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
The Obituaries
The Menzingers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From a rooftop in Brooklyn, that was covered in bad graffiti
And then I let a thousand splinters pierce right through my spoiled liver
Whatever that was left of it
'Cause I curse my lonely memory with picture perfect imagery
Maybe I'm not dying, I'm just living in decaying cities
But I'm still healthy, I'm still fine, I've been spending all my time
But I will fuck this up
I fucking know it
I will fuck this up
I fucking know it
Well I will fuck this up
I fucking know it
I will fuck this up
I fucking know it
'Cause I am the shadow of the waxwing slain
I felt the false azure from windowpanes
I am just freaking out, yeah I'll be fine
But I will fuck this up
I fucking know it
I will fuck this up
I fucking know it
I will fuck this up
I fucking know it
I will fuck this up
I fucking know it
The Menzingers's "The Obituaries" is a song about the struggles of feeling disconnected and unsatisfied with one's current state of life. The lyrics begin by describing a moment of reflection atop a rooftop in Brooklyn, where the singer is surrounded by the bright lights of the city below them. In this moment, they admit to feeling a deep sense of dissatisfaction, as though there is something missing from their life that they cannot quite put their finger on.
The second verse reveals that the singer has been spending their time reading obituaries, perhaps as a way of grappling with their own mortality and the fleeting nature of life. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "I will fuck this up, I fucking know it" several times, suggests that the singer is struggling with self-doubt and a fear of not being able to live up to their own expectations.
The bridge of the song includes the line "I am the shadow of the waxwing slain," which may be a reference to a poem by Vladimir Nabokov. In this poem, the waxwing is a bird that becomes intoxicated by the false reflection of the sky on a windowpane and consequently perishes. The line "I am just freaking out, yeah I'll be fine" seems to suggest that the singer is aware of their own anxieties and doubts, but is still hopeful that they will be able to find fulfillment and meaning in their life.
Line by Line Meaning
We stumble and stare at the carnival lights, that lit up New York City
We are walking clumsily and gazing at the vibrant lights of the amusement park, which illuminated the city of New York.
From a rooftop in Brooklyn, that was covered in bad graffiti
We are standing on a rooftop in the Brooklyn neighborhood, which is painted with unpleasant graffiti.
And then I let a thousand splinters pierce right through my spoiled liver
I allowed numerous disappointments and hardships to stab through my already damaged spirit.
Whatever that was left of it
The remaining shattered pieces of my spirit.
'Cause I curse my lonely memory with picture perfect imagery
I torment myself by vividly recalling happier times when I wasn't so alone.
Maybe I'm not dying, I'm just living in decaying cities
Perhaps I'm not actually dying, but simply residing in cities that are slowly deteriorating and losing their vibrancy.
But I'm still healthy, I'm still fine, I've been spending all my time
Yet, I'm still physically healthy and okay, as I spend most of my time....
Reading the obituaries
Reading the published records of deceased individuals.
But I will fuck this up
I am bound to mess up this situation somehow.
I fucking know it
I am extremely certain that I will mess up.
Well I will fuck this up
Undoubtedly, I will ruin this situation.
I am the shadow of the waxwing slain
I am the remnant of a once-beautiful creature that was metaphorically killed.
I felt the false azure from windowpanes
I have perceived the artificial, unauthentic blue hue from windows.
I am just freaking out, yeah I'll be fine
I am only panicking, but it will all work itself out eventually.
I will fuck this up
Once again, I am certain that I will ruin this situation.
I fucking know it
I have no doubt that I will mess up.
I will fuck this up
I will certainly create a problem in this situation.
I fucking know it
Unequivocally, I will ruin this situation.
Contributed by Victoria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
HenryAdams18380510
These guys played in my attic a few years back and they killed it. I saw them play with Iron and Wine and Celine Dion.
States
Damn your attic must be too notch
Roy Jameson
Celine Dion 👏👏👏
Grant Amann
@States lol
walmars3curity
Holy shit. The fact his comment is almost 10 years old is even better
TheeJakeG93
The bass line in this song is so tasteful. It really ties the song together.
H Ga
as someone who works in a town called Menzingen I must say I absolutely love these guys. great song :-]
C R Bradbury
Thats the dopest comment by far!!!
Robert Braun
One of the best songs off of this album IMO. if not, I'm sure the chorus is relatable to everyone listening
R.G Bogle
I fucking know it