The band formed in December of 1996, originally consisting of Skiba, Rob Doran (bass/vocals), and Glenn Porter (drums/vocals). 1997 saw the release of the band's first EP, Sundials. This was followed shortly after by the departure of Doran. He was replaced by Andriano, who had been the singer for Tuesday and bassist for the ska band Slapstick. The band released their second EP, entitled For Your Lungs Only, in 1998, which began to build them a sizable fan base in the American Midwest. Later that year, they released their first full-length album, Goddamnit, followed by Maybe I'll Catch Fire in 2000. Both were released on Asian Man Records. Also in 2000, the band released a collection of their previously-released EPs on a self-titled album.
Following the success of their Asian Man releases, Alkaline Trio signed to Vagrant. Joined by new drummer Mike Felumlee (previously of the Smoking Popes), From Here to Infirmary was released in 2001. It was their first album to see any interest from alternative radio and the mainstream media, with the semi-hit punk single "Stupid Kid" and the inclusion of the song "Armageddon" on the Tony Hawk's Underground as well as Tony Hawks American Wasteland video games. Their cover of "Over at the Frankenstein Place" was included in the compilation The Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show, an album made to pay tribute to the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
After the release, Felumlee left the band too and was replaced by Grant, previously of The Suicide Machines.
Their next full-length album was Good Mourning, released in 2003, with the album's launch single "We've Had Enough" seeing a considerable amount of commercial success. The album was a significant departure from earlier works, featuring greater production value and a noticeable move toward a more mainstream sound.
The band has also appeared on various compilation albums, notably Plea for Peace Vol. 1 and Rock Against Bush Vol. 1. Skiba and Andriano have both independently recorded split records, Skiba with Kevin Seconds on Asian Man Records and Andriano with Mike Felumlee on Double Zero Records, as well as jointly performing backing vocal duties on the album This is Unity Music by Common Rider. They have also recorded two split EPs with bands who are no longer together: one with Hot Water Music in 2000 and the other with One Man Army in 2004.
Alkaline Trio released their fifth studio album on Vagrant Records, entitled Crimson, on May 24, 2005, which featured the single "Time to Waste." The single for this song also included bonus tracks produced by Mass Giorgini. The tracks "Mercy Me" and "Burn" have also been released as singles from the album.
In 2004 Andriano became a member of The Falcon, a super-group of consisting of The Lawrence Arms' bassist/co-vocalist Brendan Kelly (with who he had played with in Slapstick), and Neil Hennessy, drummer from The Lawrence Arms. The band released a 5-song EP in 2004, and its first full-length Unicornography in September of 2006.
In 2006 Matt Skiba collaborated with Josiah Steinbrick for the band Heavens.
In 2008 Alkaline Trio released Agony & Irony on Epic Records. The album charted at #13 on the Billboard 200.
Alkaline Trio's 7th studio album, This Addiction,was released on February 23rd 2010. This was their first album under their own label, Heart & Skull, an offshoot of Epitaph, and the album debuted at #11 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest the band has ever charted to date.
Alkaline Trio's eighth studio album, Damnesia,, was released July 12, 2011. Consisting of "a selection of beloved fan favorites selected from the group's extensive catalogue and presented in an intimate semi-unplugged format", the album also included two new songs, "Olde English 800" and "I Remember a Rooftop", as well as a cover version of the Violent Femmes' "I Held Her in My Arms".
On April 2nd, 2013, Alkaline Trio released "My Shame Is True".
On August 31st, 2013, Alkaline Trio released "Is This Thing Cursed?".
On June 8th, 2023, longtime drummer Derek Grant left the band due to mental health reasons and intentions to pursue music production as well as graphic design. He was replaced by Atom Willard, formerly of bands such as Rocket from the Crypt and Against Me!. The band then released the single, "Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs" on October 17th, 2023, and announced an album of the same name due for a release date of January 26th, 2024.
Enjoy Your Day
Alkaline Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How was your vacation home?
Well obviously you were busy, too busy for me
So this is how you leave me?
I'm broken hearted on the floor,
My tears seep through the crack under my door
Where I am locked in, shut down,
I'm so tired of picking myself up off the ground
So Happy Valentine's Day
I hope the sun's out in New York
I hope he bought you roses
I hope he bought you roses
So Happy Valentine's Day
I hope the sun's out in New York
I hope he bought you roses
I hope he bought you roses
The lyrics of "Enjoy Your Day" by Alkaline Trio convey a sense of heartbreak, abandonment, and bitterness. The singer is addressing their former partner, who has gone on vacation and appears to have become disinterested in the relationship. The tone is sardonic and self-pitying, and there is a sense of regret and longing for what has been lost.
The opening lines of the song, "So where'd you go? How was your vacation home?" suggest that the singer has been left behind while their partner has gone off to enjoy themselves without them. This sense of abandonment is echoed in the lines "Well obviously you were busy, too busy for me / So this is how you leave me?" The singer appears devastated by this abandonment, as they describe themselves as being "broken hearted on the floor." However, there is also a sense of anger and bitterness in the lines "I'm so tired of picking myself up off the ground."
The chorus of the song is a bitter twist on the traditional Valentine's Day greeting. Instead of expressing love and affection, the singer wishes their ex-partner a happy Valentine's Day while also expressing a hope that they are unhappy and that their new partner has bought them roses. The repetition of the line "I hope he bought you roses" reinforces the singer's bitterness and resentment. Overall, the song is a powerful expression of the pain of heartbreak and the sometimes bitter aftermath of failed relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
So where'd you go?
Asking where the person went and implying that they disappeared from the singer's life.
How was your vacation home?
Asking about the person's vacation home as if the singer is trying to keep the conversation light and casual.
Well obviously you were busy, too busy for me
Acknowledging that the person was too busy for the singer, which makes the singer feel neglected and unimportant.
So this is how you leave me?
Expressing disappointment at the way the person left, with no explanation or goodbye.
I'm broken hearted on the floor,
Describing the emotional pain the artist is experiencing, which has caused them to metaphorically collapse on the floor.
My tears seep through the crack under my door
Visualizing the sadness and tears literally seeping out from under the door, highlighting the isolation and loneliness the singer feels.
Where I am locked in, shut down,
Expressing the feeling of being trapped and isolated, which has caused the singer to emotionally shut down.
I'm so tired of picking myself up off the ground
Feeling exhausted from repeatedly trying to recover from emotional pain and heartbreak.
So Happy Valentine's Day
Sarcastically wishing the person a happy Valentine's Day, which is typically a day for celebrating romantic love.
I hope the sun's out in New York
Expressing that the person hopes the recipient is enjoying their Valentine's Day in New York, a place associated with glamour and romance.
I hope he bought you roses
Hope that the person's new partner bought them roses, which is often seen as a romantic gesture.
I hope he bought you roses
Repeating the same sentiment to emphasize the artist's sarcasm and bitterness.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DANIEL MICHAEL ANDRIANO, DEREK R. GRANT, MATTHEW THOMAS SKIBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind