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)
New York New York
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to be a part of it, New York, New York
These vagabond shoes are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it, New York, New York
I want to wake up in a city that doesn't sleep
And find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
These little town blues are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it in old New York
It's up to you New York, New York
New York, New York I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps
And find I'm A- number one, top of the list, king of the hill, A, number one
These little town blues, are melting away
I'm gonna make a brand new start of it in old New York
And if I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere
It's up to you New York, New York, New York!
The lyrics to Reel Big Fish's song "New York New York" describe a desire to leave behind the mundane and small-town life for the excitement and possibilities of New York City. The singer's "vagabond shoes" are eager to explore the city "right through the very heart of it." The idea of becoming the "king of the hill" and "top of the heap" in the bustle of New York implies a desire for success and recognition, a chance to prove oneself.
The repeated refrain of "If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere" reinforces this idea of New York as a challenging but rewarding place to succeed. The song suggests that New York is a city that never sleeps and a place where even the most insignificant person can achieve greatness. The idea of "melting away" the "little town blues" suggests that the singer is eager to break free from the constraints of small-town life and start anew in a place where anything is possible.
Overall, "New York New York" is an uplifting song that celebrates the possibility of achieving success and finding a new beginning in a bustling city like New York.
Line by Line Meaning
Start spreadin' the news, I'm leavin' today
I'm announcing that I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it, New York, New York
I want to be included in New York City's greatness
These vagabond shoes are longing to stray
I've got wandering feet and want to explore the city
Right through the very heart of it, New York, New York
I want to experience everything the city has to offer
I want to wake up in a city that doesn't sleep
I desire to live in a city that is vibrant and active 24/7
And find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
I want to be successful and the best among the rest
These little town blues are melting away
I'm leaving my present life behind and starting anew in the city
I'll make a brand new start of it in old New York
I'm making a new start in the old established city of New York
If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere
If I can succeed in New York City, I can succeed anywhere in the world
It's up to you New York, New York
The city has the power to either make or break me
New York, New York I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps
I want to live in a city that is lively and vibrant all the time
And find I'm A-number one, top of the list, king of the hill, A, number one
I seek to be number one in everything I do and be the best
These little town blues, are melting away
I'm leaving my current life behind to start anew in the city
I'm gonna make a brand new start of it in old New York
I'm making a fresh start in the old established city of New York
And if I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere
If I can succeed in the highly competitive city of New York, I can succeed anywhere in the world
It's up to you New York, New York, New York!
The success or failure of my endeavors rests on the city of New York
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MMR
Pretty sure Aaron sang "start spreading the news" and Scott sings "I'm leaving today." They sing some lines individually and some together. It's quite fun working out who is who actually!
Linkro
amazing tribute to 'ol Blue Eyes!
kushnavs
I think Frank would be ok with this cover it's beautiful
Sadboi Rook
I found this band through Chris Zito and I'm glad because they put out amazing videos
Jessthegurl1192
it sounds like something out of crash bandicoot! love it! xxx
David Marshall
holy shit I'm in love right away. thanks Tomska
SpikeTheF0x
+David Marshall Im still confused on how it seems many people found out about Reel Big Fish from Tomska...I knew Tomska before I knew this band, but I actually randomly found it
arbitterm
This, children, is what we call "harmonizing" and boy ain't it beautiful?
Dasha Moss
Oh absolutely agree. If smb calls some musicians are great I advice listen to rbf ny ny. Can't stop listening for more than 10 years. Greetings from Russia
Jake Pearce
@revenge ah yes, because harmonizing only exists in New York, right?