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)
Please Don't Tell Her I Have a Girlfriend
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please don't tell her I have a girlfriend
Cause it's so hard
Can't even pretend
That I only want to be her friend
Well I don't deserve it
You know that it's true
And you know I would to
Oh-oh
What am I gonna' do?
Please don't tell her I have a girlfriend
Please don't tell her I have a girlfriend
Cause it's so hard
Can't even pretend
That I only want to be her friend
Well I know that actions speak louder than words
And thinking is bad
But doing's much worse
Oh-oh
But I'm so perverse
Please don't tell her I have a girlfriend
Please don't tell her I have a girlfriend
Cause it's so hard
Can't even pretend
I only want to be her friend
Well I know I can keep a secret
I know I can keep a secret
Can you keep my secret?
Oh please don't tell her
That I have a girlfriend
Cause it's so hard
I can't even pretend
Please don't tell her I have a girlfriend
Please don't tell her I have a girlfriend
Cause it's so hard
Can't even pretend
That I only want to be her friend
The lyrics to Reel Big Fish's "Please Don't Tell Her I Have a Girlfriend" tell a story of a man who is struggling with feelings for another woman while still being in a relationship. The singer pleads for the listener not to reveal his secret because he cannot bear the thought of his girlfriend finding out. He acknowledges that he does not deserve to be with either woman, but feels drawn to both nonetheless. He realizes that his actions may betray his true feelings, but he cannot help the desire he has for the other woman. Ultimately, he begs for the listener's discretion and silence, knowing that he cannot bear the consequences of his actions being exposed.
The lyrics highlight the complexity of human emotion and the struggle to balance conflicting desires. The song conveys a sense of guilt, shame, and confusion, with the singer caught in between two women he cares for deeply. The plea for secrecy further emphasizes the weight of his actions and the potential harm they could cause.
Overall, "Please Don't Tell Her I Have a Girlfriend" is a poignant and relatable depiction of the complexities of romantic relationships and the internal struggles we face when we feel drawn in different directions.
Line by Line Meaning
Please don't tell her I have a girlfriend
I beg of you not to disclose to her that I am in a romantic relationship
Cause it's so hard
It is a difficult situation for me to navigate
Can't even pretend
I am unable to even feign romantic disinterest
That I only want to be her friend
I cannot pretend that I do not have romantic feelings for her
Well I don't deserve it
I am not worthy of her affection
You know that it's true
You are aware of this fact
But she said that she would
Despite this, she has expressed interest in me
And you know I would to
And I have reciprocated those feelings
What am I gonna' do?
I do not know how to proceed in this situation
Well I know that actions speak louder than words
I understand that actions carry more weight than words alone
And thinking is bad
Merely thinking about acting on my feelings is morally questionable
But doing's much worse
However, actually acting on my feelings would be even worse
But I'm so perverse
Despite knowing this, I am still tempted to act on my feelings
Well I know I can keep a secret
I am confident in my ability to keep this situation confidential
Can you keep my secret?
Can you also be entrusted with keeping this information private?
Oh please don't tell her
I implore you not to reveal this information to her
That I have a girlfriend
That I am currently in a committed romantic relationship
Cause it's so hard
Because this revelation would complicate our relationship
I can't even pretend
I am unable to even pretend that I do not have romantic feelings for her
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
dont