(1) The Hippos were a th… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one band with this name.
(1) The Hippos were a third wave ska-punk band from Southern California. Unlike other typical bands of the genre, The Hippos employed heavy use of a Moog synthesizer.
The Hippos’s first full album release was Forget the World, released in 1996. Interestingly, many of the songs on Forget The World were written when Ariel Rechstaid, the band’s primary songwriter, was only 15 years old. This album employed traditional ska-punk songwriting, including upbeat tempos and heavy brass instrumentation. Additionally, various percussion instruments were used, such as bongos and wood blocks. The next album was Heads Are Gonna Roll, released in 1999. A transitional album, a balance of horns and synthesizers is found on this album. Commercially, this album was the band’s most successful; it is the only album to be fully produced by a large record label and thus is assumedly the most circulated and heard of the three albums.
The Hippos, a self titled final release, was released in 2003 after the band’s break-up. This album completed the gradual transition from traditional ska-punk to the unique, orginal synthpop sound exhibited here. Ties to the ska-punk scene from which they began had been all but completely severed. In fact, only one track from this album uses horns at all, an essential element of ska. Much of the Hippos’s fanbase was initially reluctant at such a different sound, but for the most part, this reluctance gave way to admiration. To many fans, the Hippos’s final album was their best written and most enjoyable, despite its limited commercial success.
(2) The Hippos are a blues band from Sydney, Australia. They enjoyed modest chart success with Dark Age in 1988, from the album Hippocracy.
Don't Worry
The Hippos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You feel betrayed, alone, left out. All your favorite bands have all sold out.
And now you see them on MTV. No way they're gonna remember little old me, what's
become of the ska scene? All the bands want money. All the bands are mean. So
please come out to the show tonight. I promise everything is gonna be all right.
The boys are gonna start a pit. But all you want to do is dance, you're sick of
this punk bit
The Hippos's song Don't Worry is a nostalgic piece about the changes in the ska rock music genre that occurred during the 90s. The lyrics perfectly capture the feeling of being left behind, as the ska scene was once small and obscure but then suddenly became mainstream. The song starts with a relatable punchline "So you know that everybody's going to the ska show when it used to be just you," highlighting the sudden explosion in popularity of the ska scene that probably left the core ska band followers upset.
The lyrics go on to describe the general feel of the moment, and the singer expresses the fear that the ska scene has sold out, and all the bands only want money. The lyrics also express a feeling of betrayal, with the lead singer perhaps having lost touch with their favorite bands, now that they've reached musical fame. Regardless of these changes, the singer reaches out to the audience encouraging them to 'come out to the show tonight,' reassuring them that everything will be alright, and that they'll have a good time.
The verse about the boys starting a pit is interesting. The experience of a mosh pit at a ska or punk show can be intense, and perhaps, for the singer, it was no longer the experience they wanted. This verse is a perfect representation of the clash between the old and new listeners of ska, the original ska lovers who loved the music for what it was versus the new listeners who perhaps expected a more intense and punk-like experience.
Line by Line Meaning
So you know that everybody's going to the ska show when it used to be just you.
You feel alienated because everyone is now going to the same show that you used to enjoy alone.
You feel betrayed, alone, left out. All your favorite bands have all sold out.
You are experiencing emotions of neglect, solitude, and disappointment because the music you cherish has become commercialized.
And now you see them on MTV. No way they're gonna remember little old me, what's become of the ska scene?
The music and people you once considered special are now mainstream and unrecognizable, leading you to question the current state of the scene.
All the bands want money. All the bands are mean.
You perceive the bands' motivation and behavior as greedy and unkind, making you less attracted to the music.
So please come out to the show tonight. I promise everything is gonna be all right.
Despite your negative feelings towards the ska scene, you're urged to attend a show and reassured that it will be an enjoyable, positive experience.
The boys are gonna start a pit. But all you want to do is dance, you're sick of this punk bit.
People around you may want to aggressively mosh, but you prefer to dance in a more lighthearted manner and you're tired of the aggressive punk scene.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ariel Rechtshaid
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Anu_Sol
Ironic song since they eventually completely dropped their horn section.
@fivestatedrive
To be fair their last album wasn't a proper album but a group of demos that were eventually released. If they hadn't run into issues with Interscope who knows what the finished product would have sounded like? They never performed live as the Hippos without horns at least.
@eliroblse
anyone else here from installing ubuntu?
@fivestatedrive
I didn’t know about that! Was it included?
@eliroblse
@@fivestatedrivethis song is referenced during the ubuntu install! while it's installing it plays a slideshow of some of the programs included and this song appears on the advertised music player. i was curious and had to look this song up and it's cool :D
@fivestatedrive
@@eliroblse that’s so cool!