Focused at times playing "neo-ska" music, the band has adopted retro styles spanning several decades of popular music, as well as performing covers of popular songs such as The Monkees' "I'm a Believer" and War's "Why Can't We Be Friends" as well as cult favorites such as ? and the Mysterians' "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" (though their version owes more to The Colourfield's interpretation; in fact, the band at first believed it was a Colourfield original). Smash Mouth's first album Fush Yu Mang came out in June 1997. This album could be said to be "neo ska". Its top position in the charts was #19 (on Billboard). The promo for this album said that "While the twelve songs on Fush Yu Mang sound like they belong side by side, each has it's own feeling like the very '60's "Walkin' On The Sun," the surf 'n' turf of "Nervous In the Alley," the Buzzcocks like "Pet Names," the Mafia rock of "Padrino," and the fret rock of "Let's Rock"." Smash Mouth's second album Astro Lounge was released two years later, in June 1999. It is the band's most critically and commercially successful album to date. It reached #6 on the Billboard charts and it featured the massive hit All Star.
Smash Mouth released their third album Smash Mouth (Self-Titled) in November 2001. It has been said that this is the band's most experimental album to date. It reached #48 on Billboard charts. Smash Mouth's fourth album Get the Picture?, released in August 2003, wasn't as well-received by fans or the critics as previous albums (it only reached #100 on the Billboard charts). Smash Mouth released a Christmas cover album in November 2005 (The Gift of Rock). Their newest album is called Summer Girl, and, after being delayed for over a year, was released on September 19th, 2006. Smash Mouth's music was used in the film "Shrek" and they starred on-screen as themselves in the turbulent finale of the all-star-comedy "Rat Race", while performing "All Star" on stage during the showdown.
In May 2011 lead singer Steve Harwell agreed to eat two dozen eggs in one sitting for charity. That June, Harwell apparently backed out of the challenge -- with over ten thousand dollars for overseas children's hunger charities at stake -- potentially because he is afraid to eat the eggs. Fans continue to demand Harwell eat the eggs.
Two albums were released in 2012, The Gift Of Rock and Magic. A best-of compilation, Playlist: The Very Best of Smashmouth was released in 2016. A comeback single, Unity, was released in 2018.
In 2021, the band collaborated with Timmy Trumpet for the song "Camelot". This would be the band's last song with original lead vocalist Steve Harwell before his retirement later that year and his death 2 years later.
Steve Harwell retired in 2021 due to health issues and was replaced by Divided By Zero singer Zach Goode.
On September 4, 2023, original lead vocalist Steve Harwell died at age 56 at his home of liver failure.
Flippin' Out
Smash Mouth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did Guy Fieri really teach you how to drive
Does all your raging just make you feel alive
The faces that you're wasting while you're chasing after me
Then blowing past me way too fast to see
I have been around this block a time or two
I have felt the same way that I think you do
But I think that I'd just rather be cool
Whoa-oh, no use flippin' out
Whoa-oh, no use flippin' out
Hit the Playboy mansion about half past two
Couldn't help but stare at her as she dipped in the pool
That's when you lost your sh*t and took a swing at me
I wasn't intentionally disrespecting you
I was just admiring the view
I have been around this block a time or two
I have felt the same way that I think you do
I can lose my mind when it don't matter
But I think that I'd just rather be cool
Whoa-oh, no use flippin' out
Whoa-oh, no use flippin' out
Ah, look baby, here's a pill for you to chill on
Every time we partyin' you wanna get your grill on
And I understand how you feel but
No contract, no big deal
Charge it to the game Amex
You gotta loosen up Spandex
I could flip out any day
Whateva you're cuter when you're mad anyway
Look I don't understand why you flippin' out like this
Take a chill pill
I have been around this chick a time or two
I have felt the same way that I think you do
I can lose my mind when it don't matter
But I think that I'd just rather be cool
Whoa-oh
I have been around this block a time or two
I have felt the same way that I think you do
I can lose my mind when it don't matter
But I think that I'd just rather be cool
Whoa-oh, no use flippin' out
Whoa-oh, no use flippin' out
No use flippin' out
In the opening lines of Smash Mouth's song Flippin' Out, the singer seems perplexed by the subject's behavior. The subject has flipped off the singer and seems to be raging without any clear reason. The lyrics then take a jab at food personality Guy Fieri, questioning whether he was involved in the subject's road rage. The singer then muses on the nature of losing one's temper and observes that he's been there before. The second verse of the song tells a different story, about a night at the Playboy Mansion where the subject got upset when the singer glanced too long at a woman. The singer tries to calm the subject down, but ultimately it seems like they'll just have to agree to disagree.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the futility of losing one's cool. The refrain of "whoa-oh, no use flippin' out" underscores this sentiment. The singer acknowledges that he's just as prone to losing his temper as anyone else, but he thinks it's cooler to stay calm.
The song is likely not based on any particular incident, but rather is a reflection on the general frustrations and conflicts that can arise in relationships. The reference to Guy Fieri is likely just a humorous nod to the Food Network star's over-the-top persona.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't imagine why you flipped me off
I don't understand why you gave me the finger
Did Guy Fieri really teach you how to drive
Are you purposely driving recklessly like he does?
Does all your raging just make you feel alive
Are you getting a thrill from your anger?
The faces that you're wasting while you're chasing after me
You're wasting your time and energy getting angry at me
Then blowing past me way too fast to see
You're speeding away in anger before I can even process what's happening
I have been around this block a time or two
I've experienced similar situations before
I have felt the same way that I think you do
I understand how you're feeling
I can lose my mind when it don't matter
I can lose control of my emotions for no reason
But I think that I'd just rather be cool
But I'd rather stay calm and composed
Whoa-oh, no use flippin' out
There's no point in getting angry
Hit the Playboy mansion about half past two
We went to the Playboy mansion at around 2:30am
Couldn't help but stare at her as she dipped in the pool
I couldn't resist looking at her as she went in the pool
That's when you lost your sh*t and took a swing at me
That's when you got extremely angry and tried to physically attack me
I wasn't intentionally disrespecting you
I wasn't trying to disrespect you on purpose
I was just admiring the view
I was simply appreciating the scenery
Ah, look baby, here's a pill for you to chill on
Here's a pill for you to calm down, sweetheart
Every time we partyin' you wanna get your grill on
Every time we go out, you want to start a fight
And I understand how you feel but
I understand your emotions, but
No contract, no big deal
It's not a big deal since we don't have a formal agreement
Charge it to the game Amex
Just accept it and move on like it's a charge on a credit card
You gotta loosen up Spandex
You need to relax and let things go
I could flip out any day
I could lose my temper at any moment
Whateva you're cuter when you're mad anyway
You're still attractive when you're angry
Look I don't understand why you flippin' out like this
I don't get why you're so angry right now
Take a chill pill
Calm down and relax
Whoa-oh
Whoa-oh
No use flippin' out
There's no point in getting angry
No use flippin' out
There's no point in getting angry
No use flippin' out
There's no point in getting angry
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., ST MUSIC LLC
Written by: ANDREW FROMM, JOANNE DOLENA KROMPASS, MIKE KROMPASS, STEVEN HARWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind