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
I Ran
Bowling for Soup Lyrics
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I never thought I'd meet a girl like you
Meet a girl like you
With auburn hair and tawny eyes
The kind of eyes that hypnotize me through
Hypnotize me through
And I ran, I ran so far away
I couldn't get away
(A cloud)
A cloud appears above your head
A beam of light comes shining down on you
Shining down on you
The cloud is moving nearer still
Aurora borealis comes in view
Aurora comes in view
And I ran, I ran so far away
I just ran, I ran all night and day
Couldn't get away
Reached out a hand to touch your face
You're slowly disappearing from my view
Disappearing from my view
Reached out a hand to try again
I'm floating in a beam of light with you
A beam of light with you
And I ran, I ran so far away
I just ran, I ran all night and day
And I ran, I ran so far away
I just ran, I ran all night and day
Couldn't get away
The Bowling for Soup's song "I Ran" is a cover of a track by A Flock of Seagulls. The song tells a story of a chance meeting with a girl that has captivated the singer. He describes her physical appearance, with her auburn hair and tawny eyes that hypnotize him through. However, the lyrics take a turn when a cloud appears above her head and a beam of light comes shining down on her, before the cloud and the aurora borealis come into view. The singer reaches out a hand to touch her, but she disappears slowly from his view. He tries again, and this time he finds himself floating in a beam of light with her. The song ends with the refrain "I just ran, I ran all night and day, couldn't get away."
Although the lyrics may seem cryptic, they tell a sci-fi love story. The cloud and beam of light refer to science fiction elements, while the disappearance of the girl signifies the possibility that she may have been abducted by aliens. The song is both haunting and romantic, echoing the longing for something out of reach.
Interestingly, the song has been used in several movies and TV series. It was featured in Adam Sandler's movie "Little Nicky", as well as in the TV series "Supernatural" and "Chuck". Moreover, the song's music video won a Grammy award for Best Short Form Music Video in 1983.
Line by Line Meaning
I walked along the avenue
I was strolling down the street
I never thought I'd meet a girl like you
I didn't expect to find someone like you
Meet a girl like you
See someone as special as you
With auburn hair and tawny eyes
You have red hair and a brown-gold color in your eyes
The kind of eyes that hypnotize me through
Your eyes have a mesmerizing effect on me
Hypnotize me through
Your gaze pierces through me
And I ran, I ran so far away
I tried to distance myself
I couldn't get away
But it was impossible
(A cloud)
(A metaphor begins)
A cloud appears above your head
A feeling of uncertainty arises in your mind
A beam of light comes shining down on you
A bright spot in your life suddenly appears
Shining down on you
Illuminating your path
The cloud is moving nearer still
That feeling of uncertainty grows stronger
Aurora borealis comes in view
But then a beautiful sight emerges
Aurora comes in view
The metaphorical journey reaches a climax
Reached out a hand to touch your face
I reached out to feel your presence
You're slowly disappearing from my view
But unfortunately, you are fading away
Disappearing from my view
Leaving my life
Reached out a hand to try again
I tried to reconnect
I'm floating in a beam of light with you
And suddenly, we are together again in a blissful moment
And I ran, I ran so far away
But as usual, I started running away.
I just ran, I ran all night and day
The intensity of the metaphorical journey increases
Couldn't get away
Despite my efforts, I couldn't escape the reality of our separation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alistair Michael Score, Francis Maudsley, Michael Score, Paul E Reynolds
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind