Reel Big Fish ("RBF") is a ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California,… Read Full Bio ↴Reel Big Fish ("RBF") is a ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, United States who broke into the mainstream in the mid to late 1990s, formed in 1992.

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)

You Don't Know
Reel Big Fish Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well first of all, I'd like to say fuck off
(fuck off, fuck off, fuck off!)
If you don't get it why don't you go
Shove your head back up your ass

And don't waste my time
I don't need your opinion
'Cause you don't know what it's like

You don't know what it's like

You don't know what it's like to be like me
You don't know, so keep your mouth shut
Well, this may come as kind of a surprise
(surprise, surprise, surprise!)

I don't like you and I don't care
What you think about what I do
And most of all, I don't need your opinion
Cause you don't know what it's like

You don't know what it's like
You don't know what it's like to be like me
You don't know, so keep your mouth shut
Well finally that's the way it is

I like something you don't and you're tellin' me it's shit
It's a waste of time
We can't change our opinions

I don't know what it's like
I don't know what it's like

I don't know what it's like to be like you
I don't know, so I'll keep my mouth

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Reel Big Fish's song You Don't Know are a confrontation to anyone who dares to judge or criticize the singer's lifestyle or taste in music. The opening verse is a direct insult, telling the listener to "fuck off" if they don't understand the singer's perspective. The singer goes on to challenge the listener's right to an opinion and their ability to understand what it's like to be in the singer's shoes. The message is clear: unless you've lived my life and experienced the things I have, you have no right to judge me.

The chorus reiterates this sentiment, declaring that the listener doesn't know what it's like to be the singer and therefore should keep their mouth shut. The bridge reveals that the situation is reciprocal, as the singer also likes things that the listener doesn't and is facing criticism for it. The singer acknowledges that they can't change the listener's opinion, but also asserts that they don't need it or care for it. The final verse shows that the singer is not exempt from the same criticism they are facing, as they don't know what it's like to be the listener. Despite this, they choose to keep their mouth shut rather than perpetuate the cycle of judgment and conflict.

Overall, the lyrics to You Don't Know are a statement against the kind of cultural elitism that often arises within music scenes or subcultures, where people are judged or excluded based on their tastes or opinions. The song encourages empathy and a recognition of the subjective nature of personal experience and preferences.

Line by Line Meaning

Well first of all, I'd like to say fuck off
I would like to express my dislike for you in a crude manner

(fuck off, fuck off, fuck off!)
Repeatedly emphasizing my dislike for you and desire for you to leave

If you don't get it why don't you go Shove your head back up your ass
If you don't understand, please leave and keep your unhelpful opinions to yourself

And don't waste my time I don't need your opinion
Please do not waste my time with your unwanted opinions

'Cause you don't know what it's like You don't know what it's like
Your lack of understanding prevents you from making any meaningful comments

You don't know what it's like to be like me You don't know, so keep your mouth shut
You have no idea what my experiences are, so it's best to keep silent

Well, this may come as kind of a surprise (surprise, surprise, surprise!)
This may shock you

I don't like you and I don't care What you think about what I do
Your feelings and opinions do not matter to me

And most of all, I don't need your opinion Cause you don't know what it's like
Above all, I don't need your opinion because you cannot relate

You don't know what it's like You don't know what it's like to be like me You don't know, so keep your mouth shut
Again, you have no idea what it's like to be me, so please don't speak about it

Well finally that's the way it is I like something you don't and you're tellin' me it's shit
My preferences differ from yours, and you're insulting them

It's a waste of time We can't change our opinions
Arguing over opinions is pointless as they cannot be changed

I don't know what it's like I don't know what it's like I don't know what it's like to be like you I don't know, so I'll keep my mouth
I cannot say anything about what it's like to be you because I do not understand

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALIAUNE THIAM, STEVE SMITH, JIHNO FERREIRA, CHANTELLE PAIGE, AMIR KELLOGG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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