There is more than one band with this name.

(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.

Struggling
The Hippos Lyrics

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You think you know who I am
But you don't know who I am
You think that you're so smart
You're just as dumb as I am

So don't try to hide what's behind those eyes
Behind that smile and those big blue eyes
I can see right through your lies

I see you at the beach
You're lying in the sand
You seem so hard to reach
You're trying as hard as you can

So don't try to hide what's behind those eyes
Behind that smile and those big blue eyes

I can see right through your lies
You're struggling

Overall Meaning

The song Struggling by The Hippos is a song that examines the idea that people often put up a façade and hide their true selves behind a smile, a look, or a posture. The lyrics speak to the idea that while we may think we know someone, chances are we only know a part of them, and that in reality we may not know them at all. The first verse of the song sets the tone for the rest of the track, with the singer repeating the line, "You think you know who I am, but you don't know who I am." The line is a stark reminder that no matter how much we think we know someone; there is always something more to discover.

In the chorus, the singer explores the idea that people often try to hide who they are. By using the phrase, "Behind that smile and those big blue eyes, I can see right through your lies," the singer is suggesting that people often hide behind a smile and a happy demeanor, but in reality, there is something else going on beneath the surface. The second verse of the song describes a more specific scenario, in which the singer sees someone at the beach who seems "hard to reach." They are trying their best, but there is clearly something holding them back. The verse ends with the singer reiterating the chorus, driving home the point that everyone is struggling in their own way.

Overall, Struggling is a powerful and insightful song that explores the idea that people are complex and often hide their true selves from others. The song reminds us that we should never assume we know everything about someone, and that we should always strive to understand others better.

Line by Line Meaning

You think you know who I am
You assume you understand my true identity, but in reality, you have no clue about me.

But you don't know who I am
The knowledge you possess about me is nowhere near to the actual understanding of my life.

You think that you're so smart
Your smugness that makes you believe you have a higher intellectual capacity than me is pointless.

You're just as dumb as I am
In reality, you're not smarter than me, we both are equal mentally.

So don't try to hide what's behind those eyes
Do not try to veil your true selves behind your eyes because I can see right through that facade.

Behind that smile and those big blue eyes
That happy and bright aura and light blue eyes can't cloak your authentic motives.

I can see right through your lies
I have an eye that can see past your mask of deceit and lies.

I see you at the beach
I can cross paths with you at the shore.

You're lying in the sand
You're comfortably resting on sand while you hide the turmoil within.

You seem so hard to reach
It appears impossible to get through to you because of your guardedness.

You're trying as hard as you can
You're trying your best to cope with the struggles of life.

You're struggling
You're in a state of torment and facing hardships that are beyond bearable.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ariel Rechtshaid, James Bairian, Louis Castle, Richard Zahniser

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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