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.
She Turns Me On
Smash Mouth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The ride was rough but she was smooth
Waiting in the wings just doing her thing
Locomoting to the groove
Number one, have some fun, that's the rule of the road
Lois Lane, Mary Jane, we may never get home
Arlene, Annette, Angelena
Making the scene it a green Karman Ghia
Just kiss it goodbye on the fly
Alibi leave her wondering why
Yeah, I threw her away and I crave yesterday
Now that's she's gone
Now that she's gone, she turns me on
She turns me on
The style was wild like millionaires
My savoir-faire got everywhere
It was nothing but a thing if you're wondering
But now she isn't there
Suzie Q, Peggy Sue, won't you tell me your name
Betty Lou, make it two, if you really got game
April and June got the word now
May got play in a lei at the luau
Just kiss it goodbye on the fly
Alibi leave her wondering why
Yeah, I threw her away and I crave yesterday
Now that's she's gone
Now that she's gone, she turns me on
Now that she's gone, she really turns me on
Marlena, Tina, and Belinda
Goodnight Irene, Jean and Lucinda
Jackie O, did she know, did she know
Just kiss it goodbye on the fly
Alibi leave her wondering why
Yeah, "regret" is a word that I never had heard
Now that's she's gone
Now that she's gone, now that she's gone, she turns me on
Now that she's gone, she turns me on
Now that she's gone, she turns me on on on on on
She turns me on on on on on
She turns me on
"She Turns Me On" by Smash Mouth is a song about the thrill of the open road and the sense of adventure that comes with it. The singer describes a wild ride in a green Karman Ghia with a group of women who are making the scene. He mentions various names of girls such as Lois Lane, Mary Jane, Arlene, Annette, and Angelena, who seem to be traveling with him. The singer's attitude throughout the song is carefree and cavalier, as he emphasizes the importance of having fun and living in the moment, even if it means leaving someone behind. He acknowledges that he may never get home, but he doesn't seem to mind as the journey is the destination.
The chorus of the song is particularly interesting, as it reveals the titular woman is no longer with the singer, but she still has an effect on him. He says that she turns him on, despite her absence. This suggests that the singer is either haunted by her memory or that he has moved on and is now attracted to the sense of adventure and freedom that comes with the open road.
Overall, the song is an upbeat and catchy tune that encourages listeners to embrace the adventure and excitement of life. It is a celebration of the thrill of the open road, and the camaraderie that can come from traveling together.
Line by Line Meaning
We're on the move
We're going somewhere, constantly in motion
The ride was rough but she was smooth
The journey was rocky, but she handled it well
Waiting in the wings just doing her thing
Quietly in the background, doing her own thing
Locomoting to the groove
Moving in rhythm to the music
Number one, have some fun, that's the rule of the road
The top priority is to have fun while traveling
Lois Lane, Mary Jane, we may never get home
Reference to superhero love interests, implying uncertainty about returning home
Arlene, Annette, Angelena
Listing off possible love interests
Making the scene in a green Karman Ghia
Attracting attention while driving a specific type of car
Just kiss it goodbye on the fly
Easily moving on from something
Alibi leave her wondering why
Giving an excuse that will make her question the reason for leaving
Yeah, I threw her away and I crave yesterday
Regretting ending the relationship and longing for the past
Now that she's gone
Referring to the ex-girlfriend's absence
Now that she's gone, she turns me on
Feeling attracted to the ex-girlfriend after the relationship has ended
The style was wild like millionaires
Describing the extravagant, flashy lifestyle
My savoir-faire got everywhere
Confidently and smoothly moving through various situations
It was nothing but a thing if you're wondering
A trivial matter, if you're curious
But now she isn't there
Now that the ex-girlfriend is gone
Suzie Q, Peggy Sue, won't you tell me your name
Naming different women and asking for their names
Betty Lou, make it two, if you really got game
Asking for two names if the person is confident and skilled enough
April and June got the word now
Referring to other women knowing about the situation
May got play in a lei at the luau
Describing a woman named May enjoying herself at a luau
Yeah, "regret" is a word that I never had heard
Not having regretted things in the past
Now that she's gone, now that she's gone, she turns me on
Repeating the idea that the ex-girlfriend's absence makes her more attractive
Now that she's gone, she turns me on
Feeling attracted to the ex-girlfriend after the relationship has ended
Now that she's gone, she turns me on on on on on
Repeating the idea with emphasis
She turns me on on on on on
Being turned on by the ex-girlfriend
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC: SEE, "DODD, ERIC" VALENTINE, GREG CAMP, GREGORY D. CAMP, JEFFREY TAYLOR LIGHT, PAUL CAFARO, PAUL DELISLE, PAUL GERALD DELISLE, STEVEN HARWELL, STEVEN SCOTT HARWELL, VALENTINE ERIC: SEE DODD ERIC
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