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)
Skatanic
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm lookin' in your window,
Everyday I drive past your house
Standin' in your front yard,
Why don't you come out?
Watchin' you sleep...nowhere to hide,
One of these days I'm gonna come inside
Must be love, what else could it be?
F*** you b**** I love you I'm not crazy!
Walkin' up to her, now she's walkin' away
I just wanna talk to you!
Maybe she's got better things to do
Don't be afraid...to feel my touch,
Don't worry babe I won't hurt you much.
Must be love, what else could it be?
F*** you b**** I love you I'm not crazy!
I'm gonna make you love me!
I'm gonna make you love me!
I'm gonna make you love me!
No matter what you say,
(here I come)
Must be love, what else could it be?
F*** you b**** I love you I'm not crazy!
Must be love, what else could it be?
Must be love, what else could it be?
Must be love, what else could it be?
Must be love
The song "Skatanic" by Reel Big Fish is a punk rock song that is full of irony and sarcasm. The lyrics of the song depict a stalker who is obsessively watching a girl every day, looking through her window and standing in her front yard. The stalker has an intense desire to be with the girl and believe that it is love. He is convinced that he is not crazy and that he will make her love him, regardless of what she says. The chorus repeats the ironic phrase, "Must be love, what else could it be?" in order to highlight the absurdity of the stalker's twisted mindset.
The song is a commentary on the unhealthy and dangerous nature of obsessiveness and stalking in relationships. The stalker in the song has convinced himself that his actions are out of love, but in reality, they are a violation of the girl's privacy and well-being. The lyrics also critique the societal norms that reinforce the idea of obsessive love as being romantic or affectionate. The line, "Don't worry babe I won't hurt you much," further emphasizes the stalker's delusion and the threat he poses to the girl.
Overall, the song "Skatanic" exposes the absurdity and danger of obsessive love and highlights the importance of respecting boundaries and consent in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Watchin' you sleep, I'm lookin' in your window,
I'm stalking you, looking into your home while you sleep.
Everyday I drive past your house
I frequently drive by your home, obsessing over you.
Standin' in your front yard, Why don't you come out?
I'm waiting in your front yard, why don't you come outside so I can talk to you?
Watchin' you sleep...nowhere to hide, One of these days I'm gonna come inside
I'm stalking you while you sleep, and one day I will invade your space.
Must be love, what else could it be? F*** you b**** I love you, I'm not crazy!
I believe this is love, even though it may seem like obsession, and I swear I'm not insane.
Walkin' up to her, now she's walkin' away, I just wanna talk to you!
I'm approaching you, but you're walking away, I just want to have a conversation with you.
Maybe she's got better things to do, Don't be afraid...to feel my touch, Don't worry babe I won't hurt you much.
Perhaps the woman I'm following has a life and doesn't want to be bothered. But if she were to allow me to touch her, I promise I won't harm her too badly.
I'm gonna make you love me! I'm gonna make you love me! I'm gonna make you love me! No matter what you say, (here I come)
I vow to make you fall in love with me and I won't take no for an answer. Here I come, ready to pursue you.
Must be love, what else could it be? F*** you b**** I love you, I'm not crazy!
I'm convinced that my obsession over you is love, even though others may not see it that way, and I swear I am not mentally unstable.
Must be love, what else could it be? Must be love, what else could it be? Must be love
I keep telling myself it must be love because that's the only thing that could justify my behavior, but deep down I know it's probably not.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AARON BARRETT, ANDREW ERNEST GONZALES, MATT WONG, TAVIS JEREMY WERTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BobTheSkeleton
really dig this song, one of the hidden jems off the first album
mrnoname1
i love this album, and to think i got it for free buying a shirt at their concert :D
yankeessuck1138
So romantic... I'm gonna dedicate this to my crush at the talent show lmfao
amy walsh
Nothing says I love you like dedication and obsession.
0ReYgAn0
wow brings back memories! saw them live 2 times about 10 years in southampton!
Dallin Coons
This song always makes me laugh
r33mote
this one is so much better than the Everything Sucks version
Skauking
this is like death metal ska, its skacore!
SpaceOpera
@canariotra This whole album is really great. The album is "Turn The Radio Off". A fantastic album, it really is. Ska at its most irresistible. Many Reel Big Fish fans are also fans of Streetlight Manifesto. In fact, Streetlight and RBF often tour together. I also recommend looking at Streetlight. Look up "We Will Fall Together" and "Would You Be Impressed?". that whole "Somewhere in the Between" album is fantastic.
Karol Zaręba
Heaviest ska i've ever heard.