They began their career in 1991, cutting their first 7" record later that year with the lineup of Joey Vindictive (vocals), Johnny Personality (bass), Billy Blastoff (guitar), Dr. Bob (guitar), P.J. Parti (drums) and Erik Elsewhere (drums). The band would end up releasing 12 albums until July of 1996, when Joey Vindictive revealed that his health issues would prevent the band from going on. Luckily for him, he overcame his ailments to re-form the band in 2000, cutting a new album and overseeing the re-release of a significant part of their catalog. Dr. Bob died in 2003 due to a heroin overdose. Their song "The Invisible Man" was featured in the Ubisoft game Watch Dogs, where it attracted attention to restart the band once more in 2013, releasing a new EP titled Mono-Flexi, and to remaster most of their previous songs as Songbooks coming in volumes starting from I to III.
The Vindictives' website is currently down indefinitely.
I'm in Trouble Now
The Vindictives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By the noose that you wore around your neck.
Purplish rings and pale cheeks surrounded melancholy eyeballs.
It was clear to see that you, like me,
Were waiting for the world to stop
Because you wanted to get off where I wanted to get off.
And I just keep on getting lost.
But I don't know, nowhere to go
I'm fucked up and I'm climbing the walls again.
I'm fucked up and I feel like giving in again,
The situation is tearing me in two.
In the dayroom glaring and grinding your teeth
I had to ask you "what the fuck".
I had to know what you found inside
That made you wanna take another step inside.
That made you want to take another step in.
It was clear to see that you and me had just about enough of being born.
So now we're heading for the door but it's different than before,
This time I feel something more.
And now I know just where to go,
But I'm in trouble now and everyone is telling me
I'm fucked up, and I'm getting the chills again
I'm fucked up hanging on by my teeth again
The situation is all because of you
The Vindictives' song "I'm in Trouble Now" speaks to a shared experience between the singer and someone they come into contact with in a dayroom. The singer seems to identify with this person, as they both wear a noose around their necks and have purplish rings, pale cheeks, and melancholy eyeballs. The two are waiting for the world to stop so they can get off, revealing a sense of disillusionment with the way things are.
As the song continues, the singer's confusion and feelings of being torn in two come to the forefront. They feel fucked up and like giving in, climbing the walls and getting the chills. The situation is all because of the person they encounter in the dayroom, someone who seems to be driving the singer toward their breaking point. The song ends on a note that indicates the singer knows where to go but is still in trouble, with everyone telling them they are fucked up.
The song seems to capture a sense of hopelessness and despair, reflecting the challenges many people face in trying to find meaning or purpose in their lives. It also hints at the ways in which others can influence and exacerbate those feelings, as the person in the dayroom appears to be doing to the singer. Overall, it's a powerful and poignant depiction of the struggles that many people face.
Line by Line Meaning
I realized that you were no missing person,
I finally saw that you were always present, but struggling with internal demons.
By the noose that you wore around your neck.
I could tell by the visible signs of depression on your body.
Purplish rings and pale cheeks surrounded melancholy eyeballs.
You appeared physically exhausted, with dark circles and sullen eyes.
It was clear to see that you, like me,
It was obvious that we both were struggling with our mental health.
Were waiting for the world to stop
We longed for a moment of stillness, to escape the chaos we felt inside and outside.
Because you wanted to get off where I wanted to get off.
We both desired to escape our current situations and find a place of peace, together.
And I just keep on getting lost.
Despite wanting to leave, I feel trapped and disoriented.
But I don't know, nowhere to go
I'm unsure of where to turn or what to do next.
Cause I'm in trouble now, and everything's confusing me.
I'm struggling to make sense of my situation, and feel overwhelmed by it all.
I'm fucked up and I'm climbing the walls again.
I'm experiencing intense anxiety and restlessness.
I'm fucked up and I feel like giving in again,
I'm on the verge of giving up and succumbing to my negative thoughts and emotions.
The situation is tearing me in two.
My circumstances are causing an internal conflict within me.
In the dayroom glaring and grinding your teeth
I see you in a place of confinement, agitated and tense.
I had to ask you 'what the fuck'.
I had to confront you about your behavior and try to understand what was going on.
I had to know what you found inside
I wanted to know what was causing your distress and pain.
That made you wanna take another step inside.
I wondered what drove you to continue pursuing a destructive path.
It was clear to see that you and me had just about enough of being born.
We've grown tired of living with our afflictions and need a new way out.
So now we're heading for the door but it's different than before,
We're making a move towards freedom, but it feels like a significant departure from previous attempts.
This time I feel something more.
I'm experiencing a sense of hope that we might finally find the peace we crave.
And now I know just where to go,
I've found a direction and a sense of purpose in our escape.
But I'm in trouble now and everyone is telling me
Despite feeling hopeful, others are warning me about the risks and dangers of our plan.
I'm fucked up, and I'm getting the chills again
My anxiety is rising and I'm starting to feel physically unwell.
I'm fucked up hanging on by my teeth again
I'm barely holding on, and feel like I'm one obstacle away from crumbling.
The situation is all because of you
I'm blaming you for our troubles, but in reality we're both responsible for our decisions.
Contributed by Katherine L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.