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.
While You're Waiting
Alkaline Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's been cut and bleed
Dry as your bloodshot eyes
And there's smoke in the air
And it's soon to clear
Revealing our demise
There are some who say
That it's a-okay
It's just way too bad
Now you're worse than sad
All locked up there in side
And I don't know how you feel
But I'll make you a deal
If you'll make it out alive
My shoulders and ears
Are all yours my dear
I hope it comes as no surprise
You've been known to say
That you're a-okay
When you're feeling sick inside
I just want you to know
I got no place to go
Until the day you die
While you're waiting
Be thankful for your fingers
I'll be fading
With the colors of your pictures
'I'm not crying wolf,' you whisper,
'I'm really dead this time
I'm really dead this time'
There's a hope in my head
That's been cut and bleed
Dry as your bloodshot eyes
And there's smoke in the air
And it's soon to clear
Revealing our demise
You've been known to say
That you're a-okay
When you're feeling dead inside
I just want you to know
I got no place to go
Until the day you die
While you're waiting,
Be thankful for your fingers,
I'll be fading
With the colors of your pictures
'I'm not crying wolf,' you whisper,
'I'm really dead this time
I'm really dead this time'
They locked you up
They threw away the key
Sutured your mouth shut
Murdered your family
Right before your eyes
What could you do?
Right before your eyes
They took it all from you
Your contemplating
You hanging from your ceiling
Can't help hating
You for having that feeling
I'm not joking when I tell you
I'd miss you all the time
I already miss you all the time
The lyrics to Alkaline Trio's "While You're Waiting" deal with feelings of hopelessness, despair, and a desire to be there for someone who is going through a difficult time. The song opens with an image of a hope "that's been cut and bleed," symbolizing the feeling of loss and emptiness that can come from a traumatic event or loss. The line "dry as your bloodshot eyes" highlights the exhaustion and sadness that the singer and the subject of the song are experiencing.
The song features themes of loss, as well as feelings of displacement and loneliness. The lyric "there's smoke in the air, and it's soon to clear, revealing our demise" highlights the idea that no matter how much smoke and fog one may try to hide behind, eventually the truth will be revealed. The subject of the song may be in a state of denial about their feelings, but the singer knows that they are struggling.
The chorus of the song is where the singer offers a deal to the subject of the song. They offer their shoulders and ears to help the person feel better, and the line "while you're waiting, be thankful for your fingers" serves as a reminder to focus on the good things that are still present in life. The line "I hope it comes as no surprise" shows that the singer is there for their friend and is not going anywhere.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a hope in my head
That's been cut and bleed
Dry as your bloodshot eyes
The singer has lost hope due to a troubling situation, similar to how someone's bloodshot eyes can indicate weariness and loss of hope.
And there's smoke in the air
And it's soon to clear
Revealing our demise
Smoke is a metaphor for the trouble and bad situation that is about to clear, exposing the harsh reality of a doomed situation.
There are some who say
That it's a-okay
If it makes you feel all right
The singer alludes to others who say that it's okay to ignore and hide feelings about a bad situation, rather than dealing with it to feel better.
It's just way too bad
Now you're worse than sad
All locked up there in side
It's sad that someone who's hurt or upset over a situation is now feeling worse and trapped, unable to freely express their feelings.
And I don't know how you feel
But I'll make you a deal
If you'll make it out alive
The artist acknowledges that they don't fully understand how someone else is feeling, but they offer a deal to help get through the tough times if they can make it out alive.
My shoulders and ears
Are all yours my dear
I hope it comes as no surprise
The singer is willing to lend support and listen to the other person, as they hope it's clear that they're there for them.
You've been known to say
That you're a-okay
When you're feeling sick inside
The other person often downplays or dismisses their own feelings of distress, pretending that they're okay when they're not.
I just want you to know
I got no place to go
Until the day you die
The artist wants the other person to know that they're there for them and don't plan on leaving anytime soon, even until the other person's last day.
While you're waiting,
Be thankful for your fingers,
I'll be fading
With the colors of your pictures
'I'm not crying wolf,' you whisper,
'I'm really dead this time
I'm really dead this time'
The artist reflects on the time they spent waiting and trying to hold onto their memories, while the other person tells them that they're really dead now and not just exaggerating, which is a hint at self-destructive thoughts.
They locked you up
They threw away the key
Sutured your mouth shut
Murdered your family
The other person has suffered greatly due to something terrible that happened to them, such as being imprisoned, silenced, and losing family members to murder.
Right before your eyes
What could you do?
Right before your eyes
They took it all from you
The singer highlights how little control the other person had over the situation and explains how losing everything happened right in front of them.
Your contemplating
You hanging from your ceiling
Can't help hating
You for having that feeling
The other person may be feeling so desperate that they contemplate suicide, and the artist confesses they can't help feeling angry at them for having those thoughts.
I'm not joking when I tell you
I'd miss you all the time
I already miss you all the time
The singer sincerely expresses that they would miss the other person a lot if anything were to happen to them and that they already miss them all the time anyway.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DANIEL MICHAEL ANDRIANO, DEREK R. GRANT, MATTHEW THOMAS SKIBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
EminentKnight
Seriously, Remains is one of my favourite CDs by these guys. I can't believe these songs weren't released. They're fuckin' quality!
Snake
They were released just on compilation albums - this is from the hot water music split
Dan Davies
"Your contemplating You hanging from your ceiling Can't help hating You for having that feeling I'm not joking when I tell you I'd miss you all the time I already miss you all the time" Those are the best lines of this song for me. Alkaline Trio is amazing.
James Perks
I am so happy Alkaline Trio relesed this album. So many great songs that may have gone unheard otherwise
Ybor Steve Esquire III
James Perks cant agree more... bought this the day it was released and listened to it one thousand times in the first week
Stuart R
"I already miss you all the time" never fails to give me chills
Jason Raio
I'm man enough to say it, this song just Damn near brought me to tears.
Luke Campbell
Brought me to tears while I was driving earlier today lol
dtown902
The last verse is the best. Fuck I love Alkaline
Jason Tracey
introducing the one, the only, Derek Grant,, the true percussionist to the trio