Introduction
Why did I want to research on this song and the band Smash Mouth? I was interested in this band and song because it was one I recognized very well yet didn’t know much about. My younger self only really knew this piece as that song that appeared in the intro for Shrek and in memes, like many others. I've wanted to know what else Smash Mouth has done and if there was any meaning to this song I’ve listened to countless times.
Background on Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth was formed in 1994, in San Jose, California. The original members included Steve Harwell, Greg Camp, Kevin Coleman, and Paul de Lisle. Another member would join in 1997, a keyboardist named Michael Klooster. The story of this band's creation dates back to 1990 when Kevin and Steve first met. Kevin was already familiar with Greg and Paul around the time, and so that would eventually lead to their first meeting and eventually the formation of Smash Mouth. Greg and Paul played in a punk band in their vicinity, and Steve was once in a rap group before this formation. Smash Mouth's music would change from the genre of ska into a more pop-rock tune. They first gained attention from their demo of the song Nervous in the Alley being played by a San Jose radio station but would go mainstream with the release of the song Walkin' on the Sun. After the success of this song and their first album, the fear of becoming a one-hit-wonder became more and more evident. They needed a new hit song for their second album, Astro Lounge.
Background on All Star
All star released on May 4th, 1999 with their second album, Astro Lounge. The songwriter was Greg Camp, and the producer was Eric Valentine. It is most famously known for playing in the movie Shrek but was also played in other movies. Some include Inspector Gadget and Rat Race. This song’s title and creation came from Converse shoes, surprisingly. Specifically the Converse All Stars that guitarist and head songwriter Greg Camp wore at that time. Camp wanted to make a song, an anthem for their biggest type of fans. They weren’t sports fans or people who love Carl’s Jr, but they were just kids who liked music. Many sent fan mail about being bullied, and so the song is made for them. From Camp’s first demo of All Star, the band knew it was hit material. And it was, reaching 4th on the Billboard Hot 100 3 months after its release. Here are the lyrics to this hit of a song:
Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb In the shape of an "L" on her forehead
Well, the years start coming and they don't stop coming Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running Didn't make sense not to live for fun Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb So much to do, so much to see So what's wrong with taking the backstreets? You'll never know if you don't go You'll never shine if you don't glow
Hey now, you're an all star Get your game on, go play Hey now, you're a rock star Get the show on, get paid And all that glitters is gold Only shooting stars break the mold
It's a cool place, and they say it gets colder You're bundled up now, wait 'til you get older But the meteor men beg to differ Judging by the hole in the satellite picture The ice we skate is getting pretty thin The water's getting warm so you might as well swim My world's on fire, how 'bout yours? That's the way I like it and I'll never get bored
Hey now, you're an all star Get your game on, go play Hey now, you're a rock star Get the show on, get paid All that glitters is gold Only shooting stars break the mold
Somebody once asked
Could I spare some change for gas?
"I need to get myself away from this place"
I said, "Yep, what a concept
I could use a little fuel myself
And we could all use a little change"
Well, the years start coming and they don't stop coming
Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running
Didn't make sense not to live for fun
Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb
So much to do, so much to see
So what's wrong with taking the backstreets?
You'll never know if you don't go (go!)
You'll never shine if you don't glow
Hey now, you're an all star
Get your game on, go play
Hey now, you're a rock star
Get the show on, get paid
And all that glitters is gold
Only shooting stars break the mold
Analysis
I believe this song's biggest themes are of rebelliousness and nihilism. Music-wise, All Star has a heavy usage on guitars and drums, with some keyboard sound effects thrown into the mix. The start of the song is pretty relaxed with the only instruments used being a picked guitar and a bass guitar besides the vocals itself. The song builds up by adding drums later on, and the chorus changes the guitars to play a more intense tune. Based on what Camp said who this song was written for, the notes used in this song give me images of kids in school, who live lives where everything is against them. Imagine the first Captain Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy kid for example.
The lyrics in this song also support my claim. Take the first line of this song, somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me for example. It implies that someone, who we know is a female from the next verse, tells the protagonist of this song that they are helpless against the world. This verse reminds me of a lecture given by teachers to their young students that they are not ready for the adult world because of their attitude and such. Another line that supports this is the verse, you're bundled up now, wait 'til you get older.
One more verse that shows these themes are, only shooting stars break the mold. These shooting stars, in my opinion, are related or are these all-stars that are mentioned beforehand. To break the mold is to stand out and proud, and so I feel that Smash Mouth, specifically Greg Camp is giving a message to these kids in this verse. That even if the world is against you, you can try, and you will eventually succeed. It's a pretty wholesome message given to their fans at the time if I do say so myself.
Conclusion
Though it may have not affected me as much as others, I feel as if this song has impacted my life. It was one of those songs that got me into modern internet humor, and it may have been one of the keys that led me to love music today. I feel as if many related to this song's lyrics and messages in 1999, and that many may still relate to it today. Nevertheless, it was fun for me to research on the song All Star and the band behind it. I hope that it was also gripping for you to learn these same things I was interested in while reading this. Thank you.
Bibliography
“All Star (Song).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Aug. 20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Star_(song).
Blakesburg, Jay. ‘All Star’: The Story Behind Smash Mouth’s Prophetical Hit Song, UDiscovermusic, 4 May 2020, www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/smash-mouth-all-star-song-history/ .
“The Free High-Resolution Photo of People, Photography, Kid, Portrait, Young, Color, Macro, Child, Hat, Blue, Clothing, Black, Background, Happy, Cool, Sunglasses, Glasses, Cap, Eyewear, Decorations, Hats, Fashion Accessory, Vision Care , Taken with an NIKON D5100 04/04 2017 The Picture Taken with 46.0mm, f/7.1s, 1/200s, ISO 20.” Pxhere, 4 Apr. 2017, pxhere.com/en/photo/1356682.
Gong, Jason. “Smash Mouth's ‘All Star’ as a Response to Nihilism.” MALARKEY BOOKS, 4 Feb. 2019, http://malarkeybooks.com/critical-analysis/2019/1/31/smash-mouths-all-star-as-a-response-to-nihilism .
Healy, Ryan. “All Star: The Story Behind Smash Mouth's Prophetical Hit Song: UDiscover.” UDiscover Music, 4 May 2020, www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/smash-mouth-all-star-song-history/.
Kessler, Martin. “The Origin Of Smash Mouth's 'All Star,' An Unintentional Sports Anthem.” The Origin Of Smash Mouth's 'All Star,' An Unintentional Sports Anthem | Only A Game, WBUR, 13 July 2018, www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2018/07/13/all-star-smash-mouth-band-song.
Smash Mouth - All Star, SMASH MOUTH, 25 Dec. 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_jWHffIx5E.
“Smash Mouth.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Sept. 2020,
Comments