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)
Punisher
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I may have smiled
I was just tryin' to be nice
But you forced your way into my life
And now it's years from then
And you're still hangin' around
With no respect for personal space
Callin' you a stalker is a little harsh
But that's almost what you are
You're always showin' up
When you're not invited
Here is something that I've finally decided
I gotta tell you
You're a punisher
You're unbearable
You are terrible
Punisher
You just torture us
And I have had enough
Punisher
You have got to go
How can you not know
That you drive me crazy
It's amazing how annoying you are
Now here you come again
Makin' yourself at home
But no one even likes you
Can't you get that through your skull
Don't you see the dirty looks
Don't you notice I don't keep in touch
You're pushy
You're pushy
You're pushy
And I've been pushed around too much
I guess you're too crazy to see
The nuisance that you are
But you have reached the end of my toleration
And now it's finally time for a confrontation
I gotta tell you
You're a punisher
You're unbearable
You are terrible
Punisher
You just torture us
And I have had enough
Punisher
You have got to go
How can you not know
That you drive me crazy
It's amazing how annoying you are
Callin' you a stalker is a little harsh
But that's almost what you are
You're always showin' up
When you're not invited
Here is something that we have finally decided
(I gotta tell you)
You're a punisher
You're unbearable
You are terrible
Punisher
You just torture us
And I have had enough
Punisher
You're unbearable
You are terrible
Punisher
You just torture us
And I have had enough
Punisher
You have got to go
How can you not know
That you drive me crazy
It's amazing that it went so far!
Punisher
You're a punisher!
Punisher
The lyrics to Reel Big Fish's song "Punisher" talk about the experience of dealing with a person who doesn't understand personal boundaries and is always in your life. The song gives voice to the frustration and annoyance that comes from dealing with a person who constantly forces themselves into your life. The lyrics describe how the singer tried to be nice to this person at first, but after years of this constant intrusiveness, they decided to confront them and tell them how unbearable and terrible they were. Even though calling them a stalker is a little harsh, the person is essentially a punisher who torments the singer with their presence.
The song has a sarcastic and humorous tone, but it sheds light on a very real issue that many people face in their lives. The lyrics also emphasize the importance of personal boundaries and the right to say "no" when someone is being too pushy. The repetition of the word "pushy" highlights how this constant presence has been too much to bear, and the singer has reached a breaking point.
Overall, "Punisher" is a relatable and catchy song that deals with a heavy topic in a lighthearted way. It reminds us that it's okay to stand up for ourselves and set boundaries with people who don't respect them.
Line by Line Meaning
I shook your hand
I briefly met you
I may have smiled
I was just being polite
I was just tryin' to be nice
I didn't want to upset you
But you forced your way into my life
You became too involved in my personal life
And now it's years from then
A significant amount of time has passed
And you're still hangin' around
You haven't gone away
With no respect for personal space
You don't understand boundaries
You're always right there in my face
You are constantly bothering me
Callin' you a stalker is a little harsh
Using the term stalker might be too extreme, but you still make me uncomfortable
But that's almost what you are
You come across as obsessively interested in me
You're always showin' up
You appear when you're not invited
When you're not invited
You intrude on my personal space
Here is something that I've finally decided
I've come to a decision
I gotta tell you
I need to express to you
You're a punisher
You are difficult to tolerate
You're unbearable
You are intolerable
You are terrible
You are not a positive influence in my life
You just torture us
You cause us mental distress
And I have had enough
I can't take it anymore
You have got to go
I need you to leave
How can you not know
You are oblivious to my discomfort
That you drive me crazy
You make me upset and frustrated
It's amazing how annoying you are
You are exceptionally irritating
Now here you come again
You are showing up again
Makin' yourself at home
You act as if you belong here
But no one even likes you
Nobody has a favorable opinion of you
Can't you get that through your skull
Can't you understand that people don't want you around?
Don't you see the dirty looks
People are giving you unfriendly expressions
Don't you notice I don't keep in touch
I don't want to have a relationship with you
You're pushy
You don't listen to what others want
And I've been pushed around too much
I won't deal with this anymore
I guess you're too crazy to see
Your obsession has affected your perception
The nuisance that you are
You are a hindrance in my life
But you have reached the end of my toleration
I can no longer deal with you
And now it's finally time for a confrontation
We need to discuss how you are bothering me
You're unbearable
You are intolerable
You just torture us
You cause us mental distress
You're a punisher
You are difficult to tolerate
You have got to go
I need you to leave
It's amazing that it went so far!
I can't believe how long it took me to stand up to you
Punisher
You are a difficult person to deal with
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: AARON ASHER BARRETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
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