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
MONOPOLY
Bowling for Soup Lyrics
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Would you like to sit and talk about it
Or do you want to waste my time
And sit around and play your games
This time I can't be wrong
I've got to get away from you
Don't even ask me for a why?
I don't know what I've done so wrong
I can't believe it's come to this
Throw down my arms again
This time I hope
And I don't care what you do with your life
Stay away from me and my time
Just go away, Just go away, Just go away
Just go away, Just go away, Just go away now
Go away, Just go away, Just go away and leave me alone
It seems to be that suddenly
You mistake me for somebody who cares
I'm not your friend
So think again
It seems to be that suddenly
You mistake me for somebody who cares
I'm not your friend
So think again
I'm glad I found you
But I wish that I could lose you just the same
I know you want to waste my time
And sit around and place your blame
The lyrics to Bowling for Soup's Monopoly express the singer's frustration in a relationship where the other person is playing games and wasting their time. The opening line, "It's good to see you, would you like to sit and talk about it?" sets the stage for what follows. The singer is greeting the other person, but is immediately aware that they might not want to have a genuine conversation. They ask a pointed question, "Or do you want to waste my time and sit around and play your games?"
The lyrics then reveal the singer's realization that they need to get away from this toxic relationship. They say, "This time I can't be wrong, I've got to get away from you." The directness of this statement is emphasized by the line, "Don't even ask me for a why?" The singer knows that the other person is responsible for the emotional pain they are feeling.
The song ends with a clear statement of the singer's desire to cut ties with the other person. They say, "Just go away, just go away, just go away now." The repetition of this phrase highlights their resolve to end the relationship. Overall, the lyrics to Monopoly convey the complexity of relationships and the frustration often felt when they become one-sided.
Line by Line Meaning
It's good to see you
I greet you, but I am unsure about what kind of conversation you want to have
Would you like to sit and talk about it
Are you interested in having a serious conversation about our issues?
Or do you want to waste my time
Or are you just looking to kill time and not address our problems?
And sit around and play your games
Are you intending to manipulate situations and argue instead of being constructive?
This time I can't be wrong
This time, I am confident that my decision to leave is the right one
I've got to get away from you
I need to separate myself from you
Don't even ask me for a why?
Don't question me about why I am leaving, as you know the reasons
Cause you know that's because of you
You are aware that your actions have caused me to leave
I don't know what I've done so wrong
I am clueless as to why I am being treated unfairly
I can't believe it's come to this
I am in disbelief that our relationship has deteriorated to this point
Throw down my arms again
I am surrendering again, as I feel defeated by the situation
This time I hope
I hope that things will change this time
And I don't care what you do with your life
I am indifferent to your choices and actions moving forward
Stay away from me and my time
Please respect my space and do not bother me anymore
Just go away, Just go away, Just go away
I want you to leave me alone, now and forever
Go away, Just go away, Just go away now
Please leave right now and don't come back
Go away, Just go away, Just go away and leave me alone
Go away and never bother me again
It seems to be that suddenly
It appears that you have a sudden change of attitude
You mistake me for somebody who cares
You assume that I have an interest in your problems or issues
I'm not your friend
I am not in a position to provide emotional support or guidance for you anymore
So think again
You should reconsider your expectations and assumptions
I'm glad I found you
I am grateful that we met initially
But I wish that I could lose you just the same
But I wish that I did not have to deal with your toxic influence
I know you want to waste my time
I am aware that you are only interested in manipulating and wasting my time
And sit around and place your blame
You want to complain and blame me for your issues instead of addressing them
Contributed by Vivian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.