What's your fantasy?

For years now I've really loved this Mountain Goats b-side that appeared on the "demo" version of The Sunset Tree, a song called "The Day the Aliens Came." The melody is pretty bold and riveting, and Darnielle's singing makes him sound wounded but fearless, resilient, proud, etc. Some of the lines in particular always really got me: "I will find my way to the front door like a soldier crawling through the smoking carnage / smoldering bodies at my feet / I'd love to stick around but I've got someone to meet / And I will put my best foot forward / And I'll thank God I made it out of there." Later: "There's gonna be a redefining of some borders / And I will receive my orders."

Taken together, I always thought, the song is a rallying cry and a tale of redemption, full of purpose and resolve and confidence.

Except that last night I actually listened to all the words and realized it's about a crazy person who burns his family's house down because he thinks that aliens are coming for him and that they want him to kill everyone.

That bit about the smoldering bodies -- just what it sounds like! Also, second verse:

I will present myself in my nice white tuxedo jacket.
and I will look out at the day through my dark sunglasses,
and take in the scene.
the house behind me and the people in it
will all go up like steam in just a minute.
there's gonna be a redefining of some borders,
and I will receive my orders
on the day when my new friends come.

And third:

The rooftops and the sidewalks
will all melt like plastic.
and oh friends, old friends, dear friends,
I'm gonna look fantastic.
There won't be any reason left to cry
'cause there won't be any people left to cry for.
my memory's gonna vaporize itself,
and my italian shoes, well, they will be to die for.
I believe I can fly.
Might you look up at me and wave goodbye,
on the day when my new friends come?

I guess the aliens are his new friends, and he thinks they're going to take him under their wing and tell him what to do. What does it mean that I found myself pretty inspired when I listened to this song before I realized what it was about?

"Thematically," it actually reminds me of another song, "Phasers on Kill," by Screeching Weasel, in which aliens come and crash on the singer's couch and in exchange he wants them to go kill his ex-girlfriend:

What to do a spaceship crew came
Crashing through my house
Captain Kirk the stupid jerk
Punched me in the mouth.
Why'd you pick this place?
You came from outer space
If you're sleeping on my couch then
You'll do what I say
Go! Set the phasers on kill
Go! Set the phasers on kill
Go! Set the phasers on kill
'Cause I don't love her anymore.

It seems pretty clear, assuming it's true what Keyhole says about the way things are, that the Mountain Goats song is about grey aliens and the Screeching Weasel one is about green ones.