Hootie & the Blowfish formed in 1986. The quartet met when they were freshmen at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Bryan heard Rucker singing in the showers of the dorm they shared and was impressed by his vocal ability. They began playing cover tunes as The Wolf Brothers; eventually they collaborated with Felber, a former high school bandmate of Bryan's, and Jim "Soni" Sonefeld as Hootie & the Blowfish.
Brantley Smith was the original drummer for the band. He left the group to pursue music ministry, but he has made scattered guest appearances with the band (he played cello on their MTV Unplugged performance in 1996, and played drums at Gruene Hall in Gruene, Texas, on June 27, 2008).
The group independently released two cassette demo EPs in 1991 and 1992. In 1993, they pressed 50,000 copies of a self-released EP, Kootchypop. Their mainstream debut album was Cracked Rear View (1994). It was an instant success, ultimately going platinum 16 times in the U.S. and becoming the best-selling album of 1995. The album was propelled by four hits, "Hold My Hand" (U.S. #10), "Let Her Cry" (U.S. #9), "Only Wanna Be with You" (U.S. #6), and "Time" (U.S. #14). Miami Dolphins' Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino appeared in the band's video for the song "Only Wanna Be with You", along with several other athletes.
The band won the "Best New Artist" award at the 1996 Grammy Awards. Hootie & the Blowfish appeared on MTV Unplugged on the eve of the release of their second album, 1996's Fairweather Johnson. Though sales began promisingly, and it contained the hit single "Old Man and Me" (U.S. #13), the album sold four million copies in the U.S.
In 1995, Hootie & the Blowfish contributed the song "Hey Hey What Can I Do" to the Encomium tribute album to Led Zeppelin. Their cover of Canadian group 54-40's "I Go Blind", originally released on the soundtrack to the TV series Friends in 1995, did not appear on Cracked Rear View or Fairweather Johnson, but nevertheless became a hit at radio in 1996 after three singles from Fairweather Johnson had been released. Both "Hey Hey What Can I Do" and "I Go Blind" were later released on the collection Scattered, Smothered and Covered.
Hootie and the Blowfish started their own record label, Breaking Records, in 1996 as a subsidiary of Atlantic. They had planned to focus on signing local Carolina acts. Edwin McCain and Cravin' Melon were both associated with the label at one point, but did not release any material on it. Meat Puppets, Jump, Little Children, Treadmill Trackstar and Treehouse released one album each on Breaking Records. The label folded in 2000.
In 1998, they performed on Frank Wildhorn's concept album of the musical The Civil War.
In 200, the band released a B-sides and rarities compilation in 2000 entitled Scattered, Smothered and Covered.
The band covered the 1968 Orpheus hit "Can't Find the Time" in 2001 for the soundtrack of the Jim Carrey movie, Me, Myself and Irene. Orpheus leader Bruce Arnold performed the song with the band during several concerts on the West Coast of the United States in 2001.
In 2009, Hootie and the Blowfish performed live in a ballet which chronicled their rise and success in the 1990s.
In 2008, Rucker announced in an AOL Sessions interview that Hootie and the Blowfish would be going on hiatus so Rucker could pursue his solo career as a country music performer. Although the band will no longer be recording or touring, Rucker confirmed that they will still perform their scheduled charity concerts, stating, "We have four charity gigs every year and we will still do them, but we will not do a record or tour." Rucker also said that the split will last "for five or six years, or until I record three or four country albums". He later amended his statement, saying, "To be honest with you, we're not even split up right now, and we're not really thinking about splitting up."
New Year's Day
Hootie & The Blowfish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Hootie & The Blowfish's song "New Year's Day" are about the transformative power of love and the feeling of being swept off your feet by someone new. The singer describes how everything around them changed the second the person walked in, and though they don't know where they've been, they know they will never be the same. They feel a heart beat in their chest that makes them feel bulletproof, and they believe that whatever happens with this new person is worth the risk.
The chorus encourages the listener to forget about their worries and make a toast to all the "champagne castaways" - people who have been left behind or forgotten on New Year's Day. The singer wants to hold onto this moment with the new person and kiss them like it's New Year's Day, a time of new beginnings and fresh starts.
The song is a celebration of the power of love to transform lives and help us forget the past and embrace the future. It captures the magic of meeting someone new and the hope that they bring into our lives. The upbeat melody, catchy chorus, and joyful lyrics make "New Year's Day" a perfect song to dance to and celebrate with loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
From the second that you walked in everything around me changed
The moment you entered my life, everything instantly became different
Tho I don't know where you've been I know I'll never be the same
Even though I don't know your past, I know that you've had a profound impact on me
hear the heart beat in my chest makes me feel I'm bullet proof whatever happens is worth the risk I got a feeling you feel it too
My heart beats so loudly when I'm around you, giving me a sense of invincibility. No matter what happens, I'm willing to take the risk because I believe you feel the same
Come on baby let me take your breath away forget about our worries that was yesterday make a toast to all those champagne castaways Come on babe let's kiss just like it's New Years Day
Let's live in the moment, forget about our past worries, and celebrate our love with a toast. Let's kiss each other as if it's New Year's Day, a symbol of new beginnings
Yeah you're in my wildest dreams you're living in my favorite songs every time you look at me I can't help but you turn me on
You're present in every fantasy I have, and your existence adds more color to my favorite songs. Whenever you gaze at me, I can't help but feel attraction
Oooo like its New Years Day Oooo just like its New Years Day Oooo hold on to the moment bay kiss me like it's New Years Day
Let's hold onto this moment tightly and cherish it. Kiss me as if it's New Year's Day, signifying a fresh start to our love
Come on babe let's kiss just like it's New Years Day
Let's share a passionate kiss, as if we're starting fresh and celebrating the beginning of a new year
Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DARIUS RUCKER, DEAN FELBER, ERIC PASLAY, JEFF TROTT, TOFER BROWN, JIM SONEFELD, MARK BRYAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stevenpeltier1376
Loving this new album. I didn’t think it would be possible but they have recaptured the magic of cracked rear view
@paulanelson7077
Oh Yes they have
@TessieDobey
Welcome back guys and never leave again. Happy to see Darius back with the original band.
@jacobshoup
I finally finished a long hard week of school and then this entire album dropped, no better reward.
@ldolphin34
This album takes no chances, and puts that vibe right back where it was. Hootie and the Blowfish. Seems like they never lose their style.
@tomstanley7568
thats true ac dc is a style now you tube it thats a new phanonanom looping and backing tracks are cool to
@normiepuppet8306
Starting off the new album with this song instantly brings you back into the classic Hootie vibe and its perfect!
@caycu
I've had this song on repeat for days now. Love singing it at the top my lungs. So happy to have Hootie back again!
@jacobfoxworthy3978
First thing I blasted as soon as the clock hit 12 on New Years Day
@aitechnasus1041
New Year's Day Is A Great Song By Hootie & The Blowfish.