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
Sad Sad Situation
Bowling for Soup Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One, two, three!
Hitched a ride I was so messed up
But I sure was glad to meet ya
You took my heart like they towed my car
And they're both still broken down
And I've come to find out later
That you're insane
Turn me off
I've had enough
I'm better off without anyone
I was wrong
Maybe you should stay
Away
You came to stay cause they were painting your house
And you're still here six months later
You spent my money on God knows what
But it sure did cost a lot
Well it's a sad sad situation
And I need a god damn vacation
Cause you're insane
Turn me off
I've had enough
I'm better off without anyone
I was wrong
Maybe you should stay
Away
I'm self-absorbed (self-absorbed)
And shallow too (he's shallow too)
And all I wanted was to sleep with you
A basket case with a pretty face
And I can't take this shit no more
Anymore
Turn me off
I've had enough
I'm better off without anyone
I was wrong
Maybe you should stay
Turn me off
I've had enough
I'm better off without anyone
I was wrong
Maybe you should stay
Away
Away
Away
The lyrics of Bowling for Soup's "Sad Sad Situation" describe a situation where the singer meets someone and falls for them quickly, only to realize later that they are "insane." The relationship seems to be one-sided, with the other person taking advantage of the singer's money and overstaying their welcome. The singer realizes that they're better off without this person in their life, despite their initial attraction.
The opening line of "this is a sad sad situation" sets the tone for the entire song, conveying the singer's disappointment and frustration with the events that have transpired. The line "you took my heart like they towed my car and they're both still broken down" is a clever metaphor, comparing a broken heart to a broken car. The lyrics suggest that the singer is self-aware, recognizing their own flaws ("self-absorbed and shallow too") while acknowledging that the other person is not a good match for them.
The overall message of the song is one of empowerment, with the singer choosing to end the relationship and move on from this "sad sad situation," even if it means being alone. The upbeat tempo and catchy melody of the song contrast with the darker lyrics, creating a somewhat ironic effect.
Line by Line Meaning
All right, this is a sad sad situation
This situation is terrible and unpleasant.
Hitched a ride I was so messed up
I was in a bad place when we met.
But I sure was glad to meet ya
I was happy to have met you.
You took my heart like they towed my car
You broke my heart like my car was broken down.
And they're both still broken down
My heart and car are both still broken.
But while it looked pretty good on paper
Everything looked great in theory.
And I've come to find out later
I learned later on.
That you're insane
That you are mentally unstable.
Turn me off
Get me out of this situation.
I've had enough
I can't take it anymore.
I'm better off without anyone
I'm better off alone.
I was wrong
I made a mistake.
Maybe you should stay
Perhaps you should leave.
Away
Get away from me.
You came to stay cause they were painting your house
You came to stay for a short time while your house was being painted.
And you're still here six months later
You stayed much longer than expected, and it's becoming a problem.
You spent my money on God knows what
You spent my money on unnecessary things.
But it sure did cost a lot
You spent a lot of my money, and it's adding up.
I'm self-absorbed (self-absorbed)
I'm preoccupied with myself.
And shallow too (he's shallow too)
I'm superficial and lacking depth.
And all I wanted was to sleep with you
I only wanted a physical relationship with you.
A basket case with a pretty face
You may look good on the outside, but you have issues on the inside.
And I can't take this shit no more
I can't handle this situation any longer.
Anymore
I don't want to deal with this anymore.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ANTHONY M SCALZO, JARET RAY REDDICK, ALFREDO JOAQUIN ZUNIGA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind