With Schwarzenbach on guitar and vocals, Bauermeister on bass, and Pfahler on drums, the band gained recognition in the late eighties and early nineties for their melodic yet driven sound built on the foundation for Schwarzenbach's poignant, bleeding-heart lyrics and signature rasp.
The band's first full-length release Unfun was put out by Shredder in 1990. On this, the band stuck close to the sound coming out of their contemporaries in the nascent pop punk scene in their sound, with the exception of Bauermeister's prominent bass lines and Schwarzenbach's lyrics, at times walking the line of the melodramatic.
Unfun was followed by Bivouac on Tupelo/Communion in 1992. Bivouac proved thicker and darker - both thematically and melodically - yet served to elevate the band above a crowd of previously similar acts. This more ambitious release also artfully used pieces of found-audio, in what was becoming one of the band's signatures, weaving it in and out of the ten minute title track, "Bivouac."
Their third release, 24 Hour Revenge Therapy, produced by the ubiquitous Steve Albini, unveiled a sparse pop-punk with more carefully crafted lyrics. This album also holds what has become arguably their best known song, "Boxcar."
Jawbreaker had seemed poised for critical and commercial success by the time of their fourth, and last album, Dear You. Despite a vigorous marketing push, Jawbreaker's album sales were anemic in the wake of a post-Green Day market, and was one of the causes leading to the end of the band's career in 1996.
The group recently reacquired the rights to Dear You and have successfully put the long out-of-print album back into circulation on Pfahler's label, Blackball Records.
The band's cult status as the definitive nineties proto-pop-punk band has grown since its breakup, and songs like "Kiss the Bottle" and "Jet Black" are referenced as influences by bands such as Sparta, Lucero, and Rocky Votolato. In 2003, a Jawbreaker tribute album, Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault was released on Dying Wish Records, and featured covers by 18 bands including Fall Out Boy, Nerf Herder, Sparta, and Face To Face.
Singer Blake Schwarzenbach went on to form the New York City-based band Jets to Brazil, who have also since broken up, and is now an adjunct English professor at Hunter College (CUNY). In the fall of 2008, he debuted his new band, Thorns of Life, formed with Aaron Cometbus of Crimpshrine and Pinhead Gunpowder on drums and ex-Gr'ups bassist Daniela Sea.
Drummer Adam Pfahler is currently drumming in San Francisco-based Whysall Lane, whose LP was released in 2006 on his own Blackball Records.
Bassist Chris Bauermeister has been playing in post-hardcore band Horace Pinker and pop-punk band Shorebirds, which was formed with Matt Canino, formerly of Latterman; Shorebirds split in the summer of 2008.
In 2021, Blake Schwarzenbach teamed up with Joyce Manor on a release.
In spite of the similar name, the band Jawbreaker Reunion is unrelated.
Housesitter
Jawbreaker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking down 16th street, hit the cross street Catatonia
I wish I had the strength to do your drugs, it must take strength
This life inside is hard to bring outside
Now you turn and cross the corner
Cold sweat, think of what's for dinner
Think I should be thinking deeper, this is your excuse to go outside
I'm sick not hungry, sick of people starved for love
I keep creating errands to take to people to talk to me
But still nothing human, money changes hands is all
This world's a broken record skipping on the call with no response
This is what you've been working towards
After all this time...think you'd learn
This punishment is your reward
When you got your wish bridges were burned
What are you taking so hard and why?
And are you giving anything back?
You made your life, now live in it
Misgiving isn't just another form of giving, is it?
Learning how to live without her
The one who gave you thirty chances
All of which you promptly blew
If up to you, you'd die to not offend
To not offend.
The lyrics of Jawbreaker's song Housesitter reflect the internal struggles of the singer. The opening lines "I lost all my thoughts of angels in an aspirin billboard, walking down 16th street, hit the cross street Catatonia" convey the loss of all hope and optimism in life, depicting a bleak and desolate landscape. The singer is struggling with their inner demons, the desire to escape their misery, and the need to find the strength to do so.
The second stanza continues the feeling of despair as the singer speaks about wanting to escape their reality but is held back by their own weakness. They wish to get lost in someone else's reality by "doing their drugs" but lack the strength to take that step. The chorus "This life inside is hard to bring outside" is a painful reminder that leaving behind their struggles is not as easy as they thought.
In the third stanza, the singer talks about the desperation to find human connection by creating errands to talk to people but to no avail. Money changes hands, but nothing human comes out of it. The world they live in is broken, and the singer feels disconnected from it. The final stanza is a bitter reminder that their choices have led them to this state of hopelessness. They have burned bridges and hurt loved ones in the past, and now they must live with the consequences of their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
I lost all my thoughts of angels in an aspirin billboard
I have lost my faith in good and righteous things, and my mind is now filled with reminders of capitalist commodities.
Walking down 16th street, hit the cross street Catatonia
As I walk down the street of life, I find myself in a state of mental numbness and an inability to feel or experience anything.
I wish I had the strength to do your drugs, it must take strength
I am aware of the consequences of abusing drugs and I am weak for not giving in, you are a formidable human for having that strength.
This life inside is hard to bring outside
It's difficult for me to express the emotions and experiences I have inside of me out in the world where they can be seen and heard.
Now you turn and cross the corner
In this moment, it becomes clear that you are moving on and leaving this situation behind.
Cold sweat, think of what's for dinner
I am anxious and uncomfortable in this moment, and my mind is preoccupied with mundane physical needs like hunger.
Think I should be thinking deeper, this is your excuse to go outside
I feel like I should be contemplating deep thoughts and engaging in philosophical discussion, but instead, I'm making small talk to avoid being alone.
I'm sick not hungry, sick of people starved for love
I'm not physically ill, but I'm emotionally drained and sick of being around people who lack genuine love and care for one another.
I keep creating errands to take to people to talk to me
I'm coming up with shallow reasons to interact with people, just so I can have someone to talk to and stave off my feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
But still nothing human, money changes hands is all
Despite my attempts to connect with others, the interactions are devoid of any real human connection, and the only thing that seems to matter to people is money and financial transactions.
This world's a broken record skipping on the call with no response
The world is repeating the same meaningless patterns and actions over and over again, with no one listening or responding to the cries for help or change.
This is what you've been working towards
The current situation and your current life circumstances are a direct result of your prior actions and choices.
After all this time...think you'd learn
Despite the many experiences and lessons you've had over the years, it seems that you have not actually learned anything and continue to make the same mistakes and poor decisions.
This punishment is your reward
What you may perceive as punishment or hardship is actually the natural consequence of your actions and the reward for your poor behavior and choices.
When you got your wish bridges were burned
You may have gotten what you wanted, but in doing so, you irreparably damaged relationships and lost valuable connections with others.
What are you taking so hard and why?
What is causing you so much emotional pain and distress, and what can you do to address and resolve these issues?
And are you giving anything back?
In order to receive love and kindness from others, it's important to give the same in return and contribute positively to the relationships and communities around you.
You made your life, now live in it
You are the architect of your own life and circumstances, so take responsibility for your choices and make the most of what you've created for yourself.
Misgiving isn't just another form of giving, is it?
Being hesitant and uncertain is not the same as giving something to another person, and true giving involves wholeheartedly and generously providing something of value to others.
Learning how to live without her
The process of adjusting to a life without someone who was once a significant part of your life can be difficult and painful, but there is still opportunity for growth and self-discovery.
The one who gave you thirty chances, all of which you promptly blew
Someone who was patient and forgiving with you gave you many opportunities for redemption and improvement, but you wasted every single chance and failed to take responsibility for your actions.
If up to you, you'd die to not offend
You are so desperate to avoid conflict and offending others that you would choose to cease living altogether rather than risk upsetting someone.
To not offend.
The fear of causing offense and upsetting others is such a pervasive force in your life that it colors every decision you make and every interaction you have.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Perez
one of my favorites #etc #jawbreaker
Brent Lohr
When you got your wish bridges were burned
JHR
When I got my wish, my TIME was burned