And through decades of solid output, rigorous touring, and unyielding punk ethos, he cemented himself as one of the most influential heroes of the DIY scene.
Rosenstock is a self-made artist who's built a bridge between enraged, angst-ridden political catharsis and hard-hitting depressive emotional introspection. His voice is loud, raspy, and on the cusp of anger, but underneath that lies enough nuance and subtlety to make his music fun and arresting all at once.
In just a couple of years, Jeff Rosenstock has gone from beloved underground punk mainstay to a DIY legend and one of the most acclaimed figures in modern punk.
The Trash The Trash The Trash
Jeff Rosenstock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I won't empty the trash.
So I won't empty the trash.
Worried about the moldy dishes
And spiders in the drain
So I won't do no dishes today
And I won't eat no dinner today
Freaked out by the roaches
And I don't like to spray them
'Cause I don't like to spray them
I just stay out of the kitchen.
It's not bad.
It's not like somebody died.
In five years, it'll be out of your mind
But I can't seem to feel alive today.
You're standing on the side of the road.
I'm circlin' the block.
Killin' time.
I feel like I'm lost and alone.
Circlin' the block kills time.
I won't empty the trash, the trash, the trash.
It's not bad.
It's not like somebody died.
We're all sad but we're probably fine
Even if we just don't feel alright today.
You're standing on the side of the road.
I'm circlin' the block.
Killin' time.
You're waiting and I turned off my phone.
Circlin' the block kills time.
I won't empty the trash, the trash, the trash.
The lyrics of Jeff Rosenstock's song The Trash The Trash The Trash express a sense of anxiety and avoidance towards mundane household tasks. The singer feels overwhelmed by the thought of dealing with the garbage, dirty dishes, and pests that come with living in a cluttered living space. Rather than confront these challenges, the singer chooses to simply ignore them, avoiding them altogether by not eating or cooking, not writing letters, and staying out of the kitchen.
The repetition of the phrase "I won't empty the trash, the trash, the trash" creates a mantra-like effect, emphasizing the cyclical nature of the singer's anxiety and avoidance. The chorus also suggests a sense of isolation and detachment, with the singer circling the block and turning off their phone while someone else waits on the side of the road.
Overall, the song explores themes of anxiety, avoidance, and the ways in which we cope with everyday stressors. It offers a candid and relatable portrayal of the difficulties that can arise from living in clutter and chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
Worried about the rodents and maggots in the trash
I'm scared of the pests in the garbage can
So I won't empty the trash.
I won't take the garbage out
So I won't empty the trash.
I won't take the garbage out
Worried about the moldy dishes
I'm concerned about the dirty plates
And spiders in the drain
And the spiders in the sink
So I won't do no dishes today
So I won't wash any dishes today
And I won't eat no dinner today
I won't have dinner today
And I won't write no letters today.
I won't write any letters today
Freaked out by the roaches
I'm scared of the cockroaches
And I don't like to spray them
And I don't like to use bug spray on them
'Cause I don't like to spray them
Because I don't like to use bug spray on them
I just stay out of the kitchen.
I avoid going into the kitchen
It's not bad.
It's not that bad
It's not like somebody died.
It's not as bad as someone dying
In five years, it'll be out of your mind
In five years, you won't even remember it
But I can't seem to feel alive today.
But today, I feel numb and disconnected
You're standing on the side of the road.
You're waiting on the sidewalk
I'm circlin' the block.
I'm driving around in circles
Killin' time.
Passing the time
I feel like I'm lost and alone.
I feel like I'm directionless and by myself
Circlin' the block kills time.
Driving around passes the time
I won't empty the trash, the trash, the trash.
I refuse to take the trash out, no matter what
It's not bad.
It's not that bad
It's not like somebody died.
It's not as bad as someone dying
We're all sad but we're probably fine
We're all a little down, but we're most likely okay
Even if we just don't feel alright today.
Even if today feels off
You're standing on the side of the road.
You're waiting on the sidewalk
I'm circlin' the block.
I'm driving around in circles
Killin' time.
Passing the time
You're waiting and I turned off my phone.
You're waiting for me and I've intentionally made myself unavailable
Circlin' the block kills time.
Driving around passes the time
I won't empty the trash, the trash, the trash.
I refuse to take the trash out, no matter what
Contributed by Aria R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tom Costerton
Nice to see some ‘I Look Like Shit’ getting a going over.
Rat Chapel
It’s my favorite album of his solo stuff so I was thinking the same, wish we got some Btmi songs every once in a while
Snehal Mane
cannot get this song out of my head rn
tessecher
Same
Austin Laverdure
"It's not bad it's not like somebody died; in 5 years it'll be out of your mind"
картошкаsalad
Got to see him kill it at Nuemo's all by himself opening for Andrew Jackson Jihad. Underrated doesn't even come close. He had amazing energy live.