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.
Game
Smash Mouth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pissed off ready to lose it
You're just spinning all your wheels
Did you ever feel uninvited
Not on the list tonight it
Don't mean you can't make it real
Whoa whoa whoa
Whoa whoa whoa
Make it something
Hey what you wanna do today
What you really wanna say
Show me what you're made of
Hey you know you can have it all
Pick it up and throw the ball
All you gotta do is play the game
Play the game
Got a backstage pass in my pocket
It's yours if you want it
The whole wide world is on your side
Come on and stop freakin'
No sense in over thinkin'
You gotta walk before you fly
Whoa whoa whoa
Take your nothing
Whoa whoa whoa
Make it something
Hey what you wanna do today
What you really wanna say
Show me what you're made of
Hey you know you can have it all
Pick it up and throw the ball
All you gotta do is play the game
Play the game
Yeah you got it
Yeah if you want it
Yeah don't stop it now
Hey what you wanna do today
What you really wanna say
Show me what you're made of
Hey you know you can have it all
Pick it up and throw the ball
All you gotta do is play the
Hey what you wanna do today
What you really wanna say
Show me what you're made of
Hey you know you can have it all
Pick it up and throw the ball
All you gotta do is play the game
Play the game
Play the game
The lyrics of the song “The Game” by Smash Mouth talks about the feeling of being left out and not being included. The singer asks if the listener has ever felt unincluded, which could refer to being excluded from activities, groups or social events. The feeling could result in frustration, anger and a sense of helplessness. The singer encourages the listener to take control and change the situation. The lyrics suggest that instead of giving up or feeling sorry for oneself, the listener should turn their “nothing” into “something”. They should take a chance, be confident, and not let others define their worth. They should play the game of life with enthusiasm and positivity, take risks and enjoy themselves.
The chorus of the song reinforces this message by repeating the phrase “Hey what you wanna do today, what you really wanna say, show me what you're made of, Hey you know you can have it all, pick it up and throw the ball, all you gotta do is play the game”. The lyrics are a reminder that there is potential for greatness in every individual, and that they should strive to achieve their goals by changing their attitude and not giving up on their dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Did you ever feel unincluded
Have you ever felt left out or excluded from something?
Pissed off ready to lose it
Angry and ready to give up or lose control?
You're just spinning all your wheels
You're not making any progress and just wasting time?
Did you ever feel uninvited
Have you ever been not invited or told you can't be somewhere?
Not on the list tonight it
You weren't added to the list for whatever's happening tonight?
Don't mean you can't make it real
This doesn't mean you can't still make it happen or make it a reality?
Whoa whoa whoa
Take your nothing
Believe in yourself and take what you see as nothing and make it something?
Whoa whoa whoa
Make it something
Work hard and make something out of nothing?
Hey what you wanna do today
What you really wanna say
Show me what you're made of
What do you want to do today? What do you really want to say? Prove to me what you're capable of?
Hey you know you can have it all
Pick it up and throw the ball
All you gotta do is play the game
You can have everything you want, just take action and play the game of life?
Got a backstage pass in my pocket
It's yours if you want it
The whole wide world is on your side
Come on and stop freakin'
You have the opportunity to do something great, take advantage of it because everyone is rooting for you, so don't stress out?
No sense in over thinkin'
You gotta walk before you fly
Don't think too hard or get overwhelmed, just start small and work your way up?
Yeah you got it
Yeah if you want it
Yeah don't stop it now
You have the skills to succeed, so if you want it, don't give up now?
Hey what you wanna do today
What you really wanna say
Show me what you're made of
What do you want to do today? What do you really want to say? Prove to me what you're capable of?
Hey you know you can have it all
Pick it up and throw the ball
All you gotta do is play the game
You can have everything you want, just take action and play the game of life?
Hey what you wanna do today
What you really wanna say
Show me what you're made of
What do you want to do today? What do you really want to say? Prove to me what you're capable of?
Hey you know you can have it all
Pick it up and throw the ball
All you gotta do is play the game
Play the game
You can have everything you want, just take action and play the game of life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Andrew Fromme, Steve Harwell, Mike Krompass, Shelly M Peiken
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind