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.
Heave-Ho
Smash Mouth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She said that she was pissed
Up all night making noise
And she can't get no rest
She said we was running a flop house
Full of thieves and thugs
Musicians and hooligans and we were all on the drugs
So she got bent and raised the rent
Said it would only take one more
Phone call from my whiny neighbor
What's up with my neighbor
What's it gonna take to get a break
She's got us tiptoeing around in fear
Church mice at St Leos down my street
Have moved so far away
She has sent them packing and running scared
How much more does she think we will take
Maybe some day when I'm old and fat and bored
Ill understand why my neighbors making my life hell
I can't even watch TV or sneeze or fart can't even breathe
For fear my landlord will come and ring my bell
How much more does she think we will pay
No more flop house no more fun
I've got a whiny neighbor [Repeat x2]
Shooting cans with b.b. guns
I've got a whiny neighbor [Repeat x2]
She says these punks have to go
I think were gonna get the old heave ho
Neighbor called my landlord
It was a Sunday afternoon
She couldn't hear the TV set
We were having a BBQ
We were listening to Louis Prima
And drinking meisterbrau
If she would have come and talked it over
And she wasn't a lazy cow
So she got bent and raised the rent
Said it would only take one more
Phone call from my whiny neighbor
Maybe someday when I'm jaded
Nine to five at a job I hate
Ill come home and razz my neighbors too
But id have clever strategy
And catch them when the rent is late
And all the other bills are overdue
After all this is the neighborly way
No more music no more fun
I've got a whiny neighbor [Repeat x2]
Barbecues in the sun
I've got a whiny neighbor [Repeat x2]
She says that these punks must go
I think were gonna get the old heave ho
Don't even hide the dog
Or put the bong away
We don't want to live here anyway
Neighbor called my landlord
She said we didn't care
The lawn is dead
Dogs and cats are stinking everywhere
She said we had crazy parties every night
The yard is littered with bottles and cans
Skateboards and bikes
She didn't get bent
Didn't raise the rent
We only got a note that read
In thirty days well get the old heave ho
No more flop house no more fun
I've got a whiny neighbor [Repeat x2]
Shooting cans with b.b. guns
I've got a whiny neighbor [Repeat x2]
She says these punks have to go
I think were gonna get the old heave ho
The lyrics of Smash Mouth's "Heave-Ho" are centered around a dispute between the singer and their neighbor. The neighbor has complained to the landlord about the noise and behavior of the singer's group of people, including musicians, hooligans, and punks. The neighbor has even gone so far as to threaten to call the police if the singer and their group don't leave. The lyrics express the frustration and disbelief of the singer, who feels that the neighbor is being unreasonable and unfair.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I've got a whiny neighbor," which reinforces the idea that the singer feels as though the neighbor is being petty and difficult. The verses describe the specific complaints of the neighbor, such as the noise and the litter in the yard. The lyrics also imply that the neighbor is hypocritical, as she complains about the noise but herself watches loud television shows.
Overall, the lyrics of "Heave-Ho" express the feeling of being unfairly targeted by a difficult neighbor. The singer and their group feel as though they are being forced out of their home without any legitimate reason, and are frustrated by the neighbor's behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
Neighbor called my landlord
The neighbor called the landlord
She said that she was pissed
She was angry
Up all night making noise
They were making noise all night long
And she can't get no rest
She could not sleep
She said we was running a flop house
She accused them of running a flop house
Full of thieves and thugs
She claimed that the house was full of criminals
Musicians and hooligans and we were all on the drugs
She accused them of being musicians, hooligans, and drug addicts
So she got bent and raised the rent
She got upset and raised the rent
Said it would only take one more
She warned that one more complaint would result in eviction
Phone call from my whiny neighbor
The complaint would come from the neighbor
What's up with my neighbor
What is wrong with the neighbor
What's it gonna take to get a break
What needs to happen for them to catch a break
She's got us tiptoeing around in fear
The neighbor has them living in fear
Church mice at St Leos down my street
Even the quietest of people have moved away
Have moved so far away
They have relocated due to the neighbor's behavior
She has sent them packing and running scared
The neighbor has intimidated people into leaving
How much more does she think we will take
How much more can they endure
Maybe some day when I'm old and fat and bored
Perhaps someday in the distant future
Ill understand why my neighbors making my life hell
They will finally understand the motive behind the neighbor's actions
I can't even watch TV or sneeze or fart can't even breathe
They cannot make any noise
For fear my landlord will come and ring my bell
They are afraid their landlord will come and evict them
How much more does she think we will pay
How much more money can they afford to spend
No more flop house no more fun
No more parties or events
I've got a whiny neighbor [Repeat x2]
The neighbor complains a lot
Shooting cans with b.b. guns
They are venting their frustration by playing with BB guns
She says these punks have to go
She demands that they evict the tenants
I think were gonna get the old heave ho
I think they are going to get evicted
It was a Sunday afternoon
The landlord was called on a Sunday afternoon
She couldn't hear the TV set
The neighbor complained she couldn't hear her television
We were having a BBQ
They were having a barbecue
We were listening to Louis Prima
They were listening to Louis Prima
And drinking meisterbrau
They were drinking Meisterbrau beer
If she would have come and talked it over
If the neighbor had approached them first
And she wasn't a lazy cow
If she wasn't lazy
So she got bent and raised the rent
But instead, she raised the rent
We only got a note that read
They only received a written notice
In thirty days well get the old heave ho
They will be evicted in 30 days
Maybe someday when I'm jaded
Perhaps in the future when they are cynical
Nine to five at a job I hate
They will be working a job they dislike
Ill come home and razz my neighbors too
They will return to bother their neighbors
But id have clever strategy
But they will have a plan
And catch them when the rent is late
They will catch them in a moment of vulnerability
And all the other bills are overdue
When all other payments are past due
After all this is the neighborly way
This is how neighbors treat each other in some places
No more music no more fun
No more entertainment or happiness
Barbecues in the sun
No more outdoor parties
She says that these punks must go
The neighbor insists that the tenants must leave
I think were gonna get the old heave ho
They will be evicted soon
Neighbor called my landlord
The neighbor contacted the landlord
She said we didn't care
The neighbor accused them of not caring
The lawn is dead
The lawn is not well maintained
Dogs and cats are stinking everywhere
Pets are making the environment smell bad
She said we had crazy parties every night
The neighbor accused them of hosting parties every night
The yard is littered with bottles and cans
The yard is littered with discarded containers
Skateboards and bikes
The yard has also been used for skateboarding and biking
She didn't get bent
The neighbor did not get angry this time
Didn't raise the rent
The rent was not increased
We only got a note that read
They received a warning instead of eviction
In thirty days well get the old heave ho
They will be evicted in 30 days
No more flop house no more fun
No more parties or entertainment
I've got a whiny neighbor [Repeat x2]
The neighbor is still complaining
Shooting cans with b.b. guns
The tenants are still playing with BB guns
She says these punks have to go
The neighbor still insists on evicting them
I think were gonna get the old heave ho
They will be evicted soon
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GREG CAMP, GREGORY D. CAMP, KEVIN JOHN IANNELLO, PAUL DELISLE, PAUL GERALD DELISLE, STEVEN HARWELL, STEVEN SCOTT HARWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind