The band's influence is evidenced in the work of acts such as Refused, Frodus, The Murder City Devils, At the Drive-In, The Icarus Line, and Thursday. McCabe was also infamous for egging Hare-Krishna devotees and throwing yogurt at Earth Crisis.
In 1999, Ink & Dagger formally announced that they were disbanding. Shortly after recording what was to be the band's final album, singer Sean Patrick McCabe was found dead in a motel room in Indiana in 2000. He was 27. The final and self-titled album was released on Buddyhead Records with a picture of a young Sean in a vampire costume featured in the CD booklet.
Microsoft Xbox videogame Amped uses three songs from The Fine Art of Original Sin. In 2005, former drummer Ryan McLaughlin sued Microsoft, claiming that they were used without the band's knowledge. The suit was settled out of court in 2006.
Caretaker
Ink & Dagger Lyrics
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This terror screams louder than your whine
Our funeral becomes your everything
It's a miracle you have the time
So you want us dead, you want us gone?
It's easier said than done
(And it's not that easy)
Deeper and deeper you dig your own holes
But I'm not your caretaker
I'm not your newsmaker
We will no longer be victims of this world;
From now on the world will be our victim
The opening lines of "Caretaker" by Ink & Dagger speak about the opening of the graveyard, which can be metaphorically interpreted as a place where memories and experiences are buried, signifying the end of a cycle. The idea of the "terror screams louder than your whine" implies that the fear of the unknown and the future is more powerful than any complaints one may have about the present. The following line "our funeral becomes your everything" could suggest that some individuals may remain stuck in lamenting the past and unable to move on from it, a notion that is affirmed in the phrase that follows, "it's a miracle you have the time". The lyric could be addressing individuals who held a grudge or were unable to let go of certain events or circumstances, warning them to let go or take the risk of being left behind.
The lyrics go on to address those who wish for the band's downfall, saying "so you want us dead, you want us gone? It's easier said than done", highlighting that criticism is easy but finding real solutions is not always as simple. The next two lines demonstrate a sense of confidence and independence in the face of such criticism, "deeper and deeper you dig your own holes, but I'm not your caretaker, I'm not your newsmaker". Finally, the song culminates in the assertion that "we will no longer be victims of this world, from now on the world will be our victim", declaring that they will no longer be subjected to outside negativity or circumstances and instead be in control of their own environment.
Line by Line Meaning
The graveyard is now open
We have opened the door to death and destruction
This terror screams louder than your whine
The chaos and fear we bring is more significant than your complaints
Our funeral becomes your everything
Our demise is the only thing that matters to you
It's a miracle you have the time
You're fortunate to have time to worry about our demise, while we have none
So you want us dead, you want us gone?
Do you wish for our death and disappearance?
It's easier said than done (And it's not that easy)
Killing and getting rid of us is not an easy task as you think
Deeper and deeper you dig your own holes
You're digging yourself into a deeper hole with each action you take against us
But I'm not your caretaker
I'm not responsible for taking care of you or protecting you
I'm not your newsmaker
I'm not the one who's going to share news about us, you're not important enough for that
We will no longer be victims of this world;
We won't be controlled by the world anymore
From now on the world will be our victim
We will become the oppressors and rule the world as we see fit
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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