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)
the Long Run
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to stay out till the break of day
Oh, that didn't get it, it was high time I quit it
I just couldn't carry on that way
Oh, I did some damage
I know it's true
Didn't know I was so lonely
You can go the distance
We'll find out in the long run
(In the long run)
We can handle some resistance
If our love is a strong one
(Is a strong one)
People talkin' about us
They got nothin' else to do
When it all comes down
We will still come through
In the long run
Ooh, I want to tell you
It's a long run
You know I don't understand
Why you don't teach yourself better
Do the crazy things that you do
'Cause all the debutantes in Houston, baby
Couldn't hold a candle to you
Did you do it for love?
Did you do it for money?
Did you do it for spite?
Did you think you had to, honey?
Who is gonna make it?
We'll find out in the long run
(In the long run)
I know we can take it
If our love is a strong one
(Is a strong one)
Well, we're scared
But we ain't shakin'
We're kind of bent
But we ain't breakin'
In the long run
Oh, I want to tell you
It's a long run
In the long run, in the long run
Gonna find out, ooh find out
Long, long, long, long
Long, long, long, long
Ooh, run, run, run, baby
Run, run, baby
Long, long, long, long
The song "The Long Run" by Reel Big Fish is a classic example of the band's signature ska punk sound. The song narrates the journey of a person who used to hurry and worry about everything in life, stayed out late till the break of day and did some damage along the way without realizing how lonely they were. The singer admits that they couldn't carry on that way for long and eventually found solace in someone they love. The song refers to the struggles in a relationship, where people talk about them, but they still manage to handle any resistance if their love is strong enough. The singer admits that they are scared but not shaking, kinda bent but not breaking.
The song is a reminder that life is not easy, and it takes determination and strong willpower to get through tough times. The singer is asking their partner to stick through thick and thin, as it's essential to have someone by your side who can help you navigate through the long run.
The song has a great vibe and serves as a reminder that life is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, effort, and a willingness to stick with it, to make it to the finish line successfully. The song's message is relatable and inspiring, encouraging listeners to keep going, even when things get tough.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to hurry a lot, I used to worry a lot
I used to be very anxious and always in a rush.
I used to stay out till the break of day
I used to party all night and not come home until dawn.
Oh, that didn't get it, it was high time I quit it
I realized my past behavior was unsustainable and it was time to change.
I just couldn't carry on that way
I couldn't continue living my life the way I was before.
Oh, I did some damage, I know it's true
I acknowledge that my previous actions have caused harm.
Didn't know I was so lonely, Till I found you
I didn't realize how lonely I was until I met you.
You can go the distance, We'll find out in the long run
We can strive for a long-term, committed relationship and see if it works out.
We can handle some resistance, If our love is a strong one
Our relationship can withstand difficult times if it is truly built on love.
People talkin' about us, They got nothin' else to do
Gossipers are talking about us because they have nothing better to do.
When it all comes down, We will still come through
Regardless of what happens, we will emerge victorious.
Ooh, I want to tell you, It's a long run
I want to share that our journey will be a lengthy one.
You know I don't understand, Why you don't teach yourself better
I cannot comprehend why you don't improve yourself.
Do the crazy things that you do, 'Cause all the debutantes in Houston, baby,
Couldn't hold a candle to you
Keep being unique and doing crazy things because no one else can compare to you.
Did you do it for love?, Did you do it for money?, Did you do it for spite?, Did you think you had to, honey?
Why did you do what you did? For love, money, revenge or because you felt obligated?
Who is gonna make it?, We'll find out in the long run
We will find out if our relationship is meant to last in the future.
I know we can take it, If our love is a strong one
We can overcome any challenges if our love is real.
Well, we're scared, But we ain't shakin'
We might be afraid, but we won't be deterred.
We're kind of bent, But we ain't breakin'
We might be a little frazzled, but our relationship won't be broken.
In the long run, Ooh, I want to tell you, It's a long run
Our relationship is a marathon, and I want to remind you of that.
Gonna find out, ooh find out, Long, long, long, long, Long, long, long, long
We will discover if our relationship is meant to be through persistence and time.
Ooh, run, run, run, baby, Run, run, baby, Long, long, long, long
We should keep running and pushing forward in our relationship, even if it takes a long time.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON HENLEY, GLENN FREY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
dont