The Meaning of ‘Time To Waste’ by Alkaline Trio
Taken from Alkaline Trio’s fifth album, Crimson, ‘Time To Waste’ is one of their most widely known songs. It was premiered in April 2005 and released officially the following month. Like many of their songs, the lyrics are more than you’d expect from most bands. One of my favourite lyrics (literally of all time) is their line from ‘Private Eye’, which says:
And I’ve been preoccupied with these sick sixth senses
That sense DNA on barbed wire fences
This is what Shakespeare would write if he were alive today (you may be tempted to add to this: “Alive today and a punk”, but he was always a punk). But we’re not here for ‘Private Eye’ (maybe later) we’re here for ‘Time To Waste’.
Time To Waste
Like their other albums, you’ll detect subtle hints of the Cure, Sisters of Mercy, Ministry, Front 242, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and Green Day. The song opens with a piano concerto, played by Roger Joseph Manning Jr. Then the rhythmic bass starts up, bursting into full-band life and reminding us that in 2005 people were doing cool things with stabby guitar chops. See also Rival Schools ‘Used For Glue’.
The lineup at the time was Matt Skiba (guitar, vocals), Dan Andriano (bass, vocals), and Derek Grant (drums).
The video, shot by Linkin Park’s Joseph Hahn, is filmed at one of the Howard Hughes hangars in southern California. Hahn also directed videos for Static-X, Story of the Year, Xzibit, and (of course) Linkin Park.
The artwork for the single was created by Heather Hannoura, who also added spoken word to fellow album track, ‘Sadie’ (a song about murderer Sadie Mae Glutz). The picture was taken from Une semaine de bonté (A week of kindness) by Dadaist and surrealist artist Max Ernst, which in turn used images cut out of Victorian encyclopedias and novels.
What is ‘Time To Waste’ About?
The song is about addiction. It was inspired by a friend of Matt Skiba who was trying to kick a heroin habit. Rather than telling the specific story, the song takes a more general perspective of a person who wants to live a better life, but isn’t being able to. Skiba also drew from personal experience for this song.
The phrase ‘hide the cutlery’ is a reference to a news story about a teenager who killed his family while he was sleepwalking. When he experimented with drugs, Skiba became paranoid that he would kill his family in his sleep, so he would lock away any dangerous objects.
Watch Alkaline Trio – ‘Time To Waste’.
Time To Waste Lyrics
There’s someone down below blowing you a kiss
They watch from their windows
As all arms fall to their sides and all eyes fix
On the death of tomorrowAnd you found everything you need
To make a life complete
Completely revolting
And they have safety and relief
For sale up the street
I see you in line everydayYou had time to waste and I’m not sorry
Such a basket case, hide the cutlery
I had time to kill, it’s dead and buried
You’ve got guts to spill, but no one trustworthyThese creatures are waking up in these dark trees
Waiting like vultures
And eyes roll back, turn white in time to feed
They salivate in hungerFor you and everything they need
To make a death complete
Completely unnatural
And salvation lies
Behind those dead eyes
That watch you while you sleep every nightAnd you had time to waste and I’m not sorry
Such a basket case, hide the cutlery
I had time to kill, it’s dead and buried
You’ve got guts to spill, but no one trustworthyYou had time to waste and I’m not sorry
Such a basket case, hide the cutlery
I had time to kill, it’s dead and buried
You’ve got guts to spill, but no one trustworthy
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