Paul De Lisle stated the original version of "Walkin' on the Sun" was more of a rap song.
The band decided to record the song after band drummer Kevin Coleman discovered it on one of Camp's tapes. It was the last song to be added onto Fush Yu Mang.
The guitar melody present throughout the song has been compared to the keyboard riff from "Swan Splashdown" by Perrey & Kingsley, from the album The In Sound from Way Out.
Walkin' On The Sun
Smash Mouth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And teach the world to sing in perfect harmony
And teach the world to snuff the fires and the liars
Hey, I know it's just a song but it's spice for the recipe
This is a love attack, I know it went out but it's back
It's just like any fad, it retracts before impact
And just like fashion, it's a passion for the with it and hipIf you got the goods, they'll come and buy it just to stay in the clique
So don't delay, act now, supplies are running out
Allow if you're still alive, six to eight years to arrive
And if you follow, there may be a tomorrow
But if the offer's shunned
You might as well be walkin' on the sun
Twenty-five years ago, they spoke out and they broke out
Of recession and oppression and together they toked
And they folked out with guitars around a bonfire
Just singin' and clappin', man, what the hell happened?
Then some were spellbound, some were hell bound
Some they fell down and some got back up
And fought back against the melt-down
And their kids were hippie chicks, all hypocrites
Because fashion is smashin' the true meaning of it
So don't delay, act now, supplies are running out
Allow if you're still alive, six to eight years to arrive
And if you follow, there may be a tomorrow
But if the offer's shunned
You might as well be walkin' on the sun
It ain't no joke when our mama's handkerchief is soaked
The bond is broke up, so choke up and focus on the close up
Mr. Wizard can't perform no godlike hocus-pocus
So don't sit back, kick back and watch the world get bushwhacked
News at ten, your neighborhood is under attack
Put away the crack before the crack puts you away
You need to be there when your baby's old enough to relate
So don't delay, act now, supplies are running out
Allow if you're still alive, six to eight years to arrive
And if you follow, there may be a tomorrow
But if the offer's shunned
You might as well be walkin' on the sun
You might as well be walkin' on the sun
You might as well be walkin' on the sun
You might as well be walkin' on the sun
You might as well be walkin' on the sun
The opening lines of the song Walkin' On The Sun express a desire to bring the world together through music and a shared experience. The lyrics mention buying the world a “toke,” which is a slang term for smoking marijuana, and teaching them to sing in harmony. The song is also a call to action to put an end to deception and dishonesty in the world. The lines “And teach the world to snuff the fires and the liars” suggest a desire to put an end to the spread of false information and harmful behavior.
The song also references the fickle nature of trends and the importance of staying relevant. The line “And just like fashion, it's a passion for the with it and hip” suggests that staying current and fashionable is important to maintaining relevance. The song encourages its listeners to act now rather than waiting for opportunities to pass them by. This urgency is conveyed through lines like “So don't delay, act now” and “Supplies are running out.”
Line by Line Meaning
It ain't no joke, I'd like to buy the world a toke
I wish I could share a joint with the entire world to spread peace and love.
And teach the world to sing in perfect harmony
We should all learn to live together in harmony.
And teach the world to snuff the fires and the liars
We need to put out falsehoods and injustices in order to make the world a better place.
Hey, I know it's just a song but it's spice for the recipe
Even though it's just a song, it can add some flavor to our lives and inspire us to make a change.
This is a love attack, I know it went out but it's back
This message of love is making a comeback and is meant to bring people together.
It's just like any fad, it retracts before impact
Like a trend, this message may not always be present and may fade away.
And just like fashion, it's a passion for the with it and hip
Being a part of this message is trendy and cool among the current crowd.
If you got the goods, they'll come and buy it just to stay in the clique
Being a part of this message can attract people to you and is a way to fit in with others.
So don't delay, act now, supplies are running out
We need to act soon because time is running out.
Allow if you're still alive, six to eight years to arrive
We need to act quickly because we may not have much time left.
And if you follow, there may be a tomorrow
If we work together and make changes, there is hope for the future.
But if the offer's shunned
If we don't take action, things will never improve.
You might as well be walkin' on the sun
Life will be difficult and unbearable if we don't make a change.
Twenty-five years ago, they spoke out and they broke out
A quarter of a century ago, people spoke up against oppression and made a change.
Of recession and oppression and together they toked
During a time of economic struggle and social injustice, people found unity and solace in smoking marijuana together.
And they folked out with guitars around a bonfire
They bonded through playing music together around a fire.
Just singin' and clappin', man, what the hell happened?
What went wrong with that sense of community and togetherness?
Then some were spellbound, some were hell bound
Some people became obsessed with this lifestyle while others were doomed to suffer from not being a part of it.
Some they fell down and some got back up
Some people failed while others bounced back from their struggles.
And fought back against the melt-down
People fought against the difficult times and tried to make a change.
And their kids were hippie chicks, all hypocrites
The children of those times became hippies themselves, but even they fell into hypocrisy and lost sight of the true values they were fighting for.
Because fashion is smashin' the true meaning of it
The message of love and peace became distorted and cheapened through trends and fashion.
It ain't no joke when our mama's handkerchief is soaked
It's not funny when our mothers are heartbroken over the losses in their lives.
With her tears because her baby's life has been revoked
Our loved ones pass away and we can't take that lightly or ignore their loss.
The bond is broke up, so choke up and focus on the close up
When relationships break, we need to deal with our emotions and focus on the present moments and people in our lives.
Mr. Wizard can't perform no godlike hocus-pocus
No one has the solutions to everything, no matter how powerful or inspiring they may seem.
So don't sit back, kick back and watch the world get bushwhacked
We need to be proactive and not stand idly by while the world falls apart.
News at ten, your neighborhood is under attack
We see the negative news every day showing that our communities are struggling and need help.
Put away the crack before the crack puts you away
We need to kick our own bad habits before they consume us.
You need to be there when your baby's old enough to relate
We need to be present with our loved ones and create memories together while we still have time.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Greg Camp, Paul Gerard Delisle, Steven Scott Harwell, Kevin John Iannello
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TomWatsonB1
When I was 12-13 years old and it was the late 90s, this was a grooving tune. As someone who grew up on classic rock, Smashmouth was a 90s band I actually enjoyed. Thanks for the memories, Steve and RIP.
@joseschmoe2800
Wot? 12-13 years old. YOU WERE JUST A KID. I was already 35!!!
@Samtino20
Same here 14 and mom turned me on to classic rock so this hit me right as rain
@greg55666
Me too--there are very few bands in the '90s that I know of that were worth listening to. Smash Mouth, Fatboy Slim, Beck. I think that's the end of the list?
@michaelsnively3621
These punks kids. I think I was in my late 20s.....
@TomWatsonB1
@@joseschmoe2800 Yeah, I'm 38 now and you are OLD.
@benh-d8733
Rip Steve, you were a big inspiration to a lot of people. Smash mouth was a big part of my childhood. You will be missed, bro 🙏❤
@clarissapflaum562
Rip steve
@willow1855
@@benh-d8733 right
@DB-lv4hp
I just discovered he died, my God it's a shock!