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.
Hey Luno
The Aquabats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And if I wanted to,
I could see someone in there
Who'd like to be the happiest clam on the beach
But look at you
You're the Angry Clown
Trying to push all the kids around
Hey Hey Hey!
Hey Luno!
Hey Hey Hey!
Hey Luno!
Can he stop the enemy?
-We only believe in what we see!
But he can do it, you never know
-But we don't know!
Hey Hey Hey!
Hey Luno!
Hey Hey Hey!
Hey Luno!
Why can't you just call his name?
Then Luno could come down
And take you far away to the land of the same
Then you'll see how fun it is
That flying horse is true
And you're stuck in a world with people just as sad as you
Can he stop the enemy?
-We only believe in what we see!
But he can do it, you never know
-But we don't know!
Just call his name
And he will come
The Flying Horse
Luno:
Hey Hey Hey!
Hey Luno!
The Aquabats's song Hey Luno is a catchy and upbeat anthem that encourages listeners to embrace happiness and positivity amidst the struggles of life. The song presents two contrasting personas - the Angry Clown and Luno, a magical Flying Horse. The Angry Clown represents negativity and frustration while Luno represents hope and optimism. The song encourages people to look beyond their present situation and call out to Luno, who can take them to a land where they can experience genuine happiness.
The lyrics of the song are a call for people to embrace positivity and reject negativity. It suggests that the journey towards happiness will require a step out of the comfort zone, which may be challenging. The Angry Clown represents people who may want to be happy but are held back by fear, anger or frustration. Luno's character, however, offers a cheerful perspective that provides an alternative path to joyfulness. The song implies that happiness is a state of mind that can be achieved with intentionality.
Overall, the song's message is that optimism is a choice. It posits that people can choose to call upon Luno, the Flying Horse, and experience joy and happiness, or remain stuck in a world of negativity and despair. Hey Luno is an uplifting pop-rock song that reminds listeners of the value of positivity and optimism, even in dark times.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at you
Observing you and your current state or appearance
And if I wanted to, I could see someone in there
Being able to see a part of your inner self that you may not show to others
Who'd like to be the happiest clam on the beach
Desiring to be extremely happy and content in life
But look at you
Observing you once again
You're the Angry Clown
Describing you as an angry or grumpy person, like a clown at a circus
Trying to push all the kids around
Attempting to bully or control others around you
But there's a flying horse that could change that course
An imaginary creature that could potentially change your negative behavior
Hey Hey Hey!
An exclamation trying to grab attention
Hey Luno!
A reference to the fictional flying horse named Luno
Can he stop the enemy?
Asking if Luno can defeat an opposing force or stop something negative from happening
-We only believe in what we see!
Stating that it is impossible to believe in something that cannot be physically seen or proven
But he can do it, you never know
Believing that there is still a possibility for Luno to succeed, even if it is not immediately evident
-But we don't know!
Acknowledging uncertainty and lack of knowledge about the situation
Why can't you just call his name?
Asking why someone won't ask for Luno's help
Then Luno could come down
Hypothesizing that Luno would arrive and offer aid in the situation
And take you far away to the land of the same
Being taken to a place of familiarity and comfort with Luno's help
Then you'll see how fun it is
Realizing how enjoyable life can be without negativity or anger
That flying horse is true
Reaffirming the existence of the fiction character Luno
And you're stuck in a world with people just as sad as you
Being trapped in a negative environment with others who are unhappy
Just call his name
Encouraging someone to ask for Luno's help
And he will come
Believing that Luno will indeed come if summoned
The Flying Horse
Referring to Luno once again
Hey Hey Hey!
Ending with another exclamation to emphasize the importance of Luno
Hey Luno!
Repeating the reference to Luno to remind the listener of the aforementioned positive possibility
Contributed by Brooklyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.