They are best known for their singles "Girl All The Bad Guys Want" in 2002 on Drunk Enough to Dance which was nominated for a 2003 Grammy Award for "Best Pop Performance by a Group or Duo" and "1985" (originally written by Mitch Allan of SR-71) in 2004 on A Hangover You Don't Deserve. Speaking with Songfacts about "Girl All The Bad Girls Want" in a 2010 interview, Reddick said: "'Girl All The Bad Guys Want' was my very first co-write ever, and me and Butch Walker sat in a room and literally wrote that song in 30 minutes. I mean, it was done."
The band's name is derived from comedian Steve Martin's "Bowling for Sh*t" routine from his 1978 comedy album, Wild and Crazy Guy, itself a reference to Bowling for Dollars. Jaret Reddick has also stated that at the end of his last performance with his old band one of the members came on stage and proclaimed "Come back next week when we play with our new band... BOWLING FOR SOUP!". This was supposed be to be joke name, but since they couldn't think of anything better the name stuck. Their single '1985' can be found on the UK and the Norwegian editions of Singstar Rocks for the PS2.
They have also became hits on Radio Disney with edits of "1985", "Punk Rock 101", "High School Never Ends", and the inclusion of their version of "I Melt With You" in the Disney movie "Sky High". They have also written and recorded "Today is Gonna Be a Great Day" as the theme song for Disney's "Phineas and Ferb"
Band Lineup:
Jaret Reddick - Lead Vocals/guitar
Chris Burney - Guitar/vocals
Erik Chandler - Bass/vocals
Gary Wiseman - Drums
Greatest Day
Bowling for Soup Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm goin' out on an afternoon vacation
They all know where I'm gonna go
The sun is shinin' down and
There's no one else around now
I wish you were here to hear me say
This is gonna be my greatest day
How far would I go
How long would I stay
To see it all
To carry it all back with me again
How hard would I try
Just to hear everybody say
This is gonna be my greatest day
Standin' here lookin' out on the world
For a second nobody's lookin' back at me
I never even notice where they go
The sun is shinin' down and
There's no one else around now
I wish you were here to hear me say
This is gonna be my greatest day
How far would I go
How long would I stay
To see it all
To carry it all back with me again
How hard would I try
Just to hear everybody say
This is gonna be my greatest day
My greatest day
My greatest day
I've got the keys to the car
I'm goin' out on an afternoon vacation
They all know where I'm gonna go
The sun is shinin' down and
There's no one else around now
Wish you were here to hear me say
To say
This is gonna be my greatest day
My greatest day
My greatest day
My greatest day
(How far would I go)
My greatest day
(How long would I stay)
My greatest day
(Just to carry it back with me again)
My greatest day
(How hard would I try)
My greatest day
(Just to hear everybody say)
This is gonna be my greatest day
The lyrics to "Greatest Day" by Bowling for Soup are about a person who has the keys to the car and is going on an afternoon vacation. They are excited and feeling adventurous. They mention that no one else is around and they wish the listener was there to hear them say that this is going to be their greatest day. They're contemplating how far they would go and how long they would stay in order to see everything and carry it back with them. They wonder how hard they would try just to hear everybody say that it's going to be their greatest day.
The tone of the song is hopeful and free-spirited. The lyrics suggest that the person is going on an adventure and feeling optimistic about what they might encounter. They are also longing for a companion to share their experience with. The sense of joy and possibility expressed in the lyrics encourages the listener to embrace spontaneity and take a break from their routine.
Overall, the song conveys a message of hope and optimism, urging the listener to be present and enjoy the moment. It reminds us that sometimes the greatest moments can arise from the simplest actions, and that our greatest day may be just around the corner.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got the keys to the car
I have control over where I am going, I have freedom to do whatever I want
I'm goin' out on an afternoon vacation
I am taking a break from life and enjoying the moment
They all know where I'm gonna go
Everyone can probably guess where I am headed
The sun is shinin' down and
It's a beautiful day outside
There's no one else around now
It's peaceful and quiet, I have solitude
I wish you were here to hear me say
I would like someone to share this moment with me
This is gonna be my greatest day
I believe that today is going to be the best day ever
How far would I go
I would go to great lengths
How long would I stay
I would stay for as long as needed
To see it all
I want to experience everything there is to offer
To carry it all back with me again
I want to take all of my experiences with me and remember them forever
How hard would I try
I would put in a lot of effort
Just to hear everybody say
I want others to recognize and validate my success
Standin' here lookin' out on the world
I am observing the world and all its beauty
For a second nobody's lookin' back at me
I feel invisible, unnoticed
I never even notice where they go
I am too caught up in my own thoughts to notice where others are going
My greatest day
This is the best day of my life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JARET RAY REDDICK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind