G.I. Joe Is Dead (formerly known as Overthrow G.I. Joe) is a formerly unidentified hardcore punk song by New Jersey-based band The Systum.
The song tells the story of G.I. Joe, a president who is overthrown in a coup d'état. He is then assassinated by a killer also named G.I. Joe, a nod to the toy line.
Search History
2010s
The song was first posted to the New Wave Outpost forums by user Guglielm on August 23rd, 2012 along with multiple other unknown songs. He didn’t provide any information about the songs.
On April 13th, 2013, Guglielm commented on a WFMU.org page for a playlist made by radio DJ Terre T. He said all of the songs were recorded off of WFMU "ages ago".[1]
A week later, Guglielm commented on a WFMU playlist made by DJ Bob Brainen, specifying that the songs were recorded 20-30 years prior, specifically between 1981-1984 or 1991-1993, off of WFMU.[2]
Guglielm reposted the song to WatZatSong on July 15th, 2013, not providing any additional information about it.
On August 14th, 2014, Guglielm reposted the song to WatZatSong again. He said it was tagged as System - G.I. Joe.
2020s
On March 26th, 2023, Guglielm confirmed that he digitized all of his cassette tapes with the songs on them in the early 1990s, and no longer had any of them anymore.[3]
On December 5th, 2024, a similar sounding band, The Systum, was discovered by Discord user rocketballboi[4] after he found a 2012 YouTube video of the band performing[5]. The band was also confirmed to have played on WFMU.
On December 7th, 2024, user Funado contacted a member of the band who confirmed that the song was theirs and was titled "G.I. Joe Is Dead." This version of the song was a live recording at the CBGB music club.
Presumed Lyrics
[Everyone knows [?????] hit em' [?????] enemy felt so strange]
[Walk over on [chain] of death to [struggle] everyday]
Who do you think's the president and who’s money is he gonna spend?
[Aside to everybody getting trouble everybody's irate]
Going to overthrow G.I. Joe
Going to overthrow G.I. Joe
Overthrow
[They make the trouble when they lost the paper, lost a fight for getting chased]
[but I foiled for history, [?????] here's the [?????]]
What the hell do I think of you [I thought I was poisoned]
[though i love you [?????] sucks to] destroy you
Going to overthrow G.I. Joe
Going to overthrow G.I. Joe
Overthrow
[Don't make some things so strange, it's a violent] game
[Attend your crazy fun], operation done
(one, two, three, four!)
[everyone [?????] hit em' [?????] enemy felt so strange]
[Walk over on chain of death to struggle everyday]
[Who do you think's the president and who many keeps upset]
[Aside to everybody getting in trouble everybody's irate]
Going to overthrow G.I. Joe
Going to overthrow G.I. Joe
Overthrow
Overthrow
Overthrow
Overthrow
G.I. Joe
He is dead!
The Systum
Not to be confused with the band The System, consisted of Mic Murphy and David Frank.
The Systum was a short-lived indie and punk rock band from New Jersey, USA.
The band consisted of vocalist Diamond Geary, drummer John Steele, guitarist Frankie Fender, and bassist Chaunce Hayden.
Little is known about their early discography, other than "G.I. Joe Is Dead.".
The band likely disbanded at one point before reforming in early 2012. On January 28, 2012, they played a set of new songs at the Lion's Den Coffee House and Open Mic in Teaneck, New Jersey, and released seven tracks from the performance.
- Alienate and Regroup
- On The Move
- Zoloft Smile
- No Cover
- Another Day Another War
- Too Late Now
- Surfin' On A Triangle
You can watch videos of the band's live performance here.
Unfortunately, Frankie Fender passed away in a motorcycle accident in April 2024.
Gallery
