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)
Valerie
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You would put me through
But now that we've done some time and I know who you are
You're so full of shit how did it get so far?
Well you ruined my life, you were never my friend
And now all I can hope is that I'll never see you again
Valerie, you make me wish I was dead
I'll never ever be the same my life is ruined, you're too blame
Every moment of the year we spent you pushed me further and further over the edge
Maybe you didn't mean it ,maybe you're sorry as well but I know that you are evil, you came
Straight out of hell
Well you wasted my time, all of my money too
I never really hated until I met you
Valerie, you make me wish I was dead
Valerie, you're like a knife in my head
I'll never ever be the same my life is ruined, you're to blame
Well you ruined my life, you were never my friend
And now all I can hope is that I'll never see
You again
Valerie, you make me wish I was dead
Valerie, you're like a knife in my head
I'll never ever be the same my life is ruined, you're to blame
The lyrics to Reel Big Fish's song "Valerie" depict the singer's anguish towards an individual named Valerie. The song discusses how the singer was unaware of the terrible pain Valerie would inflict upon them when they first met her. However, as time passed, the singer began to see Valerie's true colors and realized how cruel and manipulative she was. The singer blames Valerie for ruining their life and causing them to feel as though they are better off dead. The lyrics express a deep-seated hatred towards Valerie, indicating that she has pushed the singer over the edge with her actions.
Despite the song's harsh words, it is important to consider the context in which it was written. Reel Big Fish has a reputation for using humor and sarcasm in their lyrics, and it is possible that "Valerie" is no exception. The song's upbeat ska melody and the whimsical horn section are in stark contrast to the dark and angry lyrics, which may suggest that the song is meant to be taken with a grain of salt. Additionally, in a 2005 interview with City Beat, lead singer Aaron Barrett stated that the song was inspired by a breakup and that the lyrics were not meant to be taken too seriously.
Overall, the lyrics to "Valerie" are powerful and convey a sense of bitterness and betrayal towards the titular character. While the song's true meaning may be up for interpretation, it is clear that the singer has been deeply hurt by Valerie's actions and wishes to never see her again.
Line by Line Meaning
Back when I met you I didn't have a clue of the horrible agony
When I first met you, I was naive and had no idea of the pain and torment you would cause me.
You would put me through
The experiences I had with you were very difficult and unpleasant.
But now that we've done some time and I know who you are
After spending time with you, I have come to understand your true nature.
You're so full of shit how did it get so far?
I cannot believe how deceitful and disingenuous you are, and I'm baffled at how I let it get this bad.
Well you ruined my life, you were never my friend
Your actions have completely devastated my life, and I have come to realize that you were never truly my friend.
And now all I can hope is that I'll never see you again
I have no desire to ever see or interact with you again after everything you've put me through.
Valerie, you make me wish I was dead
You have caused me so much pain and suffering that I wish I were dead rather than have to continue living with the memories and trauma.
Valerie, you're like a knife in my head
Your presence in my life is like a sharp, stabbing pain that I cannot escape from.
I'll never ever be the same my life is ruined, you're too blame
Because of the trauma and pain you have inflicted on me, my life will never be the same again, and I place the blame entirely on you.
Every moment of the year we spent you pushed me further and further over the edge
Throughout the time we spent together, you constantly pushed me closer to the breaking point and caused me to feel overwhelmed and hopeless.
Maybe you didn't mean it ,maybe you're sorry as well but I know that you are evil, you came Straight out of hell
Perhaps you didn't intend to hurt me, or maybe you are sorry for what you did, but regardless, I see you as an inherently evil person who brought nothing but chaos and destruction to my life.
Well you wasted my time, all of my money too
Not only did you cause me emotional distress, but you also wasted my time and resources, which I can never get back.
I never really hated until I met you
Your behavior was so terrible and hurtful that it caused me to feel intense hate and anger, which I had never experienced before meeting you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AARON BARRETT, MATT WONG, SCOTT ALLEN KLOPFENSTEIN, DAN REGAN, CARLOS F. GARZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sam Tucker
Reel Big Fish is the best band to listen to after a break up.
Or any other time!
Steve Weire
Especially when her name is valerie
Pizza Review Uk
i love how this whole album is upbeat songs with a sad love song undertone. classic! wish I was 16 again!
Ivhobbs23vI
When I heard this song, having an ex named Valerie who is perfectly described here, I knew Reel Big Fish and I were meant to be ♥
Valleycat
So, my name is valerie and this song kinda makes me wish I had a friend named valerie so we could sing it to each other. It is awesome and hilarious. (even if this song wasn't meant to be humorous)
Simon Homewood
This song isn't about a woman named Valerie. It's about the producer for this album, a guy called Val Garay (although he didn't produce this song) Aaron hated this album. In fact seeing them on the tour following it's release I was 100% sure the band would split up.
Ezeee77
What happened? I don't know the story
Teh Slime
Ezee They just didn’t get along with him for probably a bunch of random reasons
Simon Homewood
@Ezeee77 He was pushy, they'd moved to a major I think when Jive bought MoJo records. He was assigned to them by the label. He didn't think horns/ska were "Rock & Roll". I think a lot of the stuff he'd worked on with them they ended up adding more horns to. I'm not sure why 'Where Have You Been' wasn't given the horn treatment too, unless it was the label that chose it as the lead single, it's a very different song live.
Carrie S.
This song is my EVERYTHING!!!