We're Not Happy 'Til You're Not Happy
Encyclopedia
We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy is the fifth LP by Orange County
ska punk
band, Reel Big Fish
.
The follow-up to the band's moderately successful Cheer Up!
, We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy was released on April 5, 2005 on Mojo Records
. Compared to the previous album, which was more lighthearted and cheerful, Allmusic describes the songs in the album as "angry" and "embittered", but also deemed the album as "super catchy". Common themes expressed throughout the songs include jealousy, regret, short-lasting fame, and disappointment toward mainstream record companies.
The album includes covers of Tracy Chapman
's "Talkin' Bout a Revolution", Morrissey
's "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" and Social Distortion
's "Story of My Life".
Both the Chapman cover and the Social Distortion cover were chosen as the first and second singles respectively.
The album was not particularly successful in comparison to previous releases. The band felt a large portion of this was on the record company's lack of promotion. This, amongst a long list of other conflicts, led to the band's 2006 split with Jive Records.
and a hidden message played backwards on repeat, read by singer Aaron Barrett
. The message says:
From here the message repeats.
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
ska punk
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band, Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
.
The follow-up to the band's moderately successful Cheer Up!
Cheer Up!
Cheer Up! is the fourth full length release from ska punk band, Reel Big Fish.It is a slight departure from the band's other releases, veering toward more of a rock sound as opposed to ska, especially on the first five tracks, where nary a syncopated drum beat or upstroke on the guitar is heard...
, We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy was released on April 5, 2005 on Mojo Records
Mojo Records
Mojo Records was a California-based record label founded in 1995 by producer Jay Rifkin. It became a joint venture with Universal Music Group in 1996 and then sold to the Zomba Group in 2001, who placed it under their subsidiary Jive Records...
. Compared to the previous album, which was more lighthearted and cheerful, Allmusic describes the songs in the album as "angry" and "embittered", but also deemed the album as "super catchy". Common themes expressed throughout the songs include jealousy, regret, short-lasting fame, and disappointment toward mainstream record companies.
The album includes covers of Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.-Biography:Tracy Chapman was born in Cleveland,...
's "Talkin' Bout a Revolution", Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
's "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" and Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
's "Story of My Life".
Both the Chapman cover and the Social Distortion cover were chosen as the first and second singles respectively.
The album was not particularly successful in comparison to previous releases. The band felt a large portion of this was on the record company's lack of promotion. This, amongst a long list of other conflicts, led to the band's 2006 split with Jive Records.
Track listing
- "The Fire" – 3:05
- "Drinkin'" – 3:25
- "Don't Start a Band" – 3:18
- "A-W-E-S-O-M-E" – 3:32
- "We Hate It When Our Friends Become SuccessfulWe Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful"We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" is a single by Morrissey released in April 1992. It was taken from the then-unreleased Your Arsenal album and was the first Morrissey single to be written by Alain Whyte and produced by glam rock legend Mick Ronson.Reaching number 17 in the UK Singles...
" (MorrisseyMorrisseySteven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
cover) – 2:23 - "Turn the Radio Off" – 2:38
- "Talkin' 'bout a RevolutionTalkin' 'bout a Revolution"Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution" is the second single from African American contemporary folk artist Tracy Chapman. The politically aware song failed to replicate the success of its predecessor, "Fast Car", and peaked at #75 in the United States...
" (Tracy ChapmanTracy ChapmanTracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.-Biography:Tracy Chapman was born in Cleveland,...
cover) – 3:24 - "The Bad Guy" – 3:32
- "Story of My Life" (Social DistortionSocial DistortionSocial Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
cover) – 4:10 - "The Joke's on Me" – 3:49
- "One Hit Wonderful" – 4:18
- "Last Show" – 3:02
- "Say Goodbye" – 4:09
- "Your Guts (I Hate 'Em)" – 14:57 Ends at: (2:06)
- Bonus Track "Beer" - 3:53 (Japanese release. New version of song from Turn The Radio OffTurn the Radio OffTurn the Radio Off is the second full-length album by ska punk band Reel Big Fish. It was released in the U.S. in 1996 on Mojo Records.The single "Sell Out" received radio airplay and was a minor success during that year. "Sell Out" also appeared on the soundtrack to the video games FIFA 2000,...
.) - Bonus Track "Way Back" - 15:27 (Japanese release.)
- "You're Gonna Die" hidden track, which is part of track 14 on general release (track 16 on Japanese release) begins at (5:06) on the general release.
The band
- Aaron BarrettAaron BarrettAaron Asher Barrett is the lead singer, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter for the band Reel Big Fish. Prior to forming with Reel Big Fish, Barrett played trombone in another ska-punk act, The Scholars, along with future Reel Big Fish bandmates Scott Klopfenstein and Grant Barry...
- GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, SynthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, ProducerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Lead Vocals - Scott KlopfensteinScott KlopfensteinScott Allen "Scotty" Klopfenstein is an American musician and a former member of the band Reel Big Fish. He plays trumpet, guitar, keyboard, and sings....
- Guitar, TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Backup Vocals - Matt WongMatt WongMatthew Wong, is a bassist and one of the founding members of the California-based ska punk band, Reel Big Fish...
- Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Dan ReganDan ReganDan Regan is the trombone player for the Southern California-based ska punk band Reel Big Fish. Regan has also played trombone in The Littlest Man Band with Scott Klopfenstein and currently has a hip-hop side project under the alias Black Casper.- External links :...
- TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - John ChristiansonJohn Christianson (musician)John Christianson is one of the current trumpet players in the California-based ska punk band, Reel Big Fish in which his nickname is "Little Johnny Christmas."...
- Trumpet - Justin Ferreira - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Production
- Eddy Schreyer - Mastering
- John Halpern - PhotographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Chaz Harper - Mastering
- Vince Pileggi - ManagementManagementManagement in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
- Denise Trorman - Art Direction, DesignDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
- Beau Burchell - EngineerEngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
- Shawn Sullivan - Producer, Mixing, Engineer
- Jesse Alvarado - Engineer
- David Irish - Engineer, MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Lars Stalfors - Assistant Engineer, BeatsBeat (music)The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
Hidden message
After the track "Your Guts (I Hate 'Em)", a long period of random sounds and loud noises plays. These noises include screaming, short excerpts from a song sung by Scott KlopfensteinScott Klopfenstein
Scott Allen "Scotty" Klopfenstein is an American musician and a former member of the band Reel Big Fish. He plays trumpet, guitar, keyboard, and sings....
and a hidden message played backwards on repeat, read by singer Aaron Barrett
Aaron Barrett
Aaron Asher Barrett is the lead singer, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter for the band Reel Big Fish. Prior to forming with Reel Big Fish, Barrett played trombone in another ska-punk act, The Scholars, along with future Reel Big Fish bandmates Scott Klopfenstein and Grant Barry...
. The message says:
From here the message repeats.
Trivia
- "Turn the Radio Off" is named after one of the band's early albums, and was originally written for Why Do They Rock So Hard?Why Do They Rock So Hard?Why Do They Rock So Hard? is the third full-length release by the ska punk band Reel Big Fish.This is the first, and so far only Reel Big Fish studio album where the band line-up has not changed from the previous album....
- The song described in "One Hit Wonderful" is "Sell OutSell Out (song)"Sell Out" is a song by California ska punk band Reel Big Fish, released as the first track on their 1996 album Turn The Radio Off. The song has proven to be one of Reel Big Fish's more popular releases. It has been interpreted as chronicling the payola scandals of early FM radio. However, it can...
". You can clearly hear parts of the lyrics at the beginning and end of the song. - In the song "We Hate It..." there is a line "We hate it when our friends become successful, and if they are No DoubtNo DoubtNo Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
it makes it even worst and..." instead of "And if they are Northern"