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
Who's Your Partner
The Menzingers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was born with an engineer’s gold,
I did better than most.
Now I live on a dark-skinned road,
The collectors call they try to take my gold,
I’m happier than most.
My friends they help preserve my innocence.
We shared our cigarettes,
At the window we placed our bets,
They wouldn’t call our names,
Tickets hide our shame.
So we laughed through glossy eyes,
Surely the gods would recognize,
Our good intentions, we showed them,
The sweat covered our skin.
We aged a decade in an hour,
We gave away our innocence.
So let these simple songs get caught in our heads,
Brace the frames of our worthless beds.
All my life never gave a fuck,
Someone please wake me up.
So let these simple songs get caught in our heads,
Brace the frames of our worthless beds.
All my life never gave a fuck,
Someone please wake me up.
The Menzingers's song Who's Your Partner seems to be about growing up and changing in a way that may not necessarily be for the better. The first verse talks about being born into a life of privilege (“born on a light-skinned road”, “engineer’s gold”) but later finding oneself struggling financially (“live on a dark-skinned road”, “collectors call they try to take my gold”). However, despite the change in circumstances, the singer claims to be “happier than most”. This seems to suggest that material success doesn’t necessarily equate to happiness, and perhaps the singer has found other things in life that matter more.
The second verse talks about the difficulties of living in an imperfect world, with dirty streets and a need to preserve one’s innocence (“my friends they help preserve my innocence”). The chorus then introduces the idea of music as a way of coping with the harsh reality of life (“let these simple songs get caught in our heads / brace the frames of our worthless beds”). The final lines (“Someone please wake me up”) suggest a desire to escape, to be awoken from the disillusionment of adulthood and return to a simpler time.
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the disillusionment that can come with growing up and the importance of finding joy and meaning in life beyond material success. It also touches on the power of music to offer solace and escape in difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born on a light-skinned road,
I was born into privilege and opportunity.
I was born with an engineer’s gold,
I was born with the potential to succeed and achieve great things.
I did better than most.
I used my advantages well and accomplished more than many others in my position.
Now I live on a dark-skinned road,
I now reside in a place of struggle and hardship, facing financial difficulties.
The collectors call they try to take my gold,
I am being pursued by creditors and struggling to hold onto my assets and financial stability.
I’m happier than most.
Despite my struggles, I am still content and grateful for what I have.
The streets are never clean
The environment around me is dirty and polluted, reflective of the difficult circumstances we're experiencing.
My friends they help preserve my innocence.
My friends are my support network, helping to keep me grounded and reminding me of the good in the world despite the difficulties.
We shared our cigarettes,
We relied on small pleasures and vices to cope with the difficulties of our lives.
At the window we placed our bets,
Despite the odds against us, we hold onto hope and take chances on a better future.
They wouldn’t call our names,
Despite our hope, we faced disappointment and rejection at times.
Tickets hide our shame.
Amid our struggles and disappointments, we still found ways to escape and hide from the reality of our challenges.
So we laughed through glossy eyes,
We put on a happy face in the face of hardship, pretending everything was fine despite our struggles.
Surely the gods would recognize,
We held onto the hope that some greater power or force would see our struggles and reward our perseverance.
Our good intentions, we showed them,
We hoped that through our actions and good will, we would eventually find a way out of our difficulties.
The sweat covered our skin.
The physicality of our struggles was real and tangible, and we felt the burden in every aspect of our lives.
We aged a decade in an hour,
The weight and pressure of our struggles made us feel as though time was moving exceedingly fast, and we aged and matured quickly as a result.
We gave away our innocence.
Our struggles forced us to mature and adapt quickly, to lose our naivety and become more realistic in our expectations.
So let these simple songs get caught in our heads,
We turn to music and art to help us cope with our struggles, to distract us from our difficulties and offer moments of joy and escape.
Brace the frames of our worthless beds.
Our living conditions may be poor, but we find ways to make them more comfortable and bearable.
All my life never gave a fuck,
I have learned to be tough and independent in the face of challenges, refusing to let the difficulties and setbacks defeat me.
Someone please wake me up.
Despite my strength and resilience, I still feel the overwhelming weight of my struggles, and I need help to find my way out of them.
Contributed by Gabriella V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.