The studio core comprises Spike Slawson on vocals, bassist Fat Mike, Joey Cape on guitar and backing vocals, Dave Raun on drums, and Chris Shiflett on guitar (his brother Scott of Face To Face/Viva Death fills in for Chris on tour). Touring members have included Brian Baker (Bad Religion/Minor Threat), Barry DaLive (Crosstops/RKL), Eric Melvin (NOFX), Matthew MacNasty (bagpipes player from the Real McKenzies), and Warren Fitzgerald (The Vandals).
Originally a themed 7" singles project, now each of their full length albums covers a different genre of music spanning the 50's to the 90's. Their first release in 1997 was entitled Have a Ball, followed by Are a Drag in 1999. In 2001 they released Blow in the Wind and two years later released Take a Break. Almost immediately after the release of Take a Break the released a live album Ruin Johnny's Bar Mitzvah The genres they've butchered now include country, on Love Their Country featuring covers of songs made popular by The Dixie Chicks, Johnny Cash and others. Their most recent release is a collection of B-sides from their album Have a Ball, simply titled Have Another Ball.
The Gimme Gimmes perform to entertain themselves as much as for the entertainment of their fans. Their albums and concerts are some of the most lighthearted and off the wall musical experiences in the punk world. Concerts are often interrupted between songs to freshen cocktails at the on stage tiki bar. CD liner notes relate the hardships of recording such as Fat Mike getting so caught up in "Wild World" that he believed he was Fat Stevens, a guitar-toting Islamic Extremist, so that when Spike sang "All My Lovin" he mistook it for "Allah my Lovin" and condemned Spike to death for heresy.
The Gimmes are also known for their costumes. Each album has a 'theme' for which they all dress up for the cover art and live shows. Some themes include red suits, metallic suits with fezzes, cheerleader outfits, drag (each Gimme dressed as a character from a musical they took songs from on the cover of Are a Drag: Chris Shiflett was Columbia and Spike was Dr Frank N. Furter from Rocky Horror, Joey Cape was Annie, Fat Mike was Sandy from Grease and Dave Raun was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz). During a Warped Tour they dressed as AFI, to the confusion of many fans. Most recently they have been dressing as cowboys, but are possibly best known for their lurid Hawaiian shirts.
Or their live album, "Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah", the band performed for a crowd of 30 at a Bar Mitzvah. The CD contained video of the actual event and the liner notes were written by attendee Benjamin Rosenblatt who describes the events: "They made a lot of mistakes. They even started a song then stopped, then started again." -track 7 "Strawberry Fields Forever" on the CD.
Danny's Song
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Think I'm gonna have a son.
He will be like she and me, as free as a dove, conceived in love,
Sun is gonna shine above.
Even though we ain't got money, I'm so in love with ya honey,
Everything will bring a chain of love.
In the morning when I rise, you bring a tear of joy to my eyes,
Pisces, Virgo rising is a very good sign, strong and kind,
And the little boy is mine.
Now I see a family where there once was none, now we've just begun,
Yeah, we're gonna fly to the sun.
Even though we ain't got money, I'm so in love with ya honey,
Everything will bring a chain of love.
In the morning when I rise, you bring a tear of joy to my eyes,
Tell me everything is gonna be alright
Love the girl who holds the world in a paper cup, come on and drink it up,
Love her and she'll bring you luck.
And if you find she helps your mind, better take her home,
Don't you live alone, try to earn what lovers own.
Even though we ain't got money, I'm so in love with ya honey,
Everything will bring a chain of love.
In the morning when I rise, you bring a tear of joy to my eyes,
Tell me everything is gonna be alright
The lyrics to "Danny's Song" express a feeling of joy and optimism about the future. The singer speaks about the excitement of having a child with their partner, who they love deeply. Despite not having much money, the couple is rich in their love for each other and believe that love will bring them happiness and success. The astrological signs of Pisces and Virgo are mentioned, indicating the belief that the child will be strong and kind. The singer sees a future where they will fly to the sun, implying that their dreams will come true. In the chorus, the singer repeats that they are so in love with their partner, and everything they do will bring a chain of love. The partner brings a tear of joy to their eyes in the morning and assures them that everything is going to be alright.
Overall, the lyrics to "Danny's Song" are about the beauty of love and family. It showcases the power of love to bring joy and happiness into our lives, even in the face of financial struggles. The song encourages the listeners to love their partner and to cherish what they have, even if they don't have much.
Line by Line Meaning
People smile and tell me I'm the lucky one, and we've just begun,
Despite not having any financial security, others perceive me as fortunate and our journey as a family has just started.
Think I'm gonna have a son.
I am expecting a male child.
He will be like she and me, as free as a dove, conceived in love,
My child will possess the same freedom and love that my partner and I have.
Sun is gonna shine above.
Optimism is on the horizon.
Even though we ain't got money, I'm so in love with ya honey,
Although we lack material wealth, I am deeply in love with my significant other.
Everything will bring a chain of love.
Love is a connecting force between all things.
In the morning when I rise, you bring a tear of joy to my eyes,
Waking up next to my partner brings me immense happiness.
Tell me everything is gonna be alright.
My significant other assures me that everything will work out for the best.
Pisces, Virgo rising is a very good sign, strong and kind,
The horoscope of my child is fortuitous and implies strength and kindness.
And the little boy is mine.
I am the father of the upcoming child.
Now I see a family where there once was none, now we've just begun,
Our family has just been created and we are excited to start this new chapter of our lives.
Yeah, we're gonna fly to the sun.
We have big plans for our future together.
Love the girl who holds the world in a paper cup, come on and drink it up,
Embrace the girl who holds the infinite universe in her hands as if it were a small drink to be enjoyed.
Love her and she'll bring you luck.
Love is a source of good fortune.
And if you find she helps your mind, better take her home,
If she brings mental clarity and peace, make her a permanent part of your life.
Don't you live alone, try to earn what lovers own.
Never live your life alone and strive to obtain the love that couples possess.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Kenneth Clark Loggins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lesleehall7676
Seeing them in concert for the first time ever tonight!! Freaking stoked!!
@akneal
This was the song my husband and I had our first dance to as a Married couple! Love it!!
@lnavitka
Every song they cover sounds so much better than the original. These guys are the punk rat pack. Best side project ever.
@Johnny2Bags47
BULLS FUCKIN EYE 🎯💯
I think the same as you
@christhomson7669
My oldest son told me about this year's ago. I was a 80s punk rocker, and he an early 2000s one. We are estranged now. This song reminds me of him.
@WilliamYoder72
Take care, dude.
@Jestatgothaman
punks not dead!😊
@jefferygoodman9928
@christhomson76: I had become estranged from a guy who passed away on 6/10/20. We were both rockers and huge Springsteen fans. There are things which constantly remind me of him; I’ve come to realize how incredibly important he had been in my life. I miss him terribly and wish we had patched things up. I certainly don’t know the reasons why ur both estranged, family dynamics are different from those between even close friends but I hope u and ur son can somehow work things out so neither one of u will have any regrets as time passes.
@thecountessofgreycastle7119
2020 still listening !!!
@undergroundkingz7969
Same here!