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)
Drinkin'
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I was lame
With her middle finger in my face
Won't waste her time with such a loser
So now I wallow in regret
Wanna do something right but I haven't yet
Why do my endeavors end up in failure
Drinkin' all night long
'Cause if I go out drinkin'
Then I can stop thinkin'
Bout how the world done me wrong
I guess I shouldn't feel so bad
Ain't got much reason to feel so sad
'Cept that I'm poor untalented and ugly
I know its like they always say
Good times and bad will come our way
But there's only one thing that'll make this easier
I think I'll go out drinkin'
Drinkin' all night long
'Cause if I go out drinkin'
Then I can stop thinkin'
Bout how the world done me wrong
So wrong
I sing this song and nobody sings along
I've got a friend
He's in my hand
He understands
He said to me everything won't be so bad!
I think I'll go out drinkin'
Drinkin' all night long
'Cause if I go out drinkin'
Then I can stop thinkin'
Bout how the world done me wrong
I think I'll go out drinkin' (think I'll go out drinkin')
Drinkin' all night long (drinkin' all night long)
'Cause if I go out drinkin'
Then I can stop thinkin'
About how the worlds done me
How the worlds done me wrong (so wrong)
Drinkin' is a song by the American ska punk band, Reel Big Fish, which was released in 2002. Upon listening to the lyrics, one can readily discern that it's essentially an anthem for those who feel like life has dealt them a bad hand. The song is about a person who has been put down by others, including a woman who told him he was lame, untalented, and ugly. He feels like everything he tries fails, and he hasn't been able to make anything right in his life. He decides to go out drinking to forget about his failures and the way the world has treated him.
The lyrics convey a sense of self-pity, frustration, and hopelessness. The singer seems to have little self-confidence or belief in his own abilities. He wants to do something right but doesn't know how, and he thinks that going out drinking is the only way to forget about his troubles. The friend he mentions towards the end of the song is likely a bottle of alcohol, which he turns to for comfort.
The theme of the song is one of escapism. The singer is trying to forget his problems by going out drinking. The song is popular because it speaks to many people who have felt down and out at different points in their lives. Many individuals have gone through difficult times, whether it be a relationship breakup or a loss of a job, and this song manages to capture that feeling of despair and escape.
Line by Line Meaning
She told me
A woman criticized the singer, causing him to feel bad.
That I was lame
The woman called the singer uncool or unsuccessful.
With her middle finger in my face
The woman's criticism was done with an insulting gesture.
Won't waste her time with such a loser
The woman is not interested in spending time with the singer due to his perceived inadequacies.
So now I wallow in regret
The singer feels sorry for himself after being criticized.
Wanna do something right but I haven't yet
The singer wants to prove himself but hasn't been able to yet.
Why do my endeavors end up in failure
The singer is constantly failing despite his efforts.
I think I'll go out drinkin'
The singer decides to drink to forget his problems.
Drinkin' all night long
The singer plans to drink for an extended period of time.
'Cause if I go out drinkin'
The singer believes that drinking will help him stop thinking about his issues temporarily.
Then I can stop thinkin'
Drinking will help the singer forget his problems for a while.
Bout how the world done me wrong
The singer feels like the world is against him and he's a victim of circumstances.
I guess I shouldn't feel so bad
The singer realizes that his situation is not as bad as he thinks it is.
Ain't got much reason to feel so sad
There are few legitimate reasons for the singer to be unhappy.
'Cept that I'm poor, untalented and ugly
The only reasons that the singer can think of for being unhappy are his perceived lack of money, talent, or physical attractiveness.
I know it's like they always say
The singer acknowledges that difficult times are a part of life.
Good times and bad will come our way
Ups and downs are a natural part of life.
But there's only one thing that'll make this easier
The singer believes that drinking is the only way to make things easier.
I sing this song and nobody sings along
The singer feels alone and like nobody understands his struggles.
I've got a friend
The singer refers to alcohol as a friend.
He's in my hand
The alcohol is physically present in the singer's hand.
He understands
The singer believes that alcohol can empathize with his problems.
He said to me everything won't be so bad!
The singer believes that alcohol is telling him that things will get better.
How the worlds done me
The singer feels victimized by the world.
How the worlds done me wrong (so wrong)
The singer's problems are significant and feel overwhelming.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JUSTIN EBACH, STEVEN DALE JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
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