Monster Hospital
Encyclopedia
"Monster Hospital" is a song by Canadian rock band Metric
from their third album, Live It Out
. It is the album's first single, followed by "Poster of a Girl".
The song makes reference to Bobby Fuller
and the chorus tributes his hit song I Fought the Law
replacing "Law" with "War". It also contains a reference to Daddy Warbucks from Annie
. They performed the song at the MuchMusic Video Awards in 2006.
The song appears to refer to the political stance taken by the band in their earlier years, clearly stated by use of anti-war imagery in their music videos, during a time of rising military action.
record into her record player. As soon as the song starts, the screen turns black and white and hands pull Emily through her carpet. During the first verse, the video interlopes with Emily singing on the floor in the living room and on a bed. When the first chorus begins, we see Jimmy Shaw playing the guitar covered in blood, while Emily sings. Hands are reaching through the roof and walls, trying to grab her (a reference to the 1965 Roman Polanski
film Repulsion
). During the second verse, Emily is walking down a hallway, looking around in fear as she continues to sing. We go back to Jimmy Shaw during the second chorus. During the bridge and final chorus, blood begins to leak from a lightbulb, a power socket, a television set, and other appliances (probably a reference to Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead). When the song ends, the screen becomes coloured again, and Emily sighs in relief, apparently just dreaming.
Metric (band)
Metric is a Canadian indie rock and New Wave band founded in 1998 in Toronto. The band has also at various times been based in Montreal, London, New York City and Los Angeles...
from their third album, Live It Out
Live It Out
Live It Out is the second album released by the Canadian indie rock band Metric. This album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005, the 38th best album of 2006 by NME, and it was shortlisted for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize...
. It is the album's first single, followed by "Poster of a Girl".
The song makes reference to Bobby Fuller
Bobby Fuller
Robert Gaston "Bobby" Fuller was an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitar player best known for his singles "I Fought the Law" and "Love's Made a Fool of You," recorded with his mid-1960s group, the Bobby Fuller Four....
and the chorus tributes his hit song I Fought the Law
I Fought the Law
"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets and became popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, which went on to become a top-ten hit for the band in 1966 and was also recorded by The Clash in 1979...
replacing "Law" with "War". It also contains a reference to Daddy Warbucks from Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
. They performed the song at the MuchMusic Video Awards in 2006.
The song appears to refer to the political stance taken by the band in their earlier years, clearly stated by use of anti-war imagery in their music videos, during a time of rising military action.
Music video
The video starts with Emily Haines walking into her living room and inserting Metric's Live It OutLive It Out
Live It Out is the second album released by the Canadian indie rock band Metric. This album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005, the 38th best album of 2006 by NME, and it was shortlisted for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize...
record into her record player. As soon as the song starts, the screen turns black and white and hands pull Emily through her carpet. During the first verse, the video interlopes with Emily singing on the floor in the living room and on a bed. When the first chorus begins, we see Jimmy Shaw playing the guitar covered in blood, while Emily sings. Hands are reaching through the roof and walls, trying to grab her (a reference to the 1965 Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
film Repulsion
Repulsion
Repulsion is a 1965 British psychological thriller film directed by Roman Polanski, based on a scenario by Gérard Brach and Roman Polanski. It was Polanski's first English language film, and was shot in Britain, as such being his second film made outside his native Poland. The cast includes...
). During the second verse, Emily is walking down a hallway, looking around in fear as she continues to sing. We go back to Jimmy Shaw during the second chorus. During the bridge and final chorus, blood begins to leak from a lightbulb, a power socket, a television set, and other appliances (probably a reference to Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead). When the song ends, the screen becomes coloured again, and Emily sighs in relief, apparently just dreaming.
Track listing
- CD DiS0021CD
- "Monster Hospital"
- "Dead Disco (Kylie Kills Mix)"
- "Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFTMSTRKRFTMSTRKRFT is a Canadian electronic music duo from Toronto, Ontario. The group was started in 2005 by Jesse F. Keeler of Death from Above 1979 and Al-P formerly of the Mississauga, Ontario electropop group Girlsareshort...
Remix)"