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
Ridiculous
Bowling for Soup Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kept bottled up, we get carried away.
Then I fall, then I fall down.
Then we fall down.
And you know that it makes me feel so ridiculous.
A pocket full of posies
Turn it around, can we turn it around?
Try to make a comeback with nowhere to start from now.
But it's looking up.
A second chance, a much better day.
A sunset that just won't go away.
Then I fall, then I fall down.
We all fall down.
And you know that it makes me feel so ridiculous.
A pocket full of posies
We fall down on the inside; pretty on the outside.
Turn it around, can we turn it around?
Try to make a comeback with nowhere to start from now.
But it's looking up.
And you know you said you'd never end up this way.
Close the door behind you, i just want to stay for a while.
We all fall down, we all fall down, we all fall
Down on the inside; pretty on the outside.
Turn it around, can we turn it around?
Try to make a comeback with nowhere to start from now.
But it's looking up.
Down on the inside; pretty on the outside.
Turn it around, can we turn it around?
Try to make a comeback with nowhere to start from now.
But it's looking up.
The lyrics of Bowling for Soup's song "Ridiculous" portray the idea of bottling up emotions and losing control eventually. The first stanza suggests not talking when there is nothing to say, which can lead to the buildup of emotions that may ultimately cause one to fall down. The repetition of "Then I fall, then I fall down. Then we fall down" emphasizes the idea of repeated failures or setbacks due to the lack of communication or expression.
The next stanza portrays a sense of hope and the potential for a new beginning. The idea of a "second chance, a much better day" and a sunset that won't go away suggests the possibility for a fresh start. However, the repetition of "We all fall down" reminds listeners that setbacks are inevitable, and it's essential to find a way to get back up and move forward.
The chorus emphasizes the overwhelming feeling of helplessness that can come with bottling up emotions. The line "And you know that it makes me feel so ridiculous" suggests that it's challenging to face the reality of one's feelings and express them. The lyrics "We fall down on the inside; pretty on the outside" highlight how people may look fine on the surface, but they may be struggling internally.
Overall, the lyrics of "Ridiculous" by Bowling for Soup highlight the importance of expressing emotions and not bottling them up. The repetition of "We all fall down" reminds listeners that setbacks are inevitable, but it's essential to get back up and keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't try to talk when there's nothing to say.
Sometimes it's better to stay quiet than force a conversation.
Kept bottled up, we get carried away.
If we don't express our feelings, they can become overwhelming.
Then I fall, then I fall down.
We all make mistakes and experience hardships.
Then we fall down.
No one is immune to life's challenges.
And you know that it makes me feel so ridiculous.
Facing our struggles can be embarrassing and difficult.
A pocket full of posies
Referencing a nursery rhyme about the Black Plague, implying things can get dark and dire.
We fall down on the inside; pretty on the outside.
Struggles and pain can be hidden behind outward appearances.
Turn it around, can we turn it around?
Is it possible to change our circumstances?
Try to make a comeback with nowhere to start from now.
It can be challenging to recover from difficult situations, especially if we don't know where to begin.
But it's looking up.
Despite the uncertainty, there's hope for improvement.
And you know you said you'd never end up this way.
Things don't always go as planned, and we may not end up where we expect.
Close the door behind you, I just want to stay for a while.
Sometimes, the best thing we can do is take a moment to rest and regroup.
We all fall down, we all fall down, we all fall.
All of us experience struggles and challenges.
Down on the inside; pretty on the outside.
Similar to an earlier line, appearances can be deceiving when it comes to pain and hardship.
Turn it around, can we turn it around?
Repeating the inquiry from before, expressing the desire to improve our situation.
Try to make a comeback with nowhere to start from now.
Again, acknowledging that recovery can be difficult when we don't know where to begin.
But it's looking up.
Despite these difficulties, there's hope for a brighter future.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CASEY DI IORIO, JARET RAY REDDICK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind