For most people, a room filled with thousands o… Read Full Bio ↴Go Fish Official Bio
For most people, a room filled with thousands of screaming children goes into the category of nightmare. But for the guys in Go Fish, it sounds like music to their ears—a dream come true.
Jamie Statema, Jason Folkmann and Andy Selness—Go Fish—are arguably one of the most unique groups in the music industry. Not only do they make music for children and families, but they create amazing sounds with just their voices and percussion.
For children, Go Fish may be their first real concert experience, complete with lights, backdrops and fog machines. It’s a rock and roll show, says the group, tailor-made for kids. “There’s a misconception out there of what children’s music has to be,” says Andy. “Quite honestly, it doesn’t have to be simple. You don’t have to dumb down music for kids. Because of that, parents really enjoy this music as well.
”No gimmicks, either—which is a relief to parents who are up to their ears in big red cars, purple dinosaurs and backpacks. Just great songs, most written by Jamie, that creatively communicate biblical values. “Parents are important,” adds Jamie. “We want them to enjoy this with their kids, and not have dad sitting in the audience thinking, ‘Oh, I’m just totally taking one for the team now.’”
“The most common remark we hear from parents is, ‘You guys are the one CD that our entire family can agree to listen to in the car. Please don’t stop what you’re doing!’” says Jason. “That sums up why we do what we do—to have the opportunity to make music that brings entire families together.”
Following a string of successful independent recordings and two projects with the inpop label, Go Fish focused their energy on creating music for kids and families, releasing Splash in 2003, followed by Superstar (2004), Snooze (2006) and the Showtime DVD (2006). Go Fish is now adding Snow, their second Christmas recording, to the impressive line-up.
While kids will still love Snow, this is indeed a CD for the whole family, the group notes. Adults will recognize some traditional songs, but with a whole new Go-Fish twist. Both “Joy to the World” and “We Three Kings” get fresh spins as the trio adds new music and lyrics to the tried-and-true. The classic “Away in A Manger,” for instance, ends with the hymn “Beautiful Savior.”
“People like familiarity, especially at Christmastime, but we really took a lot of effort to make sure that even the songs people know sound unique and have new ideas attached to them,” explains Jamie. “Add that they are mostly all percussion and vocals, and we feel it makes a unique Christmas collection.” True to the Go Fish mission, Snow is a clear-cut Christian record—no “holiday” songs here. From the hymn “My Jesus I Love Thee,” to “It’s About the Cross,” which leads the listener from the manger to the cross, there’s a theme of the entirety of God’s love.
Jamie, Jason and Andy even brought in a little help to get their point across on “Christmas with a Capital C.” Conservative comedian Brad Stine joins in on the tune as they challenge the political correctness of saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”
Go Fish will be bringing music from Snow to a dozen cities across the U.S. this winter, playing such major venues as the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and The Target Center in Minneapolis. The Snow Tour promises to rank as one of the highlights of a surprising career which has celebrated numerous benchmarks, including a sold-out performance at the 14,000 seat Excel Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, and recent coverage on NBC’s Today Show. But it is not these accomplishments that drive Go Fish forward—it is simply walking out their mission, which was borne many years ago.
From the start, founding member Jamie Statema knew he wanted to be involved in something unique. And although he struggled between his musical aspirations and youth ministry, he ultimately found that special something in a concert over a decade ago, when a Canadian band called The Nylons visited St. Paul.
It was the first time he’d seen an acappella group perform—just great vocals and percussion, but with real pop production. They were a mainstream band, but Jamie wanted to bring some of the same elements to Christian music. With that foundation, Jamie formed Go Fish in 1993. The group recorded their first independent project in 1995, which has gone on to sell more than 100,000 units. Andy and Jason joined the group in 1998 and Go Fish began to come into its own.
The trio quickly developed a strong following throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and North and South Dakota. Wanting to break out into other areas of the country, they sought the help of the Nashville-based inpop label, recording two albums and making headway at radio stations with a more pop-oriented sound.
“We were an acappella group until that point,” recalls Jamie. “Then after signing with inpop, we added instruments and went a different direction. In the process, we learned that we already had a good grasp of what we were doing, and who we were called to be both musically and spiritually.”
After parting ways with inpop, the trio formed their own label, gfk records. Coming full-circle helped them confirm a desire to get back to what they were good at—vocal music. And along with that came the realization that they’d always had families coming to their shows, from toddlers to grandparents.
In 2003 Go Fish decided to swing things differently with an acappella children’s record. Figuring it was either going to be the last thing they did or the best thing, they created Splash. But the response was immediate, with nearly 8,000 in attendance over their first six shows. Just as immediate was the clarity of God’s calling.
“If this was all over today, I would look back and remember the first weekend we did our kids’ concerts,” remembers Jamie. “Because after eight years of doing Go Fish, we all knew what those years were for—without a doubt, we knew where God wanted us. All the ups and downs—it was a crazy journey to get to that place, but so clear how necessary those years were to prepare us for what we’re doing now.” “I would love to say that we were these smart marketing guys, that we knew we could have a potential career doing this—but that’s not it at all!” he laughs. “We’re not in this as a stepping stone to something else. This is where God wants us, and it feels pretty important.”
With research from the Barna Group emphasizing the importance of reaching children, citing that most Christians today come to faith before the age of 14, the mission of Go Fish is clear. “We’re talking about leaving a legacy—not just doing something different musically, but making an impact on lives, especially children,” says Andy. “We want to instill values in the home again, by bringing it back to the basic foundation of the Bible. We’re targeting the kids because they are the next generation of influential people.”
“Long after we are gone, we hope that the music speaks for itself,” adds Jason. “Not only the quality and creativity, but the lasting effect it can have in the hearts of those who enjoy it.”
With all three members married, and Andy and Jamie now parents, that outreach is even more personal. “When you have children, you want to protect them with everything you have—but you can’t,” says Jamie. “And so, when you open that door and let someone else play a part in the life of your child, that is a huge thing, especially when that person is talking about principles for living. We take that responsibility extremely seriously, even in the little things. When I see a dad come through the autograph line with his little boy, I think, ‘If I was that dad, what would I want this performer to do for my son that would just make my his day?’”
And making kids’ and parents’ days is what Go Fish is all about. Great harmonies, direct lyrics, inspiring messages—rolled up into a dynamic presentation that is making an impact and creating memories for countless families across the country.
ask
Go Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There are hopes and dreams
Still unopened
But I know You are waiting there
To give me more than I could imagine
All You want is all my trust
And all I want is all Your love
You say knock and it will open
You say ask and you'll receive
You say seek and I will find
All the blessings You have in store for me
It's so hard to understand
How a simple prayer
Cried out to heaven
Will change the world, I'm livin' in
And touch the hearts of those around me
Lord, I know when I seek Your will
And I'm willing to believe Your words
When I know it will open
When I ask, I will receive
When I seek You, I will find
All the blessings You have in store for me
The lyrics to Go Fish's song Ask convey the theme of faith and prayer with the idea that hope and dreams are still unopened. The writer understands that God is waiting to give them more than they could possibly imagine. They go on to talk about how God wants all their trust and the writer wants all of God's love. The chorus is a collection of quotes from the Bible that convey the idea that God is waiting to bless everyone who asks, seeks, and knocks on His door. The writer finds it hard to understand how a simple prayer cried out to heaven can change the world they are living in and touch the hearts of those around them. They know that when they seek God's will and are willing to believe His words when they ask, they will receive.
The lyrics to Ask by Go Fish offer a poignant reminder of the power of prayer and the gift of faith in one's life. Through the metaphorical journey of seeking and knocking, the song conveys the idea that we are all in need of guidance and love from a higher power, and that if we are willing to put our trust in that power, we can receive blessings that are beyond our imagining. The lyrics also touch on the idea that prayer is not just about asking for things, but also about seeking guidance and understanding, and about expressing gratitude for all that we already have.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere between faith and prayer
In the space where trust and calling out to a higher power meet
There are hopes and dreams
Lurking wishes and aspirations
Still unopened
Not yet realized
But I know You are waiting there
I am confident that You are present and ready
To give me more than I could imagine
To grant me beyond what I could fathom
All You want is all my trust
You desire the entirety of my faith
And all I want is all Your love
I yearn for Your love and care without bounds
You say knock and it will open
You claim that if I knock, doors will unlock
You say ask and you'll receive
You assert that my requests will be granted when I seek
You say seek and I will find
You promise that I will discover treasures if I search
All the blessings You have in store for me
All of the gifts that You have prepared for me
It's so hard to understand
It's challenging to grasp
How a simple prayer
How a small entreaty
Cried out to heaven
Directed toward the divine
Will change the world, I'm livin' in
Can impact the world I exist in
And touch the hearts of those around me
And affect the emotions of those near me
Lord, I know when I seek Your will
My Lord, I am aware that if I seek Your plans and desires
And I'm willing to believe Your words
And I'm ready to accept Your teachings
When I know it will open
When I discern that doors will be unlocked
When I ask, I will receive
When I plead, I will be granted
When I seek You, I will find
If I search for You, I will find You
All the blessings You have in store for me
All of the gifts that You have prepared for me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RODNEY CLAWSON, BRIAN WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tony Vic
Perfect. Thank you for this quick and easy way for my daughter and I to understand and start playing Go Fish!
Steve Burke
You left out one very important rule: You must have at least one card of the rank you ask for. The video does show this but not the voice-over, so its easy to miss if you've never played before.
Carlos Ferrabone
He clearly says "any rank", so maybe what you are mentioning is an optional rule? bear in mind i never played this, first time hearing the rules
KaNawogirusa
@Carlos Ferrabone the game is unplayable without that rule
Samuel
@KaNawogirusa then if you ask for a card lets say : King... well all the players gonna know you have a King :/
so Id say any card sounds better
10CTINA-18-Nguyễn Đình Vĩnh Trí
@Samuel problem is the game would be stuck in a loop of players just taking like 3 6's from each other, so I feel like any ranks that you own is a better rule
Natanael Munguia
My life is a lie.... I've been calling it Goldfish my whole life -_-
Jack Handey
LoL, my wife calls it that too 😆
Eric Pramono
I haven’t been doing so, but thanks because I am going to call it goldfish now
Monjie
Same