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)
Unity
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want no war goin' down tonight.
Civilization? Ha! I call it as I see it.
I call it bullshit! You know, I still cannot believe it
Our evolution now has gone the way of hate
A world evolved resolved into its stupid fate
Stop this war!
All so different yeah, I say we're all the same
Self destruction fast impending like a bullet
No one can stop it, once it's fired no one can control it
Stop this war!
A final word, wait it's not a call to action
We ain't no sect, we ain't no fucking faction
Unity, Unity, you've heard it all before
This time it's not exclusive we want to stop a war
Unity as one, stand together
Unity, evolution's gonna come!
The song "Unity" by Reel Big Fish reflects on human behavior, particularly on how people categorize and segregate themselves from one another. The lyrics acknowledge that a war is happening between brothers, but the singer does not want that conflict to continue. The song suggests that our evolution as a society has regressed into hate and intolerance. The message of the song is about the need for unity and the avoidance of furthering war and division. The lyrics state that we are all different but should come together as one, as we are all the same. The singer implies that we are all caught in the division game, and we are all reaching self-destruction at a rapid pace, like a bullet that can't be stopped or controlled once fired.
The lyrics of this song are deep, and its message is clear. It is a call to action that encourages people to stand together, blanket over differences, bring a stop to the ongoing war, and create a united front. The idea behind the song is that unity is all-important, and if people can come together, they can create a change that has the potential to evolve society positively.
In conclusion, the song "Unity" by Reel Big Fish is meaningful both lyrically and musically. It's a song about the importance of unity and the idea that people should look beyond the things that divide them. In a world where people are strongly divided over differences, this song serves as a reminder that we're all the same and should strive to stand together as one.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a war goin' down between my brothers tonight.
There is a conflict among people of similar background today.
I don't want no war goin' down tonight.
I do not like the idea of war happening today.
Civilization? Ha! I call it as I see it.
I see civilization as a joke with all of its issues.
I call it bullshit! You know, I still cannot believe it
I think it's complete nonsense, and I cannot comprehend it.
Our evolution now has gone the way of hate
Our development has turned into violence.
A world evolved resolved into its stupid fate
A world that has evolved to its downfall.
Stop this war!
Put an end to this war.
All so different yeah, I say we're all the same
Although we have our differences, ultimately, we are the same.
All caught, you know, in the division game
We are all participating in the game of division.
Self destruction fast impending like a bullet
Self-destruction is imminent and rapidly approaching.
No one can stop it, once it's fired no one can control it
Once destruction starts, no one can prevent or manage it.
Stop this war!
End this conflict immediately.
A final word, wait it's not a call to action
Here is a concluding statement, and it is not intended to prompt action.
We ain't no sect, we ain't no fucking faction
We are not a group with extreme views or beliefs.
Unity, Unity, you've heard it all before
We have promoted the idea of unity before.
This time it's not exclusive we want to stop a war
This time, we want to stop a war, and it's open to everyone.
Unity as one, stand together
Let's come together and support each other.
Unity, evolution's gonna come!
Unity will bring positive changes and growth.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARC ANTOINE VOUILLOUX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
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