Shortly thereafter they were signed by Go-Kart Records and re-recorded the songs from "A Lesson" and re-released their album with the addition of some new tracks.
At the Fest VII in Gainesville, FL they were approached by Brendan Kelly of The Lawrence Arms and subsequently signed to Red Scare Industries.
They released their Red Scare debut EP "Hold On, Dodge" in 2009.
In April 2010, Chamberlain Waits was released, through Red Scare Records. In March and April they also toured in support of Against Me!.
On May 17, 2011 they announced that they had signed to Epitaph Records. Brett Gurewitz, founder of Epitaph Records and guitarist of Bad Religion said this about the signing of the band:
"These guys play the kind of pure punk rock that I grew up with. They are seriously talented songwriters and I'm happy to welcome them to the Epitaph family. I think the band is a great fit here."
They released their third full length album, On The Impossible Past, on February 21, 2012 via Epitaph Records.
The band currently lives in South Philadelphia, PA.
Band Members:
Tom May
Joe Godino
Greg Barnett
Eric Keen
Come Here Often?
The Menzingers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While my privilege showed like the chalk marks on display
The fear is something new, I'm confused by property too
The romanticized aesthetic, man it isn't as poetic
As apologetic street names and wars waged to lose
"Keep your head down"
"Keep your head down"
He said, "Keep your head down"
The above lyrics are from the song Come Here Often? by The Menzingers. The song is a commentary on race relations in America and the tensions and unease that come with it. The line "The white boy's visiting, the black man's here to stay" highlights the fact that racism is still prevalent in America, and although there has been progress, the societal attitudes towards race are still present.
The line "While my privilege showed like the chalk marks on display" refers to the fact that as a white individual, the singer benefits from privilege that is not afforded to people of color. The line "The fear is something new, I'm confused by property too" could be interpreted as the singer being uncomfortable addressing race and the property rights of those who have been historically exploited.
The chorus, with repeated injunctions to "keep your head down" shows the singer's feeling of unease and helplessness in the face of racism, and may be a message to people of privilege to be quiet and listen to marginalized voices. Overall, the song is a powerful message about race relations and the need for progress.
Line by Line Meaning
He said, "The white boy's visiting, the black man's here to stay"
Someone told me that white people are temporary visitors while black people are permanent members of society
While my privilege showed like the chalk marks on display
I realized that my privilege was obvious and apparent to everyone
The fear is something new, I'm confused by property too
I'm experiencing a new type of fear and I'm unsure about my ownership of property
The romanticized aesthetic, man it isn't as poetic
The idealized image of society isn't as beautiful or perfect as it seems
As apologetic street names and wars waged to lose
Even though street names and wars may be named after apologies, they still result in loss and destruction
"Keep your head down"
Someone advised me to stay out of trouble and avoid drawing attention to myself
"Keep your head down"
Someone repeated the advice to keep a low profile and stay safe
"Keep your head down"
The same person reiterated the importance of avoiding confrontation and staying under the radar
He said, "Keep your head down"
Someone advised me to avoid conflict and stay quiet in order to stay safe
Contributed by Peyton T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.