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.
Nerd Alert
The Aquabats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're the kids that easily bruise
We're the geeks and the creatures
Outer space hillbillies from the moon
Get stupid on your time
Keep your geriatric biker fight
Diffuse the land mines
I'm alright
We're Alright
Well we both know that our day will come
The revolution has begun
So raise your fists and take a stand
With your super cool...
Super cool wrist bands!
We broke out
And now we're running crazy
Down the middle of the boulevard
(Spaced out!)
There's a nerd alert
There's a nerd alert
And you'll never, ever
Never take us alive
Never take us alive
You'll never...!
We're fat, young and hungry
But we don't care
We got big old brains
Like Mexican candy
We got some complex flavor
Running up in here
So get stupid on your time
Get the bud bowl off the air
Diffuse the land mines
I'm alright
You're alright
We're alright
You know that your apathy
Became your enemy
And you did yourself in
Find out this phenomenon
Is running on and on
And we'll never give in...
We broke out
Now we're running crazy
Down the middle of the boulevard
(Spaced out!)
There's a nerd alert
There's a nerd alert
And you'll never, ever
Never take us alive
Never take us alive
Never take us alive
Live...
The Aquabats's song Nerd Alert is an anthem for the outcasts and the misfits of society referred to as the freaks of nature, geeks, creatures, hillbillies, and nerds. These people are perceived as strange because they are extraordinary, colorful, and complex. They are not afraid to be themselves, and they don't care about fitting in with the crowd. Their unique qualities are emphasized in the song when it describes their big old brains, complex flavor, and Mexican candy. The lyrics also convey a sense of rebellion against society and its norms as the revolution has begun, and the nerds are ready to take a stand. The song's chorus has a strong message that despite being outcasts, they are alright and will never give up, and society will never take them alive. They are determined to live their lives on their terms and run crazy down the middle of the boulevard.
The lyrics of Nerd Alert encourage people to be proud of who they are, to embrace their quirks and eccentricities, and be confident in their individuality. It is a call to arms for the nerds, the outcasts, and the misfits to come together and celebrate their unique qualities. The song acknowledges that the world may not understand or accept them, but it doesn't matter because being true to oneself is what's essential. The song is an empowering anthem for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or is proud of being different.
Line by Line Meaning
Well yeah, we're the freaks of nature
We're not afraid to be different, even if it means being considered weird.
We're the kids that easily bruise
We may not be physically tough, but we're resilient in other ways.
We're the geeks and the creatures
We embrace our nerdy interests and love for sci-fi and fantasy.
Outer space hillbillies from the moon
We feel a bit out of place in society, like we come from a different world.
Get stupid on your time
Have fun and let loose, even if others judge you for it.
Keep your geriatric biker fight
Don't get caught up in petty disagreements or drama.
Diffuse the land mines
Avoid conflict and strive for peace.
I'm alright
We're confident in ourselves, despite society's opinions.
You're Alright
We accept others and their quirks as they are.
We're Alright
We're proud of who we are, even if it means standing out.
Well we both know that our day will come
We're confident that someday society will embrace people like us.
The revolution has begun
We're seeing a shift in society towards accepting non-traditional or nerdy interests.
So raise your fists and take a stand
We encourage others to embrace their passions boldly and confidently.
With your super cool... Super cool wrist bands!
Our interests and hobbies make us unique and cool, even if others may not understand them.
We broke out
We've broken free of societal expectations and are living our lives according to our passions.
And now we're running crazy
We're passionate and excited about our interests and hobbies, and we're not afraid to express ourselves.
Down the middle of the boulevard (Spaced out!)
We're not afraid to let our geek flag fly in public.
There's a nerd alert
We're embracing our nerdiness and showing it off to the world.
And you'll never, ever, never take us alive
We're unapologetically ourselves and won't change for anyone else's sake.
We're fat, young, and hungry
We're full of energy and passion for our interests, regardless of societal norms.
But we don't care
We're confident in ourselves and our passions, and won't let others' opinions bring us down.
We got big old brains like Mexican candy
We're smart and intelligent, and our nerdy interests are just as sweet as candy.
We got some complex flavor running up in here
Our interests and hobbies are multi-faceted and full of depth.
So get stupid on your time
Have fun and let yourself be silly, regardless of how others may perceive you.
Get the bud bowl off the air
Don't let societal norms and expectations overshadow your interests and hobbies.
You know that your apathy became your enemy
Not caring about your passions and interests can be detrimental to your personal growth and happiness.
And you did yourself in
Not embracing your passions and interests can lead to a lack of fulfillment and purpose.
Find out this phenomenon is running on and on
The trend of embracing nerdy interests and hobbies is gaining momentum and showing no signs of stopping.
And we'll never give in
We're proud of who we are and won't give in to societal pressures to conform.
Never take us alive
We won't let anyone or anything change who we are or what we love.
Live...
Live your life to the fullest, doing what you love and embracing your passions.
Contributed by London S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.