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)
Trendy
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yea! yea! yea!
Everybody's doin' the fish yea yea yea...
It's not so bad bein' trendy
Everyone who looks like me is my friend
Please don't hate me because I'm trendy
They're not gonna laugh at me again.
Why don't you?
Everybody does it...
Maybe you should too
Cause you don't want to be left out
You want to be cool.
It's not so bad bein' trendy
Everyone who looks like me is my friend
Please don't hate me because I'm trendy
(i'm gonna do it because it's trendy)
They're not gonna laugh at me again!
Everybody's makin' fun of me
Cause they say, I'm so trendy
Cause I do what others do
They'll make fun of me
They'll make fun of you
I don't want to be left out
I want to be cool!
(makin' fun of trendy people is the trendiest thing of all)
The lyrics to Reel Big Fish's "Trendy" are a sarcastic commentary on the pressure to conform to trends, even if it means sacrificing individuality. The line "Everybody's doin' the fish, yea yea yea" represents the idea of blind conformity, where people follow trends without questioning why. The chorus, "It's not so bad being trendy, everyone who looks like me is my friend, please don't hate me because I'm trendy," shows the singer's desire to fit in and avoid being a target of ridicule. The song highlights the irony of purposely following trends to be accepted, only to be mocked for being trendy.
The second verse, "Everybody does it, why don't you? Maybe you should too, 'cause you don't want to be left out, you want to be cool," further emphasizes the pressure to conform. The bridge, "They're gonna make fun of me, they're gonna make fun of you" acknowledges the risk of being made fun of for not conforming, perpetuating the cycle of conformity.
The final line, "makin' fun of trendy people is the trendiest thing of all," reveals the song's ultimate message that being trendy is ultimately a futile pursuit, as trends and what is considered "cool" constantly change. The song highlights the importance of embracing individuality and not conforming to trends for the sake of acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's doin' the fish
The dance called 'the fish' is very popular.
Yea! yea! yea!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm.
It's not so bad bein' trendy
Being trendy has some advantages.
Everyone who looks like me is my friend
People tend to bond with those who share their fashion sense.
Please don't hate me because I'm trendy
Some people dislike the trendy crowd and may hold grudges.
They're not gonna laugh at me again.
It's better to blend in with the crowd to avoid being ridiculed.
Everybody does it
Many people follow the trend.
Why don't you?
Suggesting that the listener should join the trend as well.
Maybe you should too
Encouraging the listener to try out the trend.
Cause you don't want to be left out
Fear of missing out is a strong motivator.
You want to be cool.
Being trendy is equated with being cool.
Everybody's makin' fun of me
Being a trend follower can lead to ridicule.
Cause they say, I'm so trendy
Trendiness is often associated with shallowness and lack of originality.
Cause I do what others do
Following the crowd is seen as a lack of independent thought.
They'll make fun of me
Not following the crowd can lead to criticism.
They'll make fun of you
Encouraging the listener to expect ridicule for not following the trend.
I don't want to be left out
Fear of missing out is emphasized once again.
I want to be cool!
Being trendy is still seen as desirable, despite the risks.
(makin' fun of trendy people is the trendiest thing of all)
Ironically, mocking trend followers has become its own trend.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: AARON BARRETT, GRANT BARRY, MATT WONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Oliver Luff
LOVE RBF!!!!
MoBoogie
Reel Big Fish performs "Trendy" from the album Turn The Radio Off - live at The Ogden Theatre in Denver, CO. Recorded 7-19-12.
stephen adams
madd decent
MRMacattack.
ONE OF US !!!!
ruki25
I'm fairly certain the people at the show viewed this previously...
dbxdevil
F*cken C chord!