheads to imply that people were being turned into androids like in the movie. Regardless of the song's origins, it remains a fan favorite and appears on several Misfits albums.

"We are 138" first appeared as a B-side to the single "Bullet" in 1978. In 1980, it was the opening track on the EP Beware, which features songs from their previous albums. A 1981 recording, released on the 1982 album Evilive, features Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins on vocals. In the mid-'90s, "We Are 138" was back, first on yet another compilation album, Collection II in 1995, then again as part of a box set aptly titled The Misfits in 1996, and finally appearing as it was first intended nearly 20 years earlier, on the 1997 full release of the Static Age album.