Focused at times playing "neo-ska" music, the band has adopted retro styles spanning several decades of popular music, as well as performing covers of popular songs such as The Monkees' "I'm a Believer" and War's "Why Can't We Be Friends" as well as cult favorites such as ? and the Mysterians' "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" (though their version owes more to The Colourfield's interpretation; in fact, the band at first believed it was a Colourfield original). Smash Mouth's first album Fush Yu Mang came out in June 1997. This album could be said to be "neo ska". Its top position in the charts was #19 (on Billboard). The promo for this album said that "While the twelve songs on Fush Yu Mang sound like they belong side by side, each has it's own feeling like the very '60's "Walkin' On The Sun," the surf 'n' turf of "Nervous In the Alley," the Buzzcocks like "Pet Names," the Mafia rock of "Padrino," and the fret rock of "Let's Rock"." Smash Mouth's second album Astro Lounge was released two years later, in June 1999. It is the band's most critically and commercially successful album to date. It reached #6 on the Billboard charts and it featured the massive hit All Star.
Smash Mouth released their third album Smash Mouth (Self-Titled) in November 2001. It has been said that this is the band's most experimental album to date. It reached #48 on Billboard charts. Smash Mouth's fourth album Get the Picture?, released in August 2003, wasn't as well-received by fans or the critics as previous albums (it only reached #100 on the Billboard charts). Smash Mouth released a Christmas cover album in November 2005 (The Gift of Rock). Their newest album is called Summer Girl, and, after being delayed for over a year, was released on September 19th, 2006. Smash Mouth's music was used in the film "Shrek" and they starred on-screen as themselves in the turbulent finale of the all-star-comedy "Rat Race", while performing "All Star" on stage during the showdown.
In May 2011 lead singer Steve Harwell agreed to eat two dozen eggs in one sitting for charity. That June, Harwell apparently backed out of the challenge -- with over ten thousand dollars for overseas children's hunger charities at stake -- potentially because he is afraid to eat the eggs. Fans continue to demand Harwell eat the eggs.
Two albums were released in 2012, The Gift Of Rock and Magic. A best-of compilation, Playlist: The Very Best of Smashmouth was released in 2016. A comeback single, Unity, was released in 2018.
In 2021, the band collaborated with Timmy Trumpet for the song "Camelot". This would be the band's last song with original lead vocalist Steve Harwell before his retirement later that year and his death 2 years later.
Steve Harwell retired in 2021 due to health issues and was replaced by Divided By Zero singer Zach Goode.
On September 4, 2023, original lead vocalist Steve Harwell died at age 56 at his home of liver failure.
The Crawl
Smash Mouth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not long ago in the city zoo
You haven't changed
You still ain't standin' up straight
And I been thinkin' 'bout what we've become
Or what we haven't, just look what we've done
Still making fire out of sticks and stones
Standing united all together alone
Do the crawl, do the crawl, do the crawl
Back into the woods
Do the slide, do the slide, yeah you and me
Back into the sea
Hey sister how you been
Last time you saw me I was wearing a fin
Times haven't changed, I'm still swimmin'
Got to the top to get myself some air
I realized that it was better down there
It's like a jungle but there ain't no laws
No helping hands just grubby paws
Do the crawl, do the crawl, do the crawl
Back into the woods
Do the slide, do the slide, yeah you and me
Back into the sea
My naked eye saw a fly in a jar with a hole in the lid
To tell his kid exactly where not to go
I saw the puppet string screwed into his head
I heard the puppet lie
I felt the banner shred
I can smell the smoke
As well as a rat
I can teach that dog
I can learn from a cat
Throw it in reverse
So I can hit erase
I can taste the blood
Do the crawl, do the crawl, do the crawl
Back into the woods
Do the slide, do the slide, yeah you and me
Back into the sea
The lyrics of Smash Mouth's song The Crawl depict the idea of going back to the wild and disregarding the constraints of civilization. The song starts off conversational, with the first verse addressing a cousin who hasn't changed and still isn't "standin' up straight." This could suggest that the cousin is still stuck in their old ways and hasn't evolved much. The line "Still making fire out of sticks and stones" reveals that they still rely on basic tools and haven't progressed.
The next verse talks about a sister who was last seen wearing a fin, implying that she was once a mermaid or a sea creature. The line "Got to the top to get myself some air, I realized that it was better down there" indicates that the sister preferred being underwater and was possibly struggling with life on land.
The chorus of the song encourages going back to the woods and the sea, away from the hustle and bustle of society. The line "No helping hands just grubby paws" suggests that society isn't helping anyone progress, but rather bringing them down. The third verse is a bit more intense, describing a fly in a jar with a hole in the lid and a puppet with a string screwed into its head. This imagery could represent feeling trapped or controlled by societal norms.
Overall, the song seems to be about rejecting society and returning to a more primal state. It highlights the idea that society may be hindering personal growth, and encourages listeners to go back to their roots.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey cousin, I know you
I recognize you, we've met before.
Not long ago in the city zoo
We saw each other recently in a crowded, chaotic place.
You haven't changed
You look the same as you did when we last saw each other.
You still ain't standin' up straight
You haven't improved yourself or your situation since we last met.
And I been thinkin' 'bout what we've become
I've been reflecting on the way we've developed or failed to develop as people since we last saw each other.
Or what we haven't, just look what we've done
We may not have improved, but we've still accomplished things.
Still making fire out of sticks and stones
We're still relying on rudimentary methods to survive.
Standing united all together alone
We may work together, but we're still isolated from the rest of society.
Do the crawl, do the crawl, do the crawl
Let's go back to our primal ways and crawl on all fours.
Back into the woods
Let's return to nature.
Do the slide, do the slide, yeah you and me
Let's return to the ocean, where we may have originated.
Back into the sea
Let's fully embrace our aquatic origins and live in harmony with nature.
Hey sister how you been
It's good to see you again, sister.
Last time you saw me I was wearing a fin
When we last met, I was living in the water.
Times haven't changed, I'm still swimmin'
I'm still living in the water and haven't changed much.
Got to the top to get myself some air
I had to come up to the surface to breathe.
I realized that it was better down there
Living in the water is better than living on land.
It's like a jungle but there ain't no laws
Living in the water is like being in a wilderness with no rules or regulations.
No helping hands just grubby paws
There's no one to help you in the water, you have to rely on yourself.
My naked eye saw a fly in a jar with a hole in the lid
I personally witnessed a fly trapped in a jar with a small escape route.
To tell his kid exactly where not to go
The fly was warning its offspring of the dangers of entering such a trap.
I saw the puppet string screwed into his head
I saw someone (or something) controlling the fly's movements with strings attached to its body.
I heard the puppet lie
The controller was making false statements through the fly.
I felt the banner shred
I experienced a sense of loss or destruction of something I held dear.
I can smell the smoke
I can sense that something is burning or smoldering nearby.
As well as a rat
I can detect the presence of a rodent nearby.
I can teach that dog
I am capable of instructing a canine.
I can learn from a cat
I am open to gaining knowledge from a feline.
Throw it in reverse
Let's go back to a previous state or action.
So I can hit erase
So we can remove the negative memories and experiences from our lives.
I can taste the blood
I am capable of sensing the underlying or inherent danger in something.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GREG CAMP, GREGORY D. CAMP, PAUL DELISLE, PAUL GERALD DELISLE, STEVEN HARWELL, STEVEN SCOTT HARWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind