"Men In Black"

SUBJECT: "conspiratorial paranoia" - Frank in the press kit for the album.

Is Men in Black about aliens or conspiracies or what?
"Well, It's about the Men in Black who are the psychological intimidators sent by the alien or maybe the government or maybe both."
- Frank in an online chat, 96

"I didn't realize that the Stranglers had done a whole album devoted to this subject. And I was just that, a subject, until just recently I was talking to the Santiago household. Apparently, actually, I'm not kidding, they've been experiencing some of this Men In Black phenomena. So I guess now the song should be so much more real." - Frank on stage, 2/96.

A movie with the same title came out not long after this song.. big summer blockbuster.. Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones.. So if you've seen that, you probably have a pretty good idea what the song's about. Guys whose job it is to keep aliens/UFOs/etc. hush-hush and dealing with people who have encounters.

LYRICS:
You believe it (you better) / I got their number / Classic camcorder / I saw everything / Dinner plate specials / The shapes of cucumber / I'm going to the papers / I am going to sing / In the cool, cool night / And in the middle of the day / I'm watching my back / I'm waiting my visitation / From the men in black / Are they grey or is it my own nation? / It's been a good year / It's been a good summer / I wait for the door or that phone to ring / Our little race / I don't want to fail / So just in case / I made you a copy / And I put it in the mail / You believe it / I got their number / Classic camcorder / I saw everything

HISTORY: This song was written well before the recording of Cult of Ray. Frank played it several times on the Teenager tour, and even recorded an early version of it that was later released as a b-side to "Headache." Frank apparently thought enough of it to give it a fresh take, and it turned out to be the biggest hit from COR. But it really helped cement the thought that Frank wrote the majority of his songs about aliens and outerspace, and it took the press a while to drop it.

LIVE: oh yeah, a lot in 94-96, occasionally later years

ACOUSTIC: yep