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)
Cool Ending
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(You just)
You led me on
(Where did)
It go wrong?
(Too bad)
For too long
I live
I'll get
Along somehow
I don′t care anyway
I just wanted to say that
Everything is cool
How are things with you?
Everything is cool
I wish you were...
(You say)
We'll be friends
(That just means no sex)
I don't care what you say
I′m tired of fuckin′ you anyway
I guess
It is my fault
But do you
Blame you at all?
I'll have
To let you go
I just want you to know that
Everything is cool
How are things with you?
Everything is cool
I wish you were dead
Everything is cool
How are things with you?
Everything is cool
I wish you were...
Everything is cool
How are things with you?
Everything is cool
I wish you were...
Everything is cool
How are things with you?
Everything is cool
I wish you were dead
I wish you were dead, woo
I wish you were dead
The song "Cool Ending" by Reel Big Fish is a breakup song that perfectly encapsulates the emotions of getting over a relationship that has been dragging on for too long. The opening lyrics "So glad you're gone, You just led me on" immediately convey the singer's joy of finally being free from their manipulative partner who had been stringing them along. However, the singer questions where things went wrong, indicating a sense of confusion and self-doubt.
The chorus of the song is sarcastic as the singer tries to convince themselves and their ex that everything is alright and they have moved on. The phrase "Everything is cool" is repeated three times, but the repetition and the tone of the song allude to the fact that this isn't true at all. Moreover, when the singer mentions being friends and that that only means "no sex," they are admitting that they still have sexual feelings for their ex and they don't want to pretend they don't. They seem to shift the blame on their ex, implying that they are tired of having sex with them anyway, and they are not interested in mending the relationship.
The chorus of the song ends with the singer saying "I wish you were dead," indicating that they haven't truly moved on from the relationship and harbor some resentment towards their ex. Overall, the song "Cool Ending" is a relatable break-up anthem that draws attention to the complexities of emotions that come with leaving a long-term relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
So glad you're gone
I feel relieved and happy that you're no longer in my life
(You just) You led me on
You gave me false hope and made me believe that our relationship was more than it really was
(Where did) It go wrong?
I'm unsure of where things went wrong between us
(Too bad) For too long
Our relationship wasn't working for a long time and it's unfortunate that it took so long for us to realize it
I live Without you now
I'm able to go on with my life without you in it
I'll get Along somehow
I'll find a way to move on and be okay without you
I don't care anyway
I don't really care about how you're doing or what you're up to
I just wanted to say that
I simply wanted to express my feelings and thoughts
Everything is cool
I'm okay with how things have ended and I'm moving forward
How are things with you?
I'm curious about how you're doing
I wish you were...
I have a strong feeling and desire for you to be something or somewhere else
(You say) We'll be friends
You want to continue a friendship with me
(That just means no sex)
Being friends means that we won't be intimate with each other
I don't care what you say
I'm indifferent to your statement or opinion
I'm tired of fuckin' you anyway
I'm exhausted and bored of being sexually involved with you
I guess It is my fault
I take responsibility for my part in the failure of our relationship
But do you Blame you at all?
I'm questioning whether you also accept fault for our relationship's end
I'll have To let you go
I need to move on from our past relationship
I just want you to know that
I want you to be aware of my feelings and thoughts
I wish you were dead, woo
I have an extreme desire for you to no longer exist
Writer(s): Aaron Barrett
Contributed by Jasmine M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
dont