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On The Possible Past

by The Menzingers

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1.
Good Things 02:18
I’ve been having a horrible time pulling myself together, I’ve been closing my eyes to find the old familiar failures. I’ve been closing my eyes to find why all good things should fall apart. Like when we would take rides in your American muscle car, I felt American for once in my life and I never felt it again. So all good things should fall apart.
2.
Burn 02:13
Here’s to you, the same chords that I stole from a song that I once heard, the same melody I borrowed from the void. I’d rather observe than structure a narrative. The characters are thin, the plot does not develop, it ends where it begins. It’s on the screen, in paperbacks, in section 8 and cul de sacs, electro haikus and drunk sonnets are moving me along. You cut my hair, you left red ink everywhere. Do my hands tell a story? Is it boring? What I’d give to force your sigh, what I’d give to see you cry, what I’d give for your caress, to see your blue cotton dress balled up on the floor. Certain memories are the problem. Certain drunken lines are the shame. Seven hundred miles and four years I can’t fight the flame, it burns. Was I wishing on satellites? Tell me how you’ve been doing that trick. I’m just wishing the flame away. Now I’m wishing the flame away.
3.
Ava 02:42
Ava are you trying to get high? I hope the floor holds this time. We’ll dance in subtle romance together while we’re making our time, while we’re making our time, while we make our time. I saw the knife now I’m leaning forwards. Straight city light cut me down to size. The bums are scheming on their Tall Boys. I can hardly open my eyes. I saw the knife, now I’m leaning forwards. I’m two wheels barreling down your way. You can’t touch us, we’re untouchable. Lament the beginnings that we celebrate. Never afraid, we’re fearless together. The rest, they’re waiting their lives away. Gold has us slurring and pissing out windows, enemies are so far away. We’re alive. Celebrate.
4.
Sun Hotel #2 03:48
I remember you well at the Sun Hotel, where we were waiting impatiently for a decent nights sleep. Its like I’ve landed in the rubble of my past life and I’ve never seem to bought a return flight, from the shame, the fear, the guilt that’s tough to mention, the kind that always pries your eyelids open. I’m pretty sure this corner of the world is the loneliest corner in the whole world, maybe its me or the bartender, this Budweiser or the other customers. When all eyes are glued on the 6:00 news, for another fire and another successful deer season. I’ll leave you alone and you will leave me alone. I remember you well at the Sun Hotel, where we were running out of money, where we were grinding down our teeth.
5.
I remember when you came around, I was younger, burning statues to the ground. Now I’m older and tired, I no longer see the differences. I remember the taste of the fruit, disremember all we knew. Said we wanted to be interesting, then we fell asleep. These days you’ll find me where the nectar is plenty, the looks are cheap, and the talk is heavy, where liars lie to themselves. I remember. You said, “Sometimes I need you around.” You said that my “conveniences are so convenient.” You said you “wanted to be interesting”, then you fell asleep. Walk home single, seeing double.
6.
Casey 03:14
I sat and thought about you on the long ride back to Philly, from the way you’d wear your hair to the way that you’d laugh when you drank too much, before the plug was pulled, the fire burned out, and all the parties grew bored, you waited tables and I waited for your shift breaks. Gin and Casey used to dance inside me and I know I sound like a broken record every time I open my mouth, I want to wander around the city with you again when you waited tables and I waited for your shift breaks. Me and Casey used to get drunk before we did the dishes every evening, Me and Casey used to get high and listen to our boredom, because it was so much easier than dealing with everything. So Casey, tell me when you’re ready I’m all packed to go, to search for that old place we found forever ago, we could take my car Casey shes still got the spirit, we could live and no longer just have to hear it.
7.
Well the silence hasn’t been broken as we reach the point of utter disgust, as the weeks drag on, the lies unfold, the alcohol loses its touch, and I once held your words so close to my heart with a knife protecting all of them, but now we made our beds in a deep dense forest where sound won’t ever take the blame. As I dig my hands through the cold dark dirt in a search for whats now lost forever, with one last great hope of a messiah I check the time and admit to the surrender terms, remember the days when I had a conscience, yeah me neither, I’m warning you. That I can’t seem to tell if it’s my head of the earth that’s spinning around.
8.
Amy was a waitress at The Fire Street Grill, up route 611 she was slaving for the pill. Oxy’s got her pupils pinned up, a junkie centerfold with grey hairs and a death wish, she was 22 years old. Had it all, took the fall. Specialist Jeg, a much more honest man than you, came back from the desert where he never found the truth. Now he screeches tires, fills his head with alcohol, while the morbid brown faces hang like portraits on the wall. Had it all, he took the fall, had it all, they took it all. Something happened on the way to hell, the new guard they took my sister. Something happened on the way to hell, the old guard they took my brother away. Something happened on the way to hell, the same greed it took our parents. Something happened on the way to hell, the west wall it took us with it. McTiernan was a good ol’ boy, he cheated and he skimmed. “A favor for a favor, it can’t be called a sin.” Some may see it different, and some don’t see at all. When the papers started calling he closed his eyes and took the fall. Had it all, took the fall, had it all, took the fall. Now we’re standing on the ledge and we’re looking at the ground. I feel my body breaking on the asphalt, hear the sound. Red and blue lights screaming, saying, “Step up off that ledge” so we wrap our hearts up in our heads and take the fall instead. Had it all, took the fall, had it all, took the fall.

credits

released November 4, 2022

Tom May - Guitar, Vocals
Greg Barnett - Guitar, Vocals, Glockenspiel
Joe Godino - Drums
Eric Keen - Bass

On the Possible Past Recorded in our homes 2010/2011.
Produced and mixed by Matt Allison
Engineered by Justin Yates
Mastered by Dave Collins

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The Menzingers Scranton, Pennsylvania

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