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)
I'm Cool -
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And every little girl here,they all want to hold my hand.
But I stole all of my songs,I'm probably gonna get sued.
That's alright,as long as I get screwed.
Yea yea yea
And maybe you'll come and see us when we get real big.
Maybe you'll see us if we ever get another gig,cause there's so many fish in
And they all look like me,
I'm just a little tiny fish
That's all I'll ever be.
The lyrics of Reel Big Fish's song I'm Cool are an ironic commentary on the world of popular music and the illusions of fame and success. The song tells the story of a musician who is self-aggrandizing and delusional while being fully aware of the fraudulence of his own persona. He sings about his popularity among the guys and the girls while admitting that he has stolen all of his songs and is likely to get sued. He seems to be embracing his fate as a "little tiny fish" in the sea of the music industry, as long as he can still be part of it.
The song is a criticism of the culture of celebrity and the commercialization of art. It highlights how the popularity of a person or a band can be based on superficial factors like appearance or image rather than talent or originality. The irony of the lyrics lies in the fact that the singer is fully aware of his own shortcomings as an artist and yet he still craves the attention and the validation that come with fame.
One interpretation of the song is that it is a meta-commentary on Reel Big Fish as a band. The lyrics can be seen as a self-deprecating reflection on the band's own status as a ska-punk band that never achieved mainstream success despite being popular in the underground scene. The band members seem to be poking fun at themselves and the industry while also acknowledging their own limitations as musicians.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I'm cool when all the guys want to be my friend.
I am considered 'cool' by the guys because they all want to be associated with me.
And every little girl here,they all want to hold my hand.
All the young girls want to hold my hand and be close to me, possibly due to my perceived 'coolness.'
But I stole all of my songs,I'm probably gonna get sued.
I have committed an act of theft by stealing all of my songs, which may lead to legal repercussions.
That's alright,as long as I get screwed.
Even though it may lead to negative consequences, such as being sued, I am fine with it as long as it ultimately benefits me.
Yea yea yea
An additional vocalization to emphasize the previous statements.
And maybe you'll come and see us when we get real big.
If we become successful as a band, perhaps you will attend our concerts.
Maybe you'll see us if we ever get another gig,cause there's so many fish in The sea,
If we are lucky enough to secure another performance opportunity, there are many other bands and musicians out there that people may choose to see instead of us.
And they all look like me,I'm just a little tiny fish
There are many other musicians who are similar to me and we all blend together in the vast 'sea' of the music industry.
That's all I'll ever be.
I am aware that my career in music may not ever reach great heights and I am content with that fact.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AARON BARRETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
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