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.
Twinkle
Jeff Rosenstock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pulled my hood to block the light from the TV
Turned the volume up to distract me from constant noises
Leaking under the apartment door
It doesn't help
I get up and I crawl out and don't hear more
Make a barricade of full trash bags and empty boxes
Perched behind them, closely watching
While you were asleep
On the couch, watching a movie, smoking weed
Rummaging through the utensils in the kitchen counter,
In the drainer, which one's sharper.
When the light creeps in
loosen my grip and crawl back into my bed.
Your alarm is set to go off in a half an hour.
Eyes closed. Fake snore. None the wiser.
Victoria made me happy
Now I can only be scared
And people tell me that time can fix the wound.
But that's crap.
'Cause she's not coming back
And life's unfair.
I'm always anxious and worried.
I'm always freaked out and scared.
And people tell me that time can fix the wound.
But that's crap.
Vicki's not coming back.
And I scream, "Why did I get left behind?"
I know it's an exaggeration
to say I would rather die than
share this place with people capable
of inspiring such fear and hopelessness
that I'm frozen in my bed...
but that sums it up.
Teenage halloween
Hot safety pins in nozzles of shaving cream
Spend the evening spraying cars, toilet papering houses
What's the harm in smashing pumpkins?
Decades on, with kids
And I don't let them go out past dark.
I sit on the front porch with a shotgun
While they're upstairs sleeping.
Total darkness.
Love. Protection.
The first verse of Jeff Rosenstock's "Twinkle" describes a dysfunctional relationship where the singer is struggling with anxiety and constantly on edge, while their partner is seemingly oblivious to their struggles. As their partner sleeps on the couch, the singer tries to block out the distracting noises that are aggravating their anxiety. They create a makeshift barricade out of trash bags and boxes to try and feel safe. Meanwhile, their partner is in a state of bliss, watching TV and smoking weed. The singer reflects on a past relationship, Victoria, who brought them happiness but is no longer around. They feel a sense of hopelessness and fear that is difficult to shake.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's anxiety, explaining that it is always present, and people who say time can heal it are simply wrong. They lament the fact that they were left behind by someone they loved, and express a desire to escape the world around them that seems to inspire fear and hopelessness. The final line repeats the word "sums it up," emphasizing the feeling of being trapped and helpless. The final lines of the song describe a nostalgic memory of teenage mischief on Halloween, which is contrasted with the adult narrator's paranoia and protectiveness over their own children.
"Twinkle" is a song that explores themes of anxiety, fear, and loss. Rosenstock paints a picture of a person who struggles to cope with their anxiety, feeling alone and helpless, while the world around them seems to only inspire more fear. The nostalgic tone of the final lines serves as a reminder that the innocence of youth is fleeting, and that as we grow older, we may feel more trapped and isolated in our struggles with mental health.
Line by Line Meaning
While you were asleep
This is when the singer starts acting out his anxieties and fears since he can't sleep
Pulled my hood to block the light from the TV
He is now trying to stop external stimuli from disturbing his peace and quiet
Turned the volume up to distract me from constant noises
He's trying to create new distractions to get his mind off of his feelings
Leaking under the apartment door
The artist is under constant stress and anxiety from his surroundings
It doesn't help
Regardless of what he tries, the anxieties he feels won't go away
I get up and I crawl out and don't hear more
He tries to leave his surroundings and go somewhere else when he gets overwhelmed
Make a barricade of full trash bags and empty boxes
He tries to obstruct his feelings by blocking out any stimuli that contributes to what he's going through
Perched behind them, closely watching
He feels safer from his anxieties under watchful eyes, even if it's not a real sense of security
On the couch, watching a movie, smoking weed
The other person in the apartment is fully at ease which exacerbates the artist's anxieties
Rummaging through the utensils in the kitchen counter,
He's anxious and starts doing random things to deal with it
In the drainer, which one's sharper.
He's dealing with his anxieties by thinking of small, insignificant decisions
When the light creeps in / loosen my grip and crawl back into my bed.
He's fearful of the light and retreats back into depression, as a result
Your alarm is set to go off in a half an hour. / Eyes closed. Fake snore. None the wiser.
The singer feigns sleep to avoid dealing with his anxieties anymore
Victoria made me happy / Now I can only be scared
The singer has been robbed of his sense of contentment and is now constantly anxious
And people tell me that time can fix the wound. / But that's crap. / 'Cause she's not coming back / And life's unfair.
The singer has lost someone important and thinks time can't heal the wound because what's been lost is irreplaceable
I'm always anxious and worried. / I'm always freaked out and scared.
He's constantly feeling uneasy and restless no matter the situation
And I scream, "Why did I get left behind?" / I know it's an exaggeration / to say I would rather die than / share this place with people capable / of inspiring such fear and hopelessness / that I'm frozen in my bed... / but that sums it up.
He's dealing with feelings of abandonment and being completely overwhelmed to the point of wanting to die just to escape
Teenage halloween / Hot safety pins in nozzles of shaving cream / Spend the evening spraying cars, toilet papering houses / What's the harm in smashing pumpkins?
The singer reminisces of his days of mischief as a teenager to contrast with his currently troubled self
Decades on, with kids / And I don't let them go out past dark. / I sit on the front porch with a shotgun / While they're upstairs sleeping. / Total darkness. / Love. Protection.
As an adult, he's gone through a significant change where he's now the protector of the children and no longer the troublemaker
Contributed by Max C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.