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.
Magic
Smash Mouth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the airport restaurant I said what's your name
She said I grew up in Chicago
I'm on my way up to Toronto
Maybe you could come and stay a couple days
You can't explain the things she does
It's like we're already breaking up
And you ask yourself where'd hell she go
And she'll tell you that she's so in love
Makes you think that she's the one
Disappears right before your eyes
And you realize it's like magic
Just like magic
She told me she would call me in a week
But I'm still waiting on the phone to ring
Now she's acting like Houdini
Yeah she had me make believing
She gets just what she wants and then she leaves
You can't explain the things she does
It's like we're already breaking up
First you see her but then you don't
And you ask yourself where'd hell she go
And she'll tell you that she's so in love
Makes you think that she's the one
Disappears right before your eyes
And you realize it's like magic
Just like magic
I thought she was the one one one
An inexplicable feeling but just as soon as she deal it
She was done done done
She sold me a broken promise and I just wanna be honest tonight
'Cause I wasn't lookin' for the lead on
I guess that she was lookin' for another heart to feed on
Uh, she told me she wanted me to cop a feel
And then she pulled a David Copperfield
And she gone
When I met her she was waiting on a plane
At the airport restaurant I said what's your name
You can't explain the things she does
It's like we're already breaking up
First you see her but then you don't
And you ask yourself where'd hell she go
And she'll tell you that she's so in love
Makes you think that she's the one
Disappears right before your eyes
And you realize it's like magic
Just like magic
You can't explain the things she does
It's like we're already breaking up
First you see her but then you don't
And you ask yourself where'd hell she go
And she'll tell you that she's so in love
Makes you think that she's the one
Disappears right before your eyes
And you realize it's like magic
Just like magic
Just like magic
In the song "Magic," Smash Mouth sings about a woman who makes them feel like they're under a spell or experiencing a magical experience. The lyrics detail how the singer meets the woman in an airport restaurant and is enchanted by her, but she disappears just as quickly as she arrives. Despite promising to call, the woman fails to do so, leaving the singer feeling frustrated and confused. The lyrics suggest that the woman is mistreating the singer, getting what she wants from him and disappearing without a trace.
The lyrics paint a picture of an enigmatic woman who seems to hold all the power in the relationship. She disappears and reappears at will, leaving the singer feeling perplexed and wondering if she's really into him. The idea of "magic" is used to describe this experience, where the woman's actions are inexplicable and leave the singer feeling enchanted and confused. The song speaks to the universal experience of falling for someone who seems too good to be true, only to be left realizing that they were playing games all along.
Line by Line Meaning
When I met her she was waiting on a plane
I first laid eyes on her, sitting at the airport, waiting to board a plane.
At the airport restaurant I said what's your name
I introduced myself to her at the airport restaurant and asked her name.
She said I grew up in Chicago
She shared with me that she spent her formative years in Chicago.
I'm on my way up to Toronto
She revealed that she was traveling to Toronto.
Maybe you could come and stay a couple days
She hinted at the possibility of me coming to see her and staying with her for a short time.
You can't explain the things she does
She behaves in ways that are inexplicable or hard to understand.
It's like we're already breaking up
Our relationship seems to be falling apart before it even gets started.
First you see her but then you don't
One moment she's there, but just as quickly, she disappears from sight.
And you ask yourself where'd hell she go
You're left wondering where on earth she could have gone.
And she'll tell you that she's so in love
Despite her confusing behavior, she claims to be deeply in love.
Makes you think that she's the one
Her actions and words lead you to believe that she could be the one for you.
Disappears right before your eyes
Just when you think you've got a hold on her, she vanishes into thin air.
And you realize it's like magic
You come to the realization that her ability to slip away so effortlessly is almost like magic.
She told me she would call me in a week
She promised to give me a call within a week's time.
But I'm still waiting on the phone to ring
Days and weeks have gone by, and I still haven't heard back from her.
Now she's acting like Houdini
She's gone from being elusive to outright disappearing, like a skilled magician.
Yeah she had me make believing
Her actions led me to indulge in false beliefs or hopes about our relationship.
She gets just what she wants and then she leaves
She's very good at getting what she wants, only to suddenly walk away from it all.
I thought she was the one one one
I truly believed that she was the person meant for me.
An inexplicable feeling but just as soon as she deal it, she was done done done
Though my attachment to her was hard to explain, she quickly ended things between us.
She sold me a broken promise and I just wanna be honest tonight
She made me believe in something that she couldn't deliver, and I want to be truthful about it now.
'Cause I wasn't lookin' for the lead on
I wasn't looking for someone to lead me on.
I guess that she was lookin' for another heart to feed on
But it seems like she was just looking for someone to use and dispose of.
Uh, she told me she wanted me to cop a feel
At one point, she asked me to touch her inappropriately.
And then she pulled a David Copperfield, and she gone
After making one request, she vanished, like a magician pulling off a seemingly impossible disappearing act.
Just like magic
All in all, her behavior and disappearance seem almost supernatural, like magic
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP
Written by: MIKE KROMPASS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind