The New Game

Album: The New Game (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This creepy track, which was written from the perspective of a child abductor, was produced by Dave Fortman (Evanescence, Simple Plan, Slipknot). Fortman also helmed the rest of The New Game album.
  • Frontman and lyricist Chad Gray told Artist Direct about this track: "That song was kind of emotional for me to write. It's such a graphic piece of work. Some of the lines - 'Those poor little girls,' 'Want some candy' and stuff like that'-are pretty graphic. It's funny because I was in the studio with Dave Fortman. I was actually tracking those vocals, and I don't give him lyric sheets. He basically figures out what I'm saying as I track [Laughs]. Sometimes, he'll be like, 'What was that word?' We're tracking the second verse, and he just started cracking up. I was like, 'What's the deal?' He responded, 'I just realized what this song was.' We just laughed it off. I was like, 'Oh yeah, it's pretty f--kin' intense.' He said, 'Dude, it's rad as f--k. It's awesome. I've got kids!' It was weird for him to take for a minute because he has children. I don't want be overly like, 'This is what the song is.' However, there's a pretty 'it is what it is' kind of vibe. That was the dissection of a real person that I based that song off of. It's cool though."
  • The New Game album was completed 18 months before it was released. Bassist Ryan Martinie explained why to the Illinois Entertainer: "I think the general vibe is that it wasn't the right time for that record. That wasn't just us - that was the label, us, and management. I think we just questioned the timing in the industry and other things that were coming out."

    Martinie added that the released version is little different to the 99 per cent finished album 18 months previously. He said: "We had it remastered, but that's just a sonic, overall adjustment. There were no touchups to bits and pieces of songs; there were no extra tracks of guitar layered."

Comments: 1

  • Ryan from Pendleton, OrThe dissection of a real person that Chad might be talking about is "The Gray Man" or Albert Fish. A senior citezen that lived in New York in the early 1900's. He abducted children and ate them. He acquired the taste for young flesh from a friend he had in the shipping buisness. His friend ran a freighter back and fourth to China. Back in the day in China poor families would slaughter their children and sell them as veal. Fish's friend found out about what was going on and he liked the taste of the "veal". He brought some back for Albert to try and he liked it as well. He liked it so much that he became a serial killer of children. This wouldn't be the first time Mudvayne had a song about a serial killer. "Something To Gein" is about Edward Gein a serial killer that inspired movies like "Silence of the Lambs" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre".
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)Songwriter Interviews

Chad tells tales from his time as drummer for Nirvana, and talks about his group Before Cars.

Tanita Tikaram

Tanita TikaramSongwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.

Krishna Das

Krishna DasSongwriter Interviews

The top chant artist in the Western world, Krishna Das talks about how these Hindu mantras compare to Christian worship songs.

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & TearsSongwriter Interviews

The longtime BS&T frontman tells the "Spinning Wheel" story, including the line he got from Joni Mitchell.