The Scorpion (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Scorpion" is a 2004 song by the American
thrash metal
band Megadeth
, written by Dave Mustaine
. It was the third and final single off their 2004 album The System Has Failed
, which was released on September 14, 2004. Unlike the other two singles on the album ("Die Dead Enough
" and "Of Mice and Men
"), it did not receive a music video and failed to chart on Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.
The song was played during their Blackmail the Universe tour that began in October 2004 but since 2006, it has fallen off their regular set list.
suffered a freak injury in January 2002, and announced through a press release on April 3 that he was disbanding the band due to his radial neuropathy, which left him unable to grasp or even make a fist with his left hand. In order to fulfill contract obligations with the band's European label EMI
, he was forced to release one more album under the "Megadeth" name, which would later become The System Has Failed
. Mustaine recruited original Megadeth member Chris Poland
and the drummer
Vinnie Colaiuta
to help record the album, and after the Blackmail the Universe tour Mustaine decided to not disband the band and continued recording as Megadeth. Dave, Chris Poland
, Vinnie Colaiuta
, along with Jimmie Lee Sloas, form the personnel for "The Scorpion".
The song was chosen as the third single off the album in 2005, but did not receive a music video. However, to help promote the song as a single, it was played live by the band during their Blackmail the Universe tour, but has not been played since, like most songs off the album. Despite the promotion, the song failed to chart on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, which was Megadeth's first single to do so in over a decade, since "Skin o' My Teeth
". This made it the final single on the album, and it was not until 2010 that Megadeth managed to chart again, with their song "The Right to Go Insane
". The song however was not without its influence, as the answer section on the official Megadeth website was named after the song and bears the image of the single cover art.
, a parable about destructive nature. The Scorpion and the Frog
forms the direct lyrical basis for the song, as the song documents the tale. The Scorpion and the Frog is a fable
of unknown author, attributed to various West Africa
n folktales. The story is about a scorpion
asking a frog
to carry him across a river. The frog is afraid of being stung, but the scorpion reassures him that if it stung, the frog would sink and the scorpion would drown as well. The frog then agrees; nevertheless, in mid-river, the scorpion stings him, dooming them both. When asked why, the scorpion explains, "I'm a scorpion; it's my nature." There is also a variation in which the final words of the scorpion are "It is better we should both perish than that my enemy should live."
The chorus is the largest example of how the song was inspired by the story. "As I climb onto your back, I will promise not to sting" refers to the scorpion climbing onto the back of the frog and telling it that it won't be harmed. "I will tell you what you want to hear and not mean anything" refers to the lies told by the scorpion to insure assistance by the frog, and "Then I treat you like a dog as I shoot my venom in" is the line signifying the frog being struck by the scorpion. The end of the story documents the scorpion's explanation for stinging the frog, with "You pretend you didn't know that I am a scorpion".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, written by Dave Mustaine
Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
. It was the third and final single off their 2004 album The System Has Failed
The System Has Failed
-Songs:* "Blackmail the Universe" has numerous quotes from the movie Thirteen Days, which was about the Cuban Missile Crisis.* "Die Dead Enough" was released as a single, and was originally set to be featured in the movie Saw, but it was not used for undisclosed reasons.* "The Scorpion" was...
, which was released on September 14, 2004. Unlike the other two singles on the album ("Die Dead Enough
Die Dead Enough
Die Dead Enough is a 2004 song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It was the first single off of their 2004 album, The System Has Failed, which was released on September 14, 2004...
" and "Of Mice and Men
Of Mice and Men (song)
"Of Mice and Men" is a 2004 song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It was the second single off of their 2004 album, The System Has Failed, which was released on September 14th, 2004.-Charts:-Personnel:...
"), it did not receive a music video and failed to chart on Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.
The song was played during their Blackmail the Universe tour that began in October 2004 but since 2006, it has fallen off their regular set list.
Development
Megadeth frontman Dave MustaineDave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
suffered a freak injury in January 2002, and announced through a press release on April 3 that he was disbanding the band due to his radial neuropathy, which left him unable to grasp or even make a fist with his left hand. In order to fulfill contract obligations with the band's European label EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, he was forced to release one more album under the "Megadeth" name, which would later become The System Has Failed
The System Has Failed
-Songs:* "Blackmail the Universe" has numerous quotes from the movie Thirteen Days, which was about the Cuban Missile Crisis.* "Die Dead Enough" was released as a single, and was originally set to be featured in the movie Saw, but it was not used for undisclosed reasons.* "The Scorpion" was...
. Mustaine recruited original Megadeth member Chris Poland
Chris Poland
Chris Poland is an American guitarist, best known for being a former member of heavy metal band Megadeth.-Early career:...
and the drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Vinnie Colaiuta
Vinnie Colaiuta
Vincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
to help record the album, and after the Blackmail the Universe tour Mustaine decided to not disband the band and continued recording as Megadeth. Dave, Chris Poland
Chris Poland
Chris Poland is an American guitarist, best known for being a former member of heavy metal band Megadeth.-Early career:...
, Vinnie Colaiuta
Vinnie Colaiuta
Vincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
, along with Jimmie Lee Sloas, form the personnel for "The Scorpion".
The song was chosen as the third single off the album in 2005, but did not receive a music video. However, to help promote the song as a single, it was played live by the band during their Blackmail the Universe tour, but has not been played since, like most songs off the album. Despite the promotion, the song failed to chart on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, which was Megadeth's first single to do so in over a decade, since "Skin o' My Teeth
Skin o' My Teeth
"Skin o' My Teeth" is the third single from Megadeth's multi-platinum album Countdown to Extinction. The song, written by Dave Mustaine, deals with the theme of a failed suicide attempt. It's one of the fastest songs of the album, with a pace of 196 bpm...
". This made it the final single on the album, and it was not until 2010 that Megadeth managed to chart again, with their song "The Right to Go Insane
The Right to Go Insane
"The Right to Go Insane" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It is the final track and second single from their twelfth studio album Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009...
". The song however was not without its influence, as the answer section on the official Megadeth website was named after the song and bears the image of the single cover art.
Lyrical meaning
After being asked by a fan (who believed the song to have been written about one-night stands), the band revealed that the song was, in fact based on Aesop's FablesAesop's Fables
Aesop's Fables or the Aesopica are a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and story-teller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BCE. The fables remain a popular choice for moral education of children today...
, a parable about destructive nature. The Scorpion and the Frog
The Scorpion and the Frog
The Scorpion and the Frog is a fable about a scorpion asking a frog to carry him across a river. The frog is afraid of being stung during the trip, but the scorpion argues that if it stung the frog, the frog would sink and the scorpion would drown. The frog agrees and begins carrying the...
forms the direct lyrical basis for the song, as the song documents the tale. The Scorpion and the Frog is a fable
Fable
A fable is a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized , and that illustrates a moral lesson , which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim.A fable differs from...
of unknown author, attributed to various West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n folktales. The story is about a scorpion
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...
asking a frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
to carry him across a river. The frog is afraid of being stung, but the scorpion reassures him that if it stung, the frog would sink and the scorpion would drown as well. The frog then agrees; nevertheless, in mid-river, the scorpion stings him, dooming them both. When asked why, the scorpion explains, "I'm a scorpion; it's my nature." There is also a variation in which the final words of the scorpion are "It is better we should both perish than that my enemy should live."
The chorus is the largest example of how the song was inspired by the story. "As I climb onto your back, I will promise not to sting" refers to the scorpion climbing onto the back of the frog and telling it that it won't be harmed. "I will tell you what you want to hear and not mean anything" refers to the lies told by the scorpion to insure assistance by the frog, and "Then I treat you like a dog as I shoot my venom in" is the line signifying the frog being struck by the scorpion. The end of the story documents the scorpion's explanation for stinging the frog, with "You pretend you didn't know that I am a scorpion".
Track listing
- "The Scorpion" (Radio Edit) - 3:59
- "The Scorpion" (Album Version) – 6:00
Personnel
- Dave MustaineDave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, lead vocals, lyricsLyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
, soloSolo (music)In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer... - Chris PolandChris PolandChris Poland is an American guitarist, best known for being a former member of heavy metal band Megadeth.-Early career:...
- guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Jimmie Lee Sloas - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Vinnie ColaiutaVinnie ColaiutaVincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
External links
- YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7bDjcEkT3k - MegadethMegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
's Official Site http://www.megadeth.com/home.php - Official lyricsLyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-scorpion-lyrics-megadeth.html