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.
I Was a Prayer
Alkaline Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a prayer, all you see is breath
I am empty, I am skin and bones, I'm a ribcage
Well, I'm out the door with apathy
And I'm coming home with sympathy
I am realize, I am shame, I choose to stay here
You got a sign, so I pay the ransom
Had a nice grip on my life 'til you twisted my arm
My arm
There's a song I love so much I stole
Every precious note I took, I sold
Now I spit out words 'til you see my lungs on the dance floor
To a hopeless cause, I sold my soul
A romantic plastic piece of shit you can mold
Until I break into chokable pieces
You got a sign, so I pay the ransom
You felt sorry, so I fucked her outcome
Had a nice grip on my life 'til you twisted my arm
My arm
And I open up like the back of a book
I ruin it within a drift, I kept looking (??)
I settle down like a rocket explodes
Hit the ground while I file every note (??)
You got a sign, so I pay the ransom
You felt sorry, so I fucked her outcome
Had a nice grip
"I Was a Prayer" is a song by American rock band Alkaline Trio. The song's lyrics reflect the feelings of a person who has lost everything, leaving them feeling empty and wishing for something more. The singer in the song is waiting for an event to occur that will finally complete them, and they describe themselves as a prayer. The words "I am empty, I am skin and bones, I'm a ribcage" create an image of the singer being physically and emotionally weakened, only existing as a shell of who they once were.
The lyrics go on to describe the singer's experiences with giving themselves up to others. They pay the ransom and even give up their soul for a hopeless cause. The line "A romantic plastic piece of shit you can mold" suggests that the singer has allowed themselves to be molded by others, abandoning their own desires for the sake of someone else's. The reference to selling notes from a song they loved implies that the singer has lost their own creativity and independence.
Ultimately, the song is about the singer's struggle to find themselves again after giving so much of themselves away. The final lines, "Hit the ground while I file every note" seem to suggest that they are starting over and rebuilding themselves, taking time to collect and organize their own thoughts and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
I am waiting 'til there's nothing left
I'm holding out until I'm completely drained.
I'm a prayer, all you see is breath
I'm a shell of what I once was - barely holding on.
I am empty, I am skin and bones, I'm a ribcage
I'm hollow, physically and emotionally.
Well, I'm out the door with apathy
I'm leaving with a complete lack of emotion.
And I'm coming home with sympathy
I'm returning with a newfound empathy.
I am realize, I am shame, I choose to stay here
I'm aware of my mistakes and feel guilty, but I still choose to stay in this situation.
You got a sign, so I pay the ransom
You gave me a sign, so I followed your lead.
You felt sorry, so I fucked her outcome
You showed compassion towards someone else, so I took advantage of the situation to my benefit.
Had a nice grip on my life 'til you twisted my arm
I was in control of my life until you pressured me to do something I didn't want to do.
There's a song I love so much I stole
I adore a particular song so much that I took it without asking.
Every precious note I took, I sold
I took every special aspect of that song and got something in return.
Now I spit out words 'til you see my lungs on the dance floor
I constantly express myself until it becomes too much for me to handle and it affects my breathing.
To a hopeless cause, I sold my soul
I gave up my beliefs and values for a situation that was already destined to fail.
A romantic plastic piece of shit you can mold
I'm easily influenced and malleable, resembling a fake and worthless object.
Until I break into chokable pieces
I'll continue to push myself to the brink of physical and emotional exhaustion.
And I open up like the back of a book
I easily reveal my thoughts and feelings to others.
I ruin it within a drift, I kept looking (??)
I often sabotage my relationships with others.
I settle down like a rocket explodes
I come back down to Earth and calm down after an intense outburst.
Hit the ground while I file every note (??)
I gather my thoughts and memories while staying grounded after a big event or moment.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DANIEL MICHAEL ANDRIANO, DEREK R. GRANT, MATTHEW THOMAS SKIBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind