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
Toy Soldier
The Menzingers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Singalongs in broken English
A malady from middle ages
I lost my accent in the plague
It′s a murder mystery how my
Grapes all turned to cheap red wine
What was I to do with all this sorrow?
Days
I have millions of opinions
I hope one day you′ll hear me out
Under a pseudonym I'll write them
I can't be honest with myself
It′s a murder mystery unsolved
But I heard it was laced with Fentanyl
What am I to do with all this sorrow?
There′s so much to be sad about these days
Days
But the war ain't over, little toy soldier
This is the calm before the storm
You wanna raise hell with your dead friends
And burn the candle at both ends
The war ain′t over, little toy soldier
This is the calm before the storm
Say goodbye to your dead friends
One day you'll see them all again
One day you′ll see them all again
I have only words to play with
Sing alongs in broken English
A malady from middle ages
I lost my accent in the plague
The murder mystery's been solved
But it sure doesn′t make any sense at all
What am I to do with all this sorrow?
There's so much to be sad about these days
Days
These days
Days
But the war ain't over, little toy soldier
This is the calm before the storm
You wanna raise hell with your dead friends
And burn the candle at both ends
The war ain′t over, little toy soldier
This is the calm before the storm
Say goodbye to your dead friends
One day you′ll see them all again
Again
The Menzingers's song Toy Soldier explores themes of existentialism and nostalgia through the lens of a first-person narrative. The lyrics delve into the feelings of loss, confusion, and aimlessness that come with growing older and realizing one's mortality.
The opening lines "I have only words to play with, Singalongs in broken English" speak to the limitations of language as a tool for conveying meaning. The singer feels limited and frustrated, struggling to express his innermost thoughts and emotions. The reference to the "malady from middle ages" suggests that these feelings are not unique to the modern world, but have been experienced by people throughout history.
The following lyrics "It's a murder mystery how my, Grapes all turned to cheap red wine" continue this theme of disillusionment and confusion, suggesting that life has not turned out the way the singer had hoped. He feels overwhelmed by sorrow and sadness, and doesn't know how to deal with his feelings.
The chorus "But the war ain't over, little toy soldier, This is the calm before the storm" provides a sense of hope and resilience, suggesting that there is still time to make a difference and to fight for what one believes in. Despite the challenges and difficulties of life, the singer encourages listeners to persevere and not give up hope, even when things seem bleak.
Line by Line Meaning
I have only words to play with
I have limited resources for self-expression
Singalongs in broken English
Although my words are limited, I find ways to creatively express myself
A malady from middle ages
The struggle with a personal issue feels like an affliction from a distant time period
I lost my accent in the plague
My voice has been altered by the challenges I've faced
It's a murder mystery how my grapes all turned to cheap red wine
It's difficult to trace how things went wrong and how I ended up in a difficult place
What was I to do with all this sorrow?
I struggle to manage my emotions and find a resolution to my struggles
There's so much to be sad about these days
The world around me is filled with sadness and negativity
I have millions of opinions
I have a lot of thoughts and beliefs to express
I hope one day you'll hear me out
I desire to be heard and understood by others
Under a pseudonym I'll write them
I feel the need to hide my true self when expressing my opinions
I can't be honest with myself
I struggle to be true to myself and my beliefs
It's a murder mystery unsolved
My personal struggles have yet to be resolved or understood completely
But I heard it was laced with Fentanyl
My struggles have been made even more difficult by external factors beyond my control
The war ain't over, little toy soldier
Although it may seem like the struggle is over, it's really just a temporary calm
This is the calm before the storm
Things may be quiet now, but a difficult time is on the horizon
You wanna raise hell with your dead friends
You desire to act out in destructive ways with those who have similar struggles
And burn the candle at both ends
You are overextending yourself and pushing yourself to the limit
Say goodbye to your dead friends
Let go of those who are no longer with you
One day you'll see them all again
Although it may seem final, there is hope for a reunion with those who have passed
The murder mystery's been solved
There has been some resolution or understanding of my personal struggles
But it sure doesn't make any sense at all
Although resolution has been reached, it still feels confusing or incomplete
There's so much to be sad about these days
The world around me is still filled with negativity and sadness
These days
In the present moment
Again
Hope for a reunion with those who have passed is reiterated
Writer(s): Eric Keen, Tom May, Joe Godino, Gregory Cornelius Barnett
Contributed by Aiden H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Livia
I have only words to play with
Sing alongs in broken english
A malady from middle ages
I lost my accent in the plague
It's a murder mystery how my
Grapes all turned to cheap red wine
What was I to do with all this sorrow?
There's so much to be sad about these days
I have millions of opinions
I hope one day you'll hear me out
Under a pseudonym I'll write them
I can't be honest with myself
It's a murder mystery unsolved
But I heard it was laced with fentanyl
What was I to do with all this sorrow?
There's so much to be sad about these days
But the war ain't over, little toy soldier
This is the calm before the storm
You wanna raise hell with your dead friends
And burn the candle at both ends
The war ain't over, little toy soldier
This is the calm before the storm
Say goodbye to your dead friends
One day you'll see them all again
Fatal85
The Menzingers = No bad song <3
Jacob Wallers
You know, I was going to argue this, but I don't know if I can. I mean, there are some songs I don't care for, but that doesn't mean they're BAD songs. Fuckin' love these guys
Chloe Mcholoe
I don't mean to be rude but i'm honestly not a fan at all of their early songs :c but like their last 3-4 albums rock!
Stacy Jenkins
I just love these guys🌼 I'll listen to this band for the rest of my days because they write songs like these. With lyrics I can relate to.
So thankful, you dont find bands this good every day.
Josh Cooper
I agree with everything you said.
Justin Reyes
I swear these guys can do no wrong ! Every song they make is good !!
Joshua Gonzales
Can never get tired of the The Menzingers, great song!
oryan katzav
@Aleph Null yes you should
Aleph Null
im trying to get into them, i do like this song but what albums should i check out?
José Augusto dos Santos
É ÓTIMO, MUITO BOM !