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)
Love Boat
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come Aboard.
We're expecting you.
And love, life's sweetest reward.
Let it flow, it floats back to you.
The Love Boat soon will be making another run
The Love Boat promises something for everyone
Your mind on a new romance.
And love won't hurt anymore
It's an open smile on a friendly shore.
Yes LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!
Welcome aboard it's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!
The lyrics to Reel Big Fish's "Love Boat" are a tribute to the popular TV show of the same name, which aired from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. The show was set on a luxury cruise ship called "The Love Boat" and featured a different group of guests each week, including many celebrity guest stars. The opening theme song, which these lyrics reference, became iconic and is still well-known today.
The lyrics begin with "Love, exciting and new / Come Aboard / We're expecting you / And love, life's sweetest reward / Let it flow, it floats back to you." These lines set the stage for the romantic escapades that often occurred on the show, highlighting the excitement and potential rewards of love. The following lines reinforce the idea of adventure and romance: "The Love Boat soon will be making another run / The Love Boat promises something for everyone / Set a course for adventure / Your mind on a new romance."
The final lines of the song emphasize the idea that love is a welcoming and comforting presence, with "an open smile on a friendly shore." Overall, the lyrics to "Love Boat" celebrate the hopeful, fun, and romantic nature of the TV show and the idea of taking chances on love and adventure.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, exciting and new
Love is thrilling and fresh
Come Aboard.
Join us and be a part of it
We're expecting you.
We anticipate your arrival
And love, life's sweetest reward.
Love is the ultimate, most fulfilling prize in life
Let it flow, it floats back to you.
If you release love, it will come back to you like a current
The Love Boat soon will be making another run
The ship of love is about to begin another voyage
The Love Boat promises something for everyone
The ship of love guarantees that everyone will find something to enjoy
Set a course for adventure,
Embark on a daring journey
Your mind on a new romance.
Keeping your eyes peeled for fresh relationships
And love won't hurt anymore
Love will no longer bring pain
It's an open smile on a friendly shore.
Love is a kind and welcoming gesture
Yes LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!
Love is loud and proud
Welcome aboard it's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!
Come join us and experience the power of love
Contributed by Jacob C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
scrotube
I wish she was permanently in RBF. I love her interactions with Aaron and she's gorgeous on top of talented
Zach Skabelund
I love this song. Keep it up guys...... My favorite band at that show was a tie between Reel Big Fish and Mighty Mongo.
the Squrrll
Glad you filmed this, Chris! I went to my local stop of this tour and it was an absolute blast. I looked up the show bill, totally forgot the Maxies were part of this show too!
Hollywood
I would sell my soul to see this live
Harper Micko
Ah man I was freakin there! Most amazing show I've been to.
ayo
i love her so much omg
dakotab291
I LOVE this lol
Morgan Meme Machine
Okay this crowd is better than the one in the other video.
11istret12
Love every second of this vid.
Wes Mills
Damn, aaron is starting to look like Grandpaw...sheesh