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.
Whole Lotta Love
Smash Mouth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And what more could I say that I know you should know
Three little words are thrown around so much
That after a while they begin to lose their touch
And you know that I should think of something better
Switch it around like I came up with something clever
Or maybe I should just shut up
Could you be lovelier?
For you I'd take off my shoes and my socks baby
And watch you laugh as I walk across burning rocks
But then I couldn't chase you everywhere you go
And it's all about the chase, everybody knows
I'd like to think that you would never make me do this
But you know I'd do it if I had to prove it
I'd do it again and again, you know I'd dummy up
'cause I got nothing but a whole lotte love
Could you be lovelier?
Could I be luckier?
So why was I so dumb?
Maybe we're living on Mars
And Venus is too far
Now I got nothing but nothing to lose
Could you be lovelier? I don't know
But I've seen a lot of things and nothing measures up
They say that beauty never goes deeper than the skin
I know a certain girl they've never ever seen
And every time I see ya I just wanna get near ya
And I just wanna make it crystal clear
It's like I told you before, I got nothing for you
But a whole lotta love
In Whole Lotta Love, Smash Mouth sings about the power of love and how it can make us do crazy things. The song starts with the lyrics “It’s like I told you before baby, And what more could I say that I know you should know, Three little words are thrown around so much, That after a while they begin to lose their touch.” Here, the singer is referring to the phrase “I love you” and how it can lose its significance and meaning when used too often. The singer then goes on to talk about how he wants to express his love for this person in a unique and creative way, but he can’t seem to find the right words. He eventually resigns himself to the fact that he has “nothing but a whole lotta love” to offer.
The second verse talks about how the singer is willing to do anything for this person, including walking across burning rocks for them. However, he understands that the chase is just as important as the end goal, and if he were to catch this person, it might not be as satisfying as the chase itself. The last verse talks about how the singer sees something deeper in this person that others might not see. He is willing to be vulnerable and make it clear that he has nothing else to offer except his love.
Overall, Whole Lotta Love is a simple but heartfelt tribute to the power of love and the lengths we’ll go to express it.
Line by Line Meaning
It's like I told you before baby
I've said this to you before, my dear
And what more could I say that I know you should know
I have nothing new to say, you should already know this
Three little words are thrown around so much
Some phrases are overused to the point of losing their meaning
That after a while they begin to lose their touch
Repeated use can make words meaningless
And you know that I should think of something better
I should come up with something more creative
Switch it around like I came up with something clever
Rearrange it to make it seem like a clever idea
Or maybe I should just shut up
Perhaps I should remain silent
'cause I got nothing but a whole lotta love
I don't have anything else to offer but love
Could you be lovelier?
You are already lovely, is it possible to be even more so?
For you I'd take off my shoes and my socks baby
I would do anything for you, even walk barefoot over hot coals
And watch you laugh as I walk across burning rocks
Even if it causes me pain, your happiness is worth it
But then I couldn't chase you everywhere you go
I couldn't follow you to every place or achieve everything you want
And it's all about the chase, everybody knows
Life is a journey of pursuit, everyone knows this
I'd like to think that you would never make me do this
I want to believe that you won't demand such feats
But you know I'd do it if I had to prove it
But I would still do it to prove my love for you
I'd do it again and again, you know I'd dummy up
I would repeat it over and over, even if it doesn't make sense
'cause I got nothing but a whole lotte love
I only have love to offer, nothing more
Could you be lovelier? Could I be luckier?
You are already beautiful, and I am blessed to have you
So why was I so dumb?
Why did I not realize this before?
Maybe we're living on Mars
Perhaps we are not living in reality
And Venus is too far
And what we dream of is too far away
Now I got nothing but nothing to lose
I have no expectations, nothing to fear
Could you be lovelier? I don't know
Amazed by you, yet unsure if it's possible to be more beautiful
But I've seen a lot of things and nothing measures up
I've seen so many things, but you are incomparable
They say that beauty never goes deeper than the skin
There is a saying that beauty is only superficial
I know a certain girl they've never ever seen
I know someone whom they have never met, someone truly beautiful
And every time I see ya I just wanna get near ya
Every time I see you, I want to be closer to you
And I just wanna make it crystal clear
I want to make sure you understand
It's like I told you before, I got nothing for you
As I've said before, I have nothing to offer but love
But a whole lotta love
But I have a lot of love to give
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GREG CAMP, GREGORY D. CAMP, PAUL DELISLE, PAUL GERALD DELISLE, STEVEN HARWELL, STEVEN SCOTT HARWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind