Their debut album, "Everything Sucks" (1995), was an underground hit and led to a deal with Mojo Records (see also Mojo), an indie label. "Turn the Radio Off" (1996) established the band in the underground music scene, and they began touring throughout the USA. After the single "Sell Out" began breaking into the mainstream, including MTV, the album made an appearance on the charts. The ska revival was short-lived, however, and "Why Do They Rock So Hard?" (1998) did not lead the group to the mainstream.
Reel Big Fish released "Cheer Up" (2002) which began a movement into harder rock and pop sounds, with much less ska than the previous albums. The song "Where Have You Been?" was aimed at a wider audience, trying to drop the less popular ska sound, but was met with little mainstream success, despite the video. Their second most recent studio album was "We're Not Happy Until You're Not Happy" (2005).
They recently released "Our Live Album is Better Than Your Live Album" (2006) which includes 2 discs worth or their own tunes and a few covers of popular songs along with a DVD. They have worked on the soundtrack to BASEketball, which included a cover of A-Ha's Take On Me.
In 2006, they split from Jive records, who produced a "Best of" album against the will of the band, who could not prevent the release. The band has made a campaign to try and stop people buying the album.
Their 7th album "Monkeys For Nothing and the Chimps For Free" (2007) includes some songs that were previously recorded and released on other albums. It was also the first album with the band's new label, Rock Ridge Records.
In 2009, they released "Fame, Fortune, and Fornication" an album composed of covers of older songs, including "Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty, and "Nothin' But a Good Time" by Poison.
In 2012, Reel Big Fish released "Candy Coated Fury", which is their second album on Rock Ridge Records. This album was met with heavy amounts of criticism from fans and reviewers alike. PunkNews.org gave the album a 2/10.
in 2014, they released "Happy Skalidays", a holiday themed EP.
Their current release is 2018's "Life Sucks... Let's Dance!", which gained generally positive reviews from fans and critics.
Current members:
Aaron Barrett - guitar, lead vocals (1992–present)
Dan Regan - trombone, backing vocals (1994–present)
John Christianson - trumpet, backing vocals (2004–present)
Ryland Steen - drums (2005–present)
Derek Gibbs - bass guitar (2007–present)
Past members:
Ben Guzman - vocals (1992–1994)
Zach Gilltrap - keyboards/synthesizers (1992–1994)
Lisa Smith - guitar (1992–1994)
Eric Vismantes - trumpet (1994)
Stephan Reed - saxophone (1994)
Robert Quimby - trombone (1994–1995)
Adam Polakoff - saxophone (1994–1995)
Grant Barry - trombone (1995–1998)
Andrew Gonzales - drums (1992–1998)
Tavis Werts - trumpet (1994–2001)
Carlos de la Garza - drums (1999–2003)
Tyler Jones - trumpet (2001–2004)
Justin Ferreira - drums (2003–2005)
Matt Wong - bass, backing vocals (1992–2007)
Scott Klopfenstein - trumpet, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1995–2011)
Cheer Up
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life sucks. What else is new? That's tough.
There's not much you can do- you're not the only one not havin' any fun
I've got a funny feelin' we're all born to lose
And I've got a funny feelin' that this life ain't worth livin' through
I've been depressed and I get so stressed
Life sucks. I don't wonder why. That's tough.
I've got a funny feelin' we're all born to lose
And I've got a funny feelin' that this life ain't worth livin' through
I'm not givin' up yet that's not the end of me
But it's not gonna be all right you'll see, you'll see!
I've got a funny feelin' we're all born to lose
And I've got a funny feelin' that this life ain't worth livin' through
Cheer Up!
The lyrics of Reel Big Fish’s song Cheer Up may seem on the surface to be a pessimistic reflection on the hardships of life, but upon closer examination, they offer a message of hope and defiance in the face of adversity. The opening lines reveal the viewpoint of someone who feels downtrodden and unable to shake their negative feelings. The singer offers the minimal comfort that there are others who feel the same way, sharing a sense of camaraderie in their mutual misery.
However, the chorus belies a deeper optimism, for when the singer claims to have a “funny feeling” that we’re all born to lose and that life isn’t worth living, he’s not stating facts; he’s giving voice to the ennui that can come from everyday struggles. The chorus feels like a release and a shared catharsis, and the way it’s repeated gives the song a sense of buoyancy. The lyric “I’m not giving up yet that’s not the end of me” highlights the idea that this song is less about accepting defeat and more about persevering in the face of discouragement.
Throughout the song, the singer is “cheering” the listener up, using his own experiences as consolation and shared reality. While there’s no doubt that life can be tough, the message of Cheer Up is that we should never stop trying to find joy and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
You say you're down you can't lose that frown
You're feeling sad and having trouble getting out of that mindset.
Life sucks. What else is new? That's tough.
You acknowledge that life can be challenging and it's not uncommon to feel unhappy about it.
There's not much you can do- you're not the only one not havin' any fun
You recognize that you're not alone in this and that many people also struggle to find happiness.
I've got a funny feelin' we're all born to lose
You have a deep-seated belief that everyone is destined to fail.
And I've got a funny feelin' that this life ain't worth livin' through
You feel like life is not worth living due to the constant negative experiences and feelings.
I've been depressed and I get so stressed
You have experienced depression and feelings of overwhelming stress.
Life sucks. I don't wonder why. That's tough.
You reaffirm that life can be difficult to navigate and that it's normal to feel overwhelmed by its challenges.
I just keep on tryin', so I won't be the one not havin' any fun
You persist in your efforts to find happiness because you don't want to be stuck in a negative mindset forever.
I'm not givin' up yet that's not the end of me
You're not letting your sadness or negativity define you, and you're determined to keep trying.
But it's not gonna be all right you'll see, you'll see!
You're realistic about the challenges of life and understand that it won't necessarily get better soon.
Cheer Up!
You conclude with a call to action, encouraging yourself and others to find joy despite life's difficulties.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AARON BARRETT, CARLOS F. GARZA, DAN REGAN, MATT WONG, SCOTT ALLEN KLOPFENSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
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