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)
Imaginary Friend -
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I asked for a helping hand
To get me through it
But I guess it wasn't in your plan
Or maybe you were
Just too busy to make time for me
I always put you first
But they all kept getting worse
When I think about the way you let me down
I wonder if I'm supposed to count on you
How could you ignore me?
My imaginary friend didn't come through in the end
So now I have to find a real one
Didn't answer when I called
Well I guess it's just because
He was never there at all
I can't believe it
Now that I'm looking back
Why didn't I see it
Well I guess I didn't even ask
While you were never
Ever in the places I would go
You never showed yourself
All those heart-felt conversations
Were with me and no one else
When I called your name
You never answered am I insane?
If you saw my suffering
How could you ignore me?
My imaginary friend didn't come through in the end
So now I have to find a real one
Didn't answer when I called
Well I guess it's just because
He was never there at all
It's not hard to let him go
I don't know know why I ever loved him so
Maybe there is something wrong with me
I don't see what they see
Used to fold my hands and close my eyes
And think that you were with me
Now there's something wrong
It doesn't seem to make much sense
I just feel so stupid now
How could I believe it?
My imaginary friend didn't come through in the end
So now I have to find a real one
Didn't answer when I called
Well I guess it's just because
He was never there at all
My imaginary friend wooh-yeah (Now I have to find a real one)
Didn't come through in the end wooh-no (Cause' he was never there at all)
He was never there at all
The lyrics to Reel Big Fish's song My Imaginary Friend explore the disappointment and confusion that comes when one's expectations are not met. The singer is reaching out for help and support, but is ultimately let down by their "imaginary friend." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for seeking help from someone who never intended to be there for them or for relying on someone who proved to be unreliable.
Throughout the song, the singer questions their own sanity and ability to trust their perceptions. They wonder if they were crazy to believe in their imaginary friend, and whether they should have seen the signs that they were never really there. The overall tone of the song is one of disappointment and hurt, but it also suggests a resolve to move on and find real support.
The subject matter of the song may have been inspired by the band's own experiences with navigating the music industry, which can be fraught with disappointment and disillusionment. It could also be seen as a commentary on the larger theme of growing up and realizing that the people and things we once relied on are not always dependable.
Line by Line Meaning
I couldn't do it
I was struggling and needed help
So I asked for a helping hand
I reached out to someone I trusted
To get me through it
To help me overcome my difficulties
But I guess it wasn't in your plan
You didn't come through for me as I expected
Or maybe you were
Alternatively,
Just too busy to make time for me
You were occupied with your own priorities
I always put you first
I prioritized your needs over my own
Expected me to figure out things
I was left to navigate challenging situations on my own
But they all kept getting worse
Things went from bad to worse without your help
When I think about the way you let me down
I reflect on your failure to support me
I wonder if I'm supposed to count on you
I question whether you can be relied on to provide assistance
How could you ignore me?
I feel hurt and abandoned by your lack of response
My imaginary friend didn't come through in the end
The person I thought I could rely on didn't help
So now I have to find a real one
I need to find someone who will actually be there for me
Didn't answer when I called
You didn't respond when I reached out
Well I guess it's just because
I assume it's because
He was never there at all
You weren't there for me when I needed you
It's not hard to let him go
It's easy to move on from someone who was never really present
I don't know know why I ever loved him so
I question why I held onto the idea of you as a supportive friend
Maybe there is something wrong with me
I question whether I am responsible for your lack of support
I don't see what they see
I don't understand why others may have believed in our friendship
Used to fold my hands and close my eyes
I used to imagine you were with me for comfort
And think that you were with me
I believed you were present in my life
Now there's something wrong
I realize that our friendship was flawed
It doesn't seem to make much sense
I struggle to understand how I was so mistaken
I just feel so stupid now
I feel foolish for believing in an imaginary friend
My imaginary friend wooh-yeah (Now I have to find a real one)
The person I believed in did not come through for me
Didn't come through in the end wooh-no (Cause' he was never there at all)
The person I thought I could rely on was never really present in my life
He was never there at all
You were not present in my life when I needed you
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: AARON ASHER BARRETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
dont