1996-2001: Hollywood Records years
In 1995 the band signed to Hollywood Records, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. 1996 saw the release of their first album, Destruction by Definition. Its blend of punk rock and ska brought the national attention in the midst of the mid-1990s punk rock mainstream revival. The single "No Face" became a minor hit on modern rock radio stations and the album was supported through extensive touring across the United States. They released a follow-up in 1998 entitled Battle Hymns, which continued their ska punk style while incorporating more aggressive elements of hardcore punk, with nearly all of its songs lasting under two minutes in length.
Following the release of Battle Hymns Grant left the band. He went on to play with numerous groups including Thoughts of Ionesco, The Vandals, face to face, and Telegraph before finding a permanent position in the Alkaline Trio. He was replaced by Erin Pitman for some touring before new permanent drummer Ryan Vandeberghe joined. In 2000 this lineup released The Suicide Machines, a more pop rock oriented effort that moved away from the ska influences of their earlier releases. They received some radio and video play for the single "Sometimes I Don't Mind" and performed on the Warped Tour that Summer. In 2001 they released Steal This Record, which continued their exploration of pop punk style while mixing in elements of their earlier ska punk and hardcore albums.
2002-2005: Side One Dummy years
Following touring in support of Steal This Record bassist Nunley left The Suicide Machines to start his own band, Blueprint 76, and was replaced by Rich Tschirhart. The band also ended their contract with Hollywood Records, fulfilling their contractual obligations by releasing the compilation album The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines. They then moved to the independent label Side One Dummy Records. Their next album A Match and Some Gasoline, released in 2003, found the band abandoning the pop experimentations of their previous two albums and returning more to the ska punk and hardcore styles of their earlier years. They also began to explore sociopolitical themes in songs such as "Did You Ever Get a Feeling of Dread?" and "Your Silence," which were critical of President George W. Bush's administration, its response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. They toured internationally in support of the album and again performed on the Warped Tour.
In 2005 the band released the album War Profiteering is Killing Us All, which continued their political themes by openly attacking the Bush White House, the continuation of the Iraq War, and conservative Republicanism. Navarro also launched his own record label, Noise Riot Records, and released On the Eve of Destruction: 1991-1995, a compilation of the band's early EPs, singles, and demos.
2006: Breakup and post-Suicide Machines activity
In 2006, while touring in support of War Profiteering is Killing Us All, the band abruptly broke up. Explanations given by the band members for this included Vandeberghe's desire to take a break from touring, which he did while friend Steve McCrumb filled for a performance at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on May 11. A tour of Mexico had been planned to follow this, and Navarro had suggested that the band perform its final shows that Christmas. However, interpersonal tensions came to a head after the Troubadour show when Lukacinsky refused to finish the tour. Lukacinsky himself further elaborated that the band had been planning to break up for some time.
Following the band's breakup, Navarro and Vandeberghe continued working with Left in Ruin, a band they had started as a Suicide Machines side project and had worked on and off with for almost 6 years. Vandeberghe also joined the new band Hifi Handgrenades. Lukacinsky, meanwhile, started his own band Bayonetting the Wounded. Navarro is currently fronting Hellmouth. Tschirhart is in The A-Gang.
I Never Promised You A Rose Garden
The Suicide Machines Lyrics
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I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine
There's gotta be a little rain sometime
When you take you gotta give
So live and let live
And let go oh oh oh oh, I beg your pardon
I could promise you things
Like big diamond rings
But you don't find roses growin' on stalks of clover
So you better think it over
Well, if sweet talking
You could make it come true
I would give you the world right now on a silver platter
But what would it matter
So smile for a while and let's be jolly
Love shouldn't be so melancholy
Come along and share the good times while we can
I beg your pardon
I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine
There's gotta be a little rain sometime
I beg your pardon
I never promised you a rose garden
I could sing you a tune and promise you the moon
But if that's what it takes to hold you
I'd just as soon let you go
But there's one thing I want you to know
You'd better look before you leap
Still waters run deep
And there won't always be someone there to pull you out
And you know what I'm talking about
So smile for a while and let's be jolly
Love shouldn't be so melancholy
Come along and share the good times while we can
I beg your pardon
I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine
There's gotta be a little rain sometime
The Suicide Machines's song "I Never Promised You A Rose Garden" conveys a message of being realistic and honest in relationships. The lyrics suggest that the singer never made any false promises to their significant other, and acknowledges that life is not always easy. The line "I never promised you a rose garden" is used as a metaphor to represent the fact that life is not always going to be filled with happiness and good times, and we must accept that there will be challenges and tough times ahead.
The song also highlights the importance of communication and compromise in relationships. The lyrics "When you take you gotta give, so live and let live and let go" suggest that both partners must be willing to compromise and give in order to make a relationship work. The singer encourages their partner to "look before you leap" and reminds them that "still waters run deep" indicating that there is more to a person than what is on the surface.
Overall, the song serves as a reminder to be honest, realistic, and willing to work through the tough times in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I beg your pardon
I apologize for any misconceptions or misunderstandings
I never promised you a rose garden
I never guaranteed a perfect, trouble-free life
Along with the sunshine
In addition to the happy times
There's gotta be a little rain sometime
We must expect some difficult moments
When you take you gotta give
In life, we must give as well as take
So live and let live
Allow others to live their lives without interference
And let go oh oh oh oh
Accept what you cannot control and move on
I could promise you things
I could make grand promises
Like big diamond rings
I could offer material possessions
But you don't find roses growin' on stalks of clover
Real beauty and happiness cannot simply be bought or guaranteed
So you better think it over
Consider the reality of the situation before making a decision
Well, if sweet talking, you could make it come true
With the right words, someone might believe they can have everything they want
I would give you the world right now on a silver platter
I would offer anything to make you happy
But what would it matter
In the end, would it really make a difference?
So smile for a while and let's be jolly
Take a moment to enjoy the present
Love shouldn't be so melancholy
Love should not be a source of sadness
Come along and share the good times while we can
Let's enjoy the happy moments together
You'd better look before you leap
Think before you act
Still waters run deep
Things may not always be as they seem
And there won't always be someone there to pull you out
In life, we cannot rely on others to save us from our mistakes
And you know what I'm talking about
You understand what I mean
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NICHOLAS JONAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind