The Menzingers originally formed after the dissolution of Bob And The Saget… Read Full Bio ↴The Menzingers originally formed after the dissolution of Bob And The Sagets, a band local to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area of Pennsylvania. With the addition of Greg Barnett the band recorded a demo/self-released album "A Lesson In The Abuse Of Information Technology" in 2006.

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

So It Goes
The Menzingers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I’ve seen you on the side of the road,
Lined your pockets with pills,
But the powder bag, he can hold a grudge,
With your head, heart, stomach and lungs.

You had a dragon to chase,
Spread out, blood on your face,
And you’re oh so ungratefully dead.

Your sister is crying, your mother looks cold,
You can follow your father to bed.

It goes on and on, I’ve never been here before,
Hail Jerry full of grace.

Please seat yourself usher of the times,
Won’t recognise you.
Please seat yourself usher of the times,
Won’t recognise you.

I’ve seen you on the side of the road,
Lined your pockets with pills,
But the powder bag, he can hold a grudge,
With your head, heart, stomach and lungs.

So it goes...

Please seat yourself usher of the times,
Won’t recognise you.

Please seat yourself usher of the times,
Won’t recognise you.

Overall Meaning

The Menzingers's song So It Goes is a powerful and emotional piece that touches upon themes of addiction, pain, and loss. The lyrics describe a tragic story of a person who struggles with drug addiction and ultimately succumbs to it, leaving his family in ruins. The opening lines "I’ve seen you on the side of the road, Lined your pockets with pills" depict the character's addiction and desperation for drugs. The line "But the powder bag, he can hold a grudge, With your head, heart, stomach and lungs" is a metaphor for the devastating effects drugs can have on the human body.

The second verse continues the tragic story, with references to the character's family members. "Your sister is crying, your mother looks cold, You can follow your father to bed." Here, the lyrics suggest that the character's father may have also passed away, possibly due to addiction. The chorus repeats the line "Please seat yourself usher of the times, Won’t recognize you" multiple times, emphasizing the idea that addiction can strip an individual of their identity and sense of self.

Overall, So It Goes is a poignant and heartbreaking depiction of addiction and its devastating impact on the individual and their loved ones.

Line by Line Meaning

I’ve seen you on the side of the road,
I have witnessed you standing by the edge of the road,

Lined your pockets with pills,
You have filled your pockets with medication,

But the powder bag, he can hold a grudge,
The substance you consume can bear resentment towards you,

With your head, heart, stomach and lungs.
It can wreak havoc on your physical and emotional states.

You had a dragon to chase,
You had an ambition that you were pursuing,

Spread out, blood on your face,
You were reckless in your pursuit and became injured,

And you’re oh so ungratefully dead.
You died without showing gratitude for the things you had in life.

Your sister is crying, your mother looks cold,
Your sister is grieving while your mother looks distant,

You can follow your father to bed.
You can die and join your father in the afterlife.

It goes on and on, I’ve never been here before,
The cycle of life and death continues, and I am in uncharted territory.

Hail Jerry full of grace.
A reference to a religious prayer, possibly indicating hope or plea for salvation.

Please seat yourself usher of the times, Won’t recognise you.
The powers of the universe have changed, and you might not be recognized or accepted.

Please seat yourself usher of the times, Won’t recognise you.
A repetition of the previous line, emphasizing the potential alienation from the present world.

So it goes...
A resigned acknowledgement of the inevitable march of time and fate.

Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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