Starting as a parody of the booming third-wave ska scene in Southern California (their first show, reportedly, was played with fourteen members, at least half of which were wielding horns), The Aquabats played third-wave ska with surf guitar sounds and b-movie inspired lyrics. Over time, their sound became even more eclectic, dropping much of the surf guitar leads and ska rhythms for more varied influences.
Their current sound blends upbeat rock and roll, new wave, punk, and ska/rocksteady with synth largely replacing their horn and woodwind section. Notable influences upon The Aquabats are Devo, Oingo Boingo, Madness, and Toy Dolls.
The Aquabats’ current lineup is The MC Bat Commander (vocals), Ricky Fitness (drums), Crash McLarson (bass), Eagle "Bones" Falconhawk (guitar) & Jimmy the Robot (keyboards/tenor sax). Former members like Chainsaw, The Prince of Karate; Prince Adam; and Catboy have been known to come back into the fold for the occasional show.
The Aquabats's most recent album is Kooky Spooky... In Stereo!, released on August 21, 2020. via Gloopy Records.
Captain Hampton And The Midget Pirates
The Aquabats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was free. So when he turned ten, he
Packed his belongings and he left home to find his destiny. Jim just a
Boy, who's head full of legends of dungeons
And dragons and pirates and stuff. So that summer he nuck on a schooner
To harpoon tuna and get real buff.
The Captain he said, "There's danger ahead, we need some brave men to
Sail and then, we'll find us those pirates,
Cleaning up the oceans CAPTAIN HAMPTON and his crew. Trouble in
The seven seas, he'll know what
To do. CAPTAIN he hates rubbish to him pirates are just soot. Scallywags
And scurby dogs are crushed under his
Foot. CAPTAIN HAMPTON, CAPTAIN HAMPTON, Ahoy, Ahoy. Pillaging the
Pillagers, triumphantly he'll sail
Away, hey, hey!
Now, seven weeks into the trip, and Jim was sick to death of being sick.
Some kind of action he wanted as he
Searched the seas, for everyday was the same old... stuff. The night he
Felt like jumping ship but then he heard a
Crash hit the starboard side of the ship and bumped him out of his bunk,
Onto his bottom. Our heroes drew their
Swords as the MIDGETS swarmed aboard. The PIRATES surprise attack, the
Tiny buccaneers caught us by
Surprise as we tried to battle back.
Cleaning up the oceans CAPTAIN HAMPTON and his crew. Trouble in
The seven seas, he'll know what
To do. CAPTAIN he hates rubbish to him pirates are just soot. Scallywags
And scurby dogs are crushed under his
Foot. CAPTAIN HAMPTON, CAPTAIN HAMPTON, Ahoy, Ahoy. Pillaging the
Pillagers, triumphantly he'll sail
Away, hey, hey!
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
CAPTAIN HAMPTON, CAPTAIN HAMPTON, Ahoy, Ahoy. Pillaging the Pillagers,
Triumphantly he ran away!
The Aquabats's song Captain Hampton And The Midget Pirates tells the story of a young boy named Jim who leaves home to seek adventure at sea. Jim's head is filled with stories of dungeons, dragons, and pirates, and he longs to experience the excitement and danger that comes with being a sailor. When he joins the crew of a schooner that is hunting tuna, Jim is thrilled to be part of the adventure. However, after seven weeks at sea, Jim is growing restless and sick of the routine.
One night, the ship is attacked by a group of midget pirates, who catch the crew off guard. But the captain, Captain Hampton, and his crew are able to fight back and defeat the pirates. The song emphasizes Captain Hampton's dedication to cleaning up the ocean and his hatred of pirates, whom he sees as nothing more than "soot." The chorus repeats the name of the captain, emphasizing his heroism and bravery.
The song captures the sense of danger and excitement that comes with life at sea, as well as the importance of standing up against those who would threaten the safety of the ocean. It also acknowledges the allure of adventure and the desire to seek out new experiences, even if they are not always comfortable or easy.
Line by Line Meaning
Young Jim, as a lad, he looked for adventure, calamity, danger, whatever
As a child, Jim always sought excitement and risk, regardless of the possible consequences.
Was free. So when he turned ten, he
Packed his belongings and he left home to find his destiny. Jim just a
Boy, who's head full of legends of dungeons
And dragons and pirates and stuff. So that summer he nuck on a schooner
To harpoon tuna and get real buff.
Being unburdened by responsibilities, Jim left home at a young age to fulfill his fantasies of adventure and glory by joining a fishing vessel and improving his physique.
The Captain he said, "There's danger ahead, we need some brave men to
Sail and then, we'll find us those pirates,
Stop them with violence, to make the ocean safe once again."
The ship's captain declared that they must confront dangerous pirates and restore safety to the seas, requiring brave sailors to carry out his mission.
Cleaning up the oceans CAPTAIN HAMPTON and his crew. Trouble in
The seven seas, he'll know what
To do. CAPTAIN he hates rubbish to him pirates are just soot. Scallywags
And scurby dogs are crushed under his
Foot. CAPTAIN HAMPTON, CAPTAIN HAMPTON, Ahoy, Ahoy. Pillaging the
Pillagers, triumphantly he'll sail
Away, hey, hey!
Captain Hampton and his crew are dedicated to cleaning up the polluted oceans and taking on any trouble that arises, with a particular disdain for pirates who are seen as worthless vermin. They will not hesitate to crush any enemy underfoot, and their ultimate goal is to triumphantly pillage those who had pillaged before.
Now, seven weeks into the trip, and Jim was sick to death of being sick.
Some kind of action he wanted as he
Searched the seas, for everyday was the same old... stuff. The night he
Felt like jumping ship but then he heard a
Crash hit the starboard side of the ship and bumped him out of his bunk,
Onto his bottom. Our heroes drew their
Swords as the MIDGETS swarmed aboard. The PIRATES surprise attack, the
Tiny buccaneers caught us by
Surprise as we tried to battle back.
After several weeks at sea, Jim grew restless and yearned for some excitement to break the monotony. Just as he considered abandoning the journey, a sudden attack by a group of small pirates caught them off guard, leading to a chaotic battle on the ship.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la.
CAPTAIN HAMPTON, CAPTAIN HAMPTON, Ahoy, Ahoy. Pillaging the Pillagers,
Triumphantly he ran away!
This repetition of la's is likely a bridge or outro, containing no lyrics with a clear meaning.
However, the final line - "Triumphantly he ran away!" - suggests that Captain Hampton cleverly avoided the pirates and fled with his crew to continue their quest another day.
Contributed by Elena I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.