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.
Get the Picture?
Smash Mouth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Far, far away
Be on your way
Please leave me be, let me be me once again
Outta sight, outta mind, and I'm going outta mine
And my heart, and my head may be black but we ain't quite dead yet
I'm hangin up now, you get the picture
There was a day, when I, I could say anything
But you came to judge, you held a grudge all the way
And my time was all mine, anytime and now its mine o mine
And I'm hangin up now, so there ain't no use in you hangin' round
I'm hangin up now, you better get the picture
I gotta hand to you though
You took me under
I guess you‘ll never really now
Until its over
I was happy going mad girl
I thought you were mine but I was had
It's such a dirty world
Go, go away
Far, far away
Be on your way
Please leave me be, let me be me once again
Outta sight (outta sight), outta mind (outta mind)
And I'm going outta mine
So I'm hangin up now
There ain't any use in you hangin' round
I'm hangin up now,
So don’t let me catch you hangin' round
I'm hanging up now
I'm hanging up now
I'm hanging up now
You’ll get the picture
In the song "Get the Picture?" by Smash Mouth, the singer urges someone to go away and leave him alone. The lyrics express a sense of frustration and desire for freedom. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm hanging up now, so there ain't no use in you hangin' round" which emphasizes the feeling of finality and closure the singer is seeking. The verses describe a time when the singer was free to do as he pleased, but that time has been taken away by someone who is judgemental and holds a grudge.
Line by Line Meaning
Go, go away
I want you to leave me alone and go away.
Far, far away
I want you to go far away from me.
Be on your way
Leave and don't come back.
Please leave me be, let me be me once again
I want you to leave me alone so I can be myself again.
Outta sight, outta mind, and I'm going outta mine
If I can't see you, I won't think about you, and I won't go crazy.
And my heart, and my head may be black but we ain't quite dead yet
I may be feeling down, but I'm not giving up yet.
I'm hangin up now, so there ain't no use in you hangin' round
I'm ending this conversation, so there's no point in you staying.
You get the picture
I hope you understand what I'm saying and will leave me alone.
There was a day, when I, I could say anything
I used to be able to express myself freely without judgment.
But you came to judge, you held a grudge all the way
You started to criticize and hold a grudge against me for speaking my mind.
And my time was all mine, anytime and now its mine o mine
I used to have control of my time, but now it feels like it's slipping away.
I gotta hand to you though
I have to give you credit for something.
You took me under
You had an influence on me.
I guess you‘ll never really now
I don't think you'll ever fully understand what you did to me.
Until its over
You won't realize the consequences of your actions until it's too late.
I was happy going mad girl
I was content with my life until you came along and messed it up.
I thought you were mine but I was had
I believed we had something special, but you were just using me.
It's such a dirty world
The world is a cruel and unfair place.
So don’t let me catch you hangin' round
Stay away from me or there will be consequences.
Contributed by Joseph J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.