Chris recorded his first album, The Swiss Army Romance, in 2000. The following year, he recorded Further Seems Forever's debut album The Moon Is Down. However, he left the band soon after the album's release, instead recording and releasing his sophomore album The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most, as well as a follow-up EP titled So Impossible.
By 2002, three other musicians had joined the band, including former Further Seems Forever band mate Jerry Castellanos and started the process of recording the band's next album. After the success of his second album, Carrabba was asked to perform on MTV Unplugged, and the subsequent release marked the first time many of the songs were recorded with a full band.
Also in 2002, the music video for "Screaming Infidelities" won the coveted MTV2 award at the MTV Video Music Awards, beating out Norah Jones, The Strokes, The Hives, Nappy Roots and Musiq. This video starred Chris in both the performance and the storyline. The video was directed by Maureen Egan and Matthew Barry.
In 2003, the band released its third album A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. Peaking at #2 on the United States Billboard charts, the album proved to be the band's most commercially-viable album yet. In the summer of 2004, Dashboard Confessional recorded the song "Vindicated" for the film Spider-Man 2. The song was featured on the soundtrack and played over the film's end credits. Because of this, the band gained a sizable audience for their next release the following summer.
In May of 2005, Dashboard Confessional entered the studio to record their fourth album with acclaimed producer, Daniel Lanois. The album was released on June 27, 2006; its first single was "Don't Wait". Following the release of Dusk and Summer, Dashboard Confessional went on a summer tour of the U.S. with special guests Say Anything and Ben Lee, followed by a co-headlining arena tour with alternative rock band Brand New.
In 2007, the band released its follow-up to Dusk and Summer, The Shade of Poison Trees.
During an interview with Billboard posted on September 11, 2007, Carrabba stated that he is 14 tracks into what would be the band's sixth studio album. He is also unsure about when it would be recorded, but plans to have 30 tracks to draw from. It may be a concept album: "only with the last three has it become, like, 'All right, these have a continuity and there's something going on,' so I'm excited to see where that leads".
The album, titled 'Alter The Ending', was released November 10 2009 (US). A two disc version of the album is available. In this edition, the first disc consists of full band workings of the twelve tracks while the second disc features acoustic versions akin to the first two Dashboard Confessional albums.
This Bitter Pill
Dashboard Confessional Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not the same as running
Is it to you now
That you've run this in the ground
And you say, "Take this,
This medicine is just what you deserve.
Swallow, choke, and die."
And this bitter pill is leaving you with such an angry mouth
One that's void of all discretion, such an awful tearing sound
With it's measure only equalled by the power of my stare
Glaring over you and over you this feeling of despair is never wearing out
It's wearing off
And it's leaving you
With such a heavy heart
And a head to match
The bottle is waiting
The cap is twisted begging to be used
And so are you
And this bitter pill is leaving you with such an angry mouth
One that's void of all discretion, such an awful tearing sound
With it's measure only equalled by the power of my stare
Glaring over you and over you this feeling of despair is never wearing out
Wearing out
Wearing out
Wearing out
Wearing out
Wearing out
The lyrics of Dashboard Confessional's "This Bitter Pill" describe a tumultuous relationship that has reached its breaking point. The singer is being told to "take this" medicine, which is said to be what they deserve, and then to "swallow, choke, and die." This is clearly a metaphorical reference, implying that the singer has been metaphorically poisoned by the relationship, and now they are being told to suffer the consequences.
The "bitter pill" referred to in the song's title is a metaphorical representation of the singer's anguish and pain. The experiences that they have gone through have been so difficult and stressful that they feel they have been poisoned by the relationship's toxicity. The subsequent two verses describe how the singer is slowly burning out from the relationship they are in. An angry mouth, void of discretion, and an awful tearing sound are manifestation of the misery they are going through. The singer is left with a heavy heart and a mind to match, with the only solace being alcohol, as represented by the bottle and cap.
In conclusion, this song is a poignant representation of an individual in a destructive relationship. The lyrics speak to the universal experience of heartache and heartbreak, making it a relatable song to many.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking away
Leaving a situation or ending a relationship
It's not the same as running
Leaving with intent and haste is different from simply walking away
Is it to you now
Are you starting to understand
That you've run this in the ground
That you've ruined this beyond repair
And you say, "Take this,
You tell me to take something
This medicine is just what you deserve.
This is the punishment you deserve
Swallow, choke, and die."
You want me to suffer or even die
And this bitter pill is leaving you with such an angry mouth
This punishment is making you bitter and angry
One that's void of all discretion, such an awful tearing sound
You're lashing out in a thoughtless and hurtful way
With its measure only equalled by the power of my stare
Your hurtful words can only be matched by how angry and disappointed I am
Glaring over you and over you this feeling of despair is never wearing out
I can't shake this feeling of hopelessness and sadness when I think of you
It's wearing off
The numbness is fading
And it's leaving you
You're starting to feel the full weight of your actions
With such a heavy heart
Feeling guilty and sad
And a head to match
Feeling overwhelmed and stressed
The bottle is waiting
You're tempted to numb the pain with alcohol or other substances
The cap is twisted begging to be used
You're struggling to resist the urge to use something to dull the pain
And so are you
You're also begging for relief
Wearing out
The effects of the punishment, numbness, or temptation are slowly fading
Wearing out
The effects of the punishment, numbness, or temptation are slowly fading
Wearing out
The effects of the punishment, numbness, or temptation are slowly fading
Wearing out
The effects of the punishment, numbness, or temptation are slowly fading
Wearing out
The effects of the punishment, numbness, or temptation are slowly fading
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER ANDREW CARRABBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind