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)
Suckers
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lust turns to disgust a heart of gold into rust a soft touch to a slap in the
face- it gets old it goes away
This one's for all the suckers who still believe in love, this one's for you.
This one's for all the suckers who still believe in love, this one's for you.
It never works but we keep tryin' like fools learning and breaking the rules
At first you're excited then you're less than delighted by the end you wish
This one's for all the suckers who still believe in love, this one's for you
This one's for all the suckers who still believe in love, this one's for you
The chorus of Reel Big Fish's song "Suckers" openly mocks those who still believe in love despite experiencing the bitter realities of relationships. The songwriter talks about the transformation of feelings from lust to disgust, and how it turns a once-golden heart into a rusted one. The initial soft touch is replaced by a slap in the face, and it soon becomes apparent that such experiences get old and go away. The lyrics suggest that even though the end result of most romantic relationships is disappointment and heartbreak, people still cling to the idea of love and keep trying at it. The chorus is presented in a mock celebratory manner, meant to bring attention to how ridiculous it can be to stay hopeful in love despite past experiences.
The tone of the song may sound harsh or bitter, but it is not without sympathy towards those still holding onto the idea of love. The verses portray a more empathetic understanding of the struggles of finding and losing love, suggesting that one goes through a learning process that involves breaking the rules and getting hurt. The songwriter acknowledges the initial excitement in the beginning stages of a relationship turning into disappointment and wishing the other person would drop dead by the end. The lyrics do not minimize the pain of heartbreak but instead, emphasize that the cycle of falling in love and out of love is a common experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey everybody I've got somethin' to tell it's what I learned from relationship hell
I have a valuable lesson for those who have experienced the pain of failed relationships
Lust turns to disgust a heart of gold into rust a soft touch to a slap in the face- it gets old it goes away
The initial attraction and affection in a relationship often fades, leaving behind disappointment and bitterness.
This one's for all the suckers who still believe in love, this one's for you.
The song is dedicated to those who still hope and believe in love, despite its many failures and disappointments.
It never works but we keep tryin' like fools learning and breaking the rules
Despite the consistent failure of romantic relationships, we continue to try, foolishly breaking the same rules and learning little from past mistakes.
At first you're excited then you're less than delighted by the end you wish they would drop dead it can't last, it's gone so fast
The excitement and thrill of a new relationship quickly fades, leading to feelings of annoyance and eventually resentment towards one's partner. The relationship is fleeting and doomed to fail.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: AARON BARRETT, CARLOS F. GARZA, DAN REGAN, MATT WONG, SCOTT ALLEN KLOPFENSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
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