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)
Everyone Else is an Asshole
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Woahh Wa-ohhh, Wa-ohhh-ohh-ohh,
I tried to be nice
I tried to live my life
But everyone else is an asshole
I tried to forgive
But everyone else is an asshole
And everybody else thinks of no one but themselves
And no one wants to help cause they're all assholes
And every friendly chat is a knife in the back
A sneaky attack waiting to happen
I tried not to mind
I tried to be so kind
But everyone else is an asshole
I tried to let love rule
But I feel like such a fool
Cause everyone else is an asshole
And they're out there even now
Trying to mess me up somehow
But they won't stop me now
Cause they're all assholes
And they're planning while I sleep
And even as we speak
To strike when I am weak
Cause they're all assholes
Everyone else
Everyone else
Everyone else is an asshole
Everyone else
Everyone else
Everyone else is an asshole
It's time to defend
I didn't know I have no friends
Everyone else is an asshole
I've got to get them first
Cause worst has come to worst
Everyone else is an asshole
But they put the blame on me
Pretending not to see
That I just want to be free
From these assholes
But I couldn't take their shit
So I tried to deal with it
And now I look a bit
Like an asshole!
I tried to be nice
I tried to live my life
But everyone else is an asshole
I tried to overlook
And I tried to close the book
But everyone else is an asshole
I tried not to talk shit
But I just couldn't help it
Everyone else is an asshole
They called it a song
But it really wasn't my fault
Everyone else is an asshole
Everyone else
Everyone else
Everyone else is an asshole
Everyone else
Everyone else
Everyone else is an asshole
You're an asshole too!
You're an asshole too!
I'm talking bout you
I'm talking bout you
I'm talking bout you, and you, and you
You're an asshole too
I'm talking bout you, and you, and you
You're an asshole too
I'm talking bout you, and you, and you
You're an asshole too
"Everyone Else is an Asshole" by Reel Big Fish is a song that speaks about the frustration and anger of living in a world full of people who do not seem to care about each other. The song is a humorous yet poignant commentary about the general selfishness and lack of kindness that seems to be ubiquitous in today's society. The chorus, "Everyone else is an asshole" serves as a rallying cry for those who feel powerless in the face of the mass rudeness and indifference that surrounds them.
The lyrics of the song suggest that the singer has tried to live a good, kind life, but has been met with constant aggression and hostility from others. The singer is tired of trying to be nice and wraps up his or her frustrations into an energetic and rebellious anthem for anyone who has experienced similar feelings. The singer claims that they have to "get them first" before they get hurt by others, which suggests that there is a sense of paranoia and mistrust that has been cultivated by the negative interactions that they have had with others.
The song is a testament to Reel Big Fish's ability to infuse meaningful messages into upbeat, catchy tunes that are easy to sing along too. It speaks to a generation of people who grew up in an increasingly polarized and divisive world, where empathy and kindness seem to be in short supply. Ultimately, the song is a call to action for people to be aware of their behavior and to strive to be better towards one another.
Line by Line Meaning
I tried to be nice
I attempted to be polite and respectful towards others
I tried to live my life
I strived to live my own life the way I wanted to
But everyone else is an asshole
But unfortunately, other people are rude and inconsiderate
I tried to forgive
I made an effort to let go of grudges and resentments
I tried to live and let live
I attempted to allow others to live their lives without interference
And everybody else thinks of no one but themselves
And it seems that everyone else is selfish and only cares about their own interests
And no one wants to help cause they're all assholes
And others are unwilling to help because they are unpleasant and nasty
And every friendly chat is a knife in the back
And every conversation that appears amicable is actually a betrayal waiting to happen
A sneaky attack waiting to happen
A deceitful assault that is imminent
I tried not to mind
I made an attempt to ignore negative behavior and avoid becoming upset
I tried to be so kind
I put effort into being compassionate towards others
But they won't stop me now
However, their actions will not deter me from achieving my goals
Cause they're all assholes
Because they are unpleasant individuals
And they're planning while I sleep
And while I am asleep, they are scheming
And even as we speak
At this very moment
To strike when I am weak
To take advantage of my vulnerabilities
Everyone else
All other individuals
It's time to defend
It is necessary for me to protect myself
I didn't know I have no friends
I was not aware that I had no true companions
I've got to get them first
I must be the one to act first
Cause worst has come to worst
Because situations have escalated to the point of no return
But they put the blame on me
However, they attribute the fault to me
Pretending not to see
Acting as though they are unaware of what is happening
That I just want to be free
Despite the fact that I desire freedom
From these assholes
From these unpleasant individuals
But I couldn't take their shit
But I was unable to tolerate their negative behavior
So I tried to deal with it
Therefore, I endeavored to manage the situation
And now I look a bit like an asshole!
And now, as a result of my actions, I resemble an unpleasant person
I tried to overlook
I made an attempt to ignore the negative behavior of others
And I tried to close the book
And I attempted to put an end to the situation
But I just couldn't help it
However, I was unable to control myself
They called it a song
They referred to this as a musical composition
But it really wasn't my fault
However, it was not my fault
You're an asshole too!
You are also an unpleasant person
I'm talking bout you
I am referring to you
And you, and you
And also to you and you
It's time to defend
It is necessary for me to protect myself
Everyone else is an asshole
All other individuals are unpleasant people
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: AARON ASHER BARRETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
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