Ranking All 44 Reel Big Fish Cover Songs

Despite a library of nearly 100 original songs, Reel Big Fish is often recognized by casual listeners for their cover renditions of other artists’ music. Over a 20 year span, lead singer and songwriter Aaron Barrett has re-arranged enough hit songs to create a “Best Of” collection of his bands’ cover recordings. This ranked list endeavors to determine which of those covers are the best of the best, and includes recordings Aaron wrote and performed as part of ska-punk side project the Forces of Evil. The numbering does not necessarily imply a scale of “bad” to “good;” only the bottom four songs are truly bad, while the top 40 are all enjoyable listens to some extent. The songs do get progressively better, with the top 15 or so representing the best of what Reel Big Fish has to offer when they make a hit out of someone else’s hit.

44. Carol of the Beers
Why record this, let alone release it commercially? This one minute and 47 second long torture session from the otherwise pretty good Happy Skalidays (get it?) takes on the Carol of the Bells…but with the band singing the word “beer” for every note. In practice, it’s no less grating than it sounds, with added burps and can opening sounds further tainting the experience. This is easily one of the worst recordings the band has produced, and has no place on a holiday album or a Reel Big Fish record.

43. Won’t Back Down
Yes, that Won’t Back Down. One of ten tracks on the overlong 28:30 cover album Fame, Fortune, and Fornication, this is easily the most plodding and banal song on an album not lacking in plodding, banal covers.

42. The Long Run
Tom Petty and The Eagles…this band knows what the kids like! The unnecessary and generic covers that pollute the back half of Fame, Fortune, and Fornication are a real low point for the band overall, and it’s inexplicable why Aaron Barrett would produce a cover album without an album’s worth of strong covers ready to record. The falsetto backup vocals and soft horns make up for Aaron’s vocal fry and just slightly elevate it over the Tom Petty cover.

41. Keep A Cool Head
Another Fame, Fortune, and Fornication track that has Aaron affecting an unnecessary vocal accent, this cover shoots for a smooth reggae stylee but fails to hit its mark. At least at under two minutes long, it’s blessedly short.

40. Mele Kelikimaka
In theory, this could be a really fun cover; in practice, it completely falls apart. This oddball Christmas recording from the late 90s begins with a 30 second horn cover of Carol of the Bells that is slowly overtaken by dissonant instrumental sounds that peaks and transitions to a goofy ska rhythm overlaid by an original brass melody that evokes You’re A Grand Old Flag. After the first verse, there’s some distorted guitar and a lyric from Auld Lang Syne before the song jolts back into its upbeat rhythm and abruptly ends on a repeated “-to say Merry Christmas-” and a prolonged “to you!” From there, Aaron Barrett and Scott Klopfenstein spend 30 seconds making exaggerated sex sounds at each other until they finally break and the track ends.

If only it was as good as that all makes it sound.

39. Mama We’re All Crazy Now
There are some good ideas in this upbeat Slade cover, but it’s undercut by an uninspired horn line that simply copies the verse melody and Aaron’s tacky talk-singing in the second verse. What could be a harmlessly fun cover ends up unmemorable at best and slightly annoying at worst.

38. Rock It With I
An earnest cover featuring Aaron’s approximation of a reggae voice, this is a steady jam complimented by Scott’s vocal harmonies and reverb-laden background shouts over Matt Wong’s funky bass tone. Unfortunately, the dissonance of a white Californian repeating “somma dem” and “rock it with I” never resolves. It sounds like the band wanted to do right by the original with this cover, but it sadly falls short. Considering this tune only exists as an overseas bonus track for Cheer Up!, it seems like Reel Big Fish agrees.

37. Twist and Crawl
This two tone cover somehow didn’t make the cut for Fame, Fortune, and Fornication, but a best of remix adds some much-needed reverb to the vocal and drum tracks that saves this recording. It’s a pretty straightforward reproduction of the English Beat’s original, but the brief burst in dynamic and tempo at the end flirts with Reel Big Fish’s signature style. It’s good for what it is, but it’s a shame they didn’t experiment a little more.

36. Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
“Hey, has anybody seen grandma?”

This comedic Happy Skalidays track checks all the boxes for generic ska-punk songwriting; however, Derek Gibbs’ bass line and Billy Kottage’s syncopated organ add a much-needed drive to the verses, with the horns and background vocals nicely punctuating certain lyrics (“send them back!”). If Aaron’s guitar strumming in the punk-infused chorus didn’t drag so much, the package would sound more fully tied together.

35. Don’t Let Me Down Gently
Matt Appleton’s swinging baritone sax gives some hope to this track at the start, but it soon settles into the rhythmic doldrums that much of Candy Coated Fury languishes in. Between the low end saxophone, understated but effective organ, and high vocal harmonies (especially his “don’t let me down-” “gently” call and response with Aaron), Matt Appleton is by far the standout on this track. Unfortunately, it never really goes anywhere once it gets started.

34. Lyin’ Ass Bitch
Reel Big Fish apparently got over their mid-90s resentment of Fishbone enough to cover this sexist romp with Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer’s Rachel Minton on co-lead vocals. Dan Regan’s trombone zips through this decently upbeat track, but there’s no avoiding the excessively hateful lyrics. Bitterness towards women isn’t absent from Reel Big Fish’s original lyrical content, but this song openly revels in misogyny to an uncomfortable extent.

33. Brown Eyed Girl
The year is 2008. You are Aaron Barrett, singer and songwriter for the band Reel Big Fish. People frequently tell you they like your band’s cover of Brown Eyed Girl that they found on Limewire, but that’s a different ska band’s cover of Brown Eyed Girl. You think to yourself, if people already think you did a generic ska cover of Brown Eyed Girl, why not just record one yourselves?

So you do.

32. Story of My Life
This cover should be a home run; Social Distortion’s original has a memorable riff complimenting a catchy chorus and self-depreciating lyrics. Sadly, Reel Big Fish’s rendition is a barren cover that only survives on the merit of Mike Ness’ lyrics. The arrangement effectively highlights those words — particularly the harmonized a capella vocals on “well, good times come and good times go” — but overall, this attempt falls woefully short.

31. Boys Don’t Cry (live)
“Oh wow, a ska-punk version of an 80s song, how original!”

Before he was packing albums with generic ska covers, Aaron Barrett was poking fun at a hallmark of the third wave that he himself helped usher in and maintain. One of the band’s earliest covers that saw a polished revival on their 2006 live album, Boys Don’t Cry is the weakest and most unoriginal cover from that peak 90s era. The horn melody is a catchy take on the Cure’s riff and the guitar work during the bridge is clever, but overall it doesn’t stand out.

30. Love Boat
At some point in the late 90s, for some reason, Reel Big Fish recorded a cover of the Love Boat theme song. With understated guitar upstrokes in the verses and disco-infused chorus rhythms, punchy horns throughout, and sultry lounge-style vocals from Scott Klopfenstein, this cover of the Love Boat theme song is better than it has any right to be.

29. New York, New York
Even less explicable than the Love Boat theme, if only because it actually appears on a full length album, this a capella cover sung by Aaron and Scott doesn’t make much sense in context of either the Cheer Up! record or as a standalone recording. It can be hard to tell how seriously the two of them are taking their performance, but that quality is what makes this a fun listen. The smooth harmonies blend well on top of hand & vocal percussion and countless layers of background singing tracks. Another Cheer Up! era song that hasn’t resurfaced since, this is worth a listen if only for its unique status in their collection.

28. Auld Lang Syne
While this could have suffered as a mid-tempo cover with a predictable horn melody, smart instrumentation enhances this standard rendition. A slower paced muted trumpet solo gives the song some diversity in tempo and sound texture, and the group-sung refrain exudes a live energy that is often tricky to capture in the studio. A bombastic conclusion — complete with firework sounds — then fades out on the groovy organ and bass rhythm, epitomizing how this band does a big finish.

27. Go to Hell (Forces of Evil)
Based on an obscure, unreleased song by influential ska punk group Suburban Rhythm, this arrangement revels in the darker side of Aaron’s musical sensibilities — as the name “the Forces of Evil” suggests. Despite a bit of uncomfortable lyrical centrism, the fuzzy, dirty guitar tone and aggressive gang vocals drive home the satisfaction of telling the perceived worst in society exactly where to go. The high pitched background vocals here do a good job of filling Scott’s place — especially in the final chorus as the backup singer screeches over layered shredding guitars intensifying in volume, conjuring the auditory illusion of a descent to hell.

26. We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful
A Morrissey cover off the muddily-produced We’re Not Happy Til You’re Not Happy featuring defiant laughter as its only chorus, this track should be dead on arrival. However, a slick guitar riff mirrored by the horn section compliments self-depreciating lyrics befitting Reel Big Fish’s repertoire. Throughout, the desperate sounds of the cutting distorted guitar and struggling distant horns drive home the pathetic anger of the lyrics. This song stands out by sounding like Aaron could have written it himself; when he sings “oh you have loads of songs, so many songs, more songs than they could stand/verse, chorus, then they break away,” it resonates with the themes of the We’re Not Happy album and his lyrical history as a whole.

25. Veronica Sawyer
West coast ska band covers east coast ska band; the end result may surprise you! This Edna’s Goldfish (RIP) cover off Fame, Fortune, and Fornication was a bit of a headscratcher when it first came out, but it’s certainly aged better than covers of Tom Petty and the Eagles. The band’s performance here is just as empty as most of the other tracks on that album, but the band still does a good job of capturing that oft-penned east coast feeling of being young and impatient, yearning for the freedom of the afternoon and weekend.

24. Talk Dirty to Me
Aaron Barrett has said that he originally wanted Fame, Fortune, and Fornication to be a full-length album of Poison covers entitled “Open Up and Say…Ska!” Thankfully, this is a surviving gem from that abandoned idea. Rather than a bombastic ska punk party song, this cover is a risky stripped down duet between Aaron and TAT vocalist Tatiana DeMaria. Forgoing typical backup harmonies from a third vocalist gives a more intimate feel to the singers’ interplay as Tatiana’s vocals exude a sultry tone contrasting Aaron’s husky delivery. Despite some teasing over the guitar solo and a building vocal intensity, it feels as if this recording could have been even dirtier.

23. Another Day in Paradise
As the story goes, Aaron was in the supermarket when he heard this Phil Collins song on the radio; he then decided this song would be the next Reel Big Fish cover. Considering those origins, this track came out pretty good. The lyrics are unusually compassionate for the band and the rhythm is standard ska-punk fare, but the main horn riff is catchy with some memorable fills from human drum machine Ryland Steen. Understated but effective vocal harmonies and some rhythmic play towards the end — complete with a brief but memorable trombone lead — save this cover from sounding too samey.

22. Ball & Chain (Forces of Evil)
This late stage Forces of Evil recording sees that side project essentially dropping the “evil” gimmick entirely, forgoing the skacore-flirting tone of Friend or FoE? in favor of a genre blending experiment much more befitting of Aaron’s main band. One part syncopated march, one part polka, many parts mid-90s ska punk revelry, this Sublime cover packs several punches. The genre transitions are fun and seamless, and the big third wave finish in the final verse exemplifies why some — including members of Reel Big Fish — briefly considered the Forces of Evil to be a more formidable ska punk outfit than the pop punk-leaning Fish themselves.

A fun fact to consider: Aaron had recently gotten married when he recorded this cover.

21. Lickle Drummond Bwoy
If other tracks on Happy Skalidays make the case for Billy Kottage as a band member, this song is his crown jewel. On top of another of his groovy organ lines, Billy’s trombone work also stands out, with a ripping solo that more than proves his worthiness in the role. While this cover would be even better if it allowed for all three horn players to play solos, it nevertheless showcases one of the finest trombone performances on a Reel Big Fish recording.

20. The Promise
Reel Big Fish don’t get sappy very often, but this cover feels straight out of an 80s teen movie that never was, with a mellow horn melody that resonates triumphantly over a relaxed ska rhythm. A consistent slower pace benefits this song, mixing well with an airy drum track, lightly thumping lead guitar & bass, and soft accented horns. The real star here is Aaron’s bare vocal delivery which gives the verses a necessary honest feel, perfectly complimented by delicate background vocals from Matt Appleton — whether as harmonies or sweet “I promise you” echoes in the chorus. This may not be a song for the live crowd, but as a studio album closer, it’s bold yet surprisingly resonant.

19. Authority Song
A three minute distillation of what “ska punk” means, this surprising standout from Fame, Fortune, and Fornication tackles a favorite lyrical theme for the band: sticking it to the man. Aaron’s atypical inversion of the usual Reel Big Fish song structure pays off, with wild punk verses and a rabble-rousing ska chorus eventually giving way to a surprise classic rock call-out. The altered bridge ties John Mellencamp’s lyrics with Sonny Curtis’, underscoring the defeatist lyrics and bringing this cover even further in line with the band’s recurrent lyrical theme of the downtrodden underdog.

18. Dance the Night Away (Forces of Evil)
Of all the Forces of Evil recordings, this one was and is the most deserving of actually being tackled by Reel Big Fish themselves. Although he’s no David Lee Roth, Aaron sings the corny lyrics with aplomb while the band weaves through shifting ska rhythms. It’s tempting to imagine this song recorded with the musicians and production of Cheer Up!, as the fuzzy guitar tone and barebones sound aren’t the best fit for this song, but it’s a feat of the arrangement and performance that a rough recording like this still impresses.

17. Kiss Me Deadly
Not unlike the above entry, this 80s glam cover sees Aaron and the rest of Reel Big Fish playing with the lyrics in a way that celebrates rather than mocks them. Even when adding a reference to “Tavis’ dad” or tacking odd sexual anecdotes to the song’s final line, it feels like the band has fun to the song’s benefit rather than at its expense. A smooth trumpet solo before the glam-infused bridge keeps the song from settling too much into its crunchy ska-pop punk rhythm as it crescendos to a titular climax that then fades into an oft-improvised talk-sung ending. “I didn’t get laid…”

16. Monkey Man
Essentially a cover of a cover, this rendition originally done for The Wild Thornberries Movie soundtrack is Reel Big Fish’s spin on The Specials’ cover of a first wave standard. While this performance is two steps removed from Toots & the Maytals, it’s a clean, consistent take on the later two tone arrangement. Aaron’s lead guitar rivals or even outclasses that of the legendary Roddy Radiation, and the three-part harmonized chorus shows off the band’s oft-underrated vocal talent. Finely tuned falsetto vocals and a rowdy trombone solo further compliment this stellar rendition of a ska classic.

15. Talkin’ ‘bout A Revolution (live)
While it may be rhythmically sterile, this song has something to say and it doesn’t sound forced or phony coming out of Aaron’s privileged mouth. Transforming an acoustic protest song into a sweet, sweet reggae jam certainly follows in the latter genre’s lyrical tradition, and Aaron’s delivery of lines like “poor people gonna rise up” with actual conviction gives this cover some much-needed authenticity. The live recording is from an era when the band was firing on all cylinders, resulting in some great lead guitar from Scott over Aaron’s steady chords that compliments Matt Wong’s foundational bass riffs. The horns finely accompany the rhythm section here, echoing the chords and — in the live version — the core riff for an even more memorable effect. That riff is original and definitive to this arrangement, and it’s easy to miss it when listening back to Tracy Chapman’s more stripped down performance.

14. Main Street Electrical Parade
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Prepare yourself for a musically maniacal journey through the land of acoustic and synthemagnetic sound: The Main Street Electrical Parade.”

If Mele Kalikimaka is a poor execution of a fun idea, this is a fantastic execution of a disastrous idea. Taken from the Disney theme park event of the same name, the lyrics consist entirely of nonsense words sung by Aaron — accompanied by high pitched impish creatures of the mind’s eye — to the original parade melody. What works so well is the interplay of the band’s instruments beneath the nonsense in the forefront. The introduction promises listeners a “musically maniacal journey” and the musicians deliver, running away with the rhythm and never settling at one pace for too long. The song breaks down to glorious effect in the bridge, with Matt Wong’s muddy bass and Aaron’s layered noodling guitar underscoring a magnificent stream of beautiful nonsense from the mouth and mind of Scott Klopfenstein. Words do it no justice; this is something one must hear with their own ears.

13. Gigantic
Imagine this alternative number by the Pixies transformed into a late 90s dance jam, with heavy electronic synths pounding out an approximation of Kim Deal’s original bass line over thumping drum machine beats while a heavily distorted party boy slams his guitar and sings about a big black dick.

You probably can’t, but it happened. It’s as good as it sounds.

12. Nothin’ But a Good Time
The lynchpin of Fame, Fortune, and Fornication, this cover exemplifies what Reel Big Fish can achieve when they give their all to performing another artist’s song in their signature style. On an album polluted with uninspired covers, this creative rendition of a glam party anthem stands out above the rest. Of course, the hook — as with most ska-punk 80s covers — is a horn melody based on the original song’s riff, bursting through over sustained power chords that evoke a stadium rock sound. The horns weave throughout the verses, echoing the riff and complimenting Aaron’s playful vocal delivery, with gang vocals highlighting the lyrics. A slower paced bridge with two tone-inspired guitar & bass and reverberating trombone picks up into a bombastic solo section that is half-trumpet, half-guitar, all-Poison. Like all of the band’s best 80s renditions, this cover transforms the recognizable elements of the original into a ska-rock style that could only be performed by Reel Big Fish.

11. It’s Not Easy
While the band had recorded this song as a duet between Aaron and Scott, it wasn’t until the later Duet All Night Long rendition added Rachel Minton to the mix that this cover’s potential was fully realized. While a lead piano melody is a bit out of the ordinary for the band — though it cements Scott’s presence throughout the song — it fits the sugar-sweet lyrics and Aaron’s clean, bright guitar tone. The interplay between Aaron and Rachel is charming, but the real highlight is the vocal harmonies. The original rendition had Scott singing the “life is lollipops and rainbows” bridge by himself, and the Duet arrangement still wisely has him take over from Aaron, his voice now sweetly pairing with Rachel’s in the higher range. Perhaps owing to its origins as an Aaron & Scott number, Rachel’s vocals fit perfectly in Scott’s usual harmonic space, her voice and the lead piano giving the song a lighter mood that’s still unmistakably Reel Big Fish.

10. Give It To Me
Despite Aaron’s self-proclaimed hatred for this song in a brief studio skit that plays it out, this Cheer Up! bonus track more than holds its own thanks to a ripping trombone lead, chirping off-beat organ, and crunchy guitars. If Aaron has an issue with the lyrics, it doesn’t show, his alluring vocal tone driving home the song’s titular four word refrain. Nowhere are those four words better delivered than out of the song’s chilling bridge, where Aaron’s spoken word teasing (“hey, guess what?” “you know what else?”) over Dan’s deft trombone gives way to an explosive repetition of the song’s title. Aaron and Scott harmonically cry “you’ve got to give it to me!” like they need it, and the guitar & horns drive that desperate urgency out of the song’s climax into a sustained fadeout that basks in the afterglow.

9. Boss DJ
Another cover that was years in the making, the final version off Cheer Up! shows how nicely Reel Big Fish can polish a gem, even when it’s another songwriter’s. Pleasantly blending first wave verses with an unmistakably two tone chorus, Aaron Barrett transforms Brad Nowell’s acoustic jam into a celebration of ska’s several waves. Genre hallmarks like reverb-laden guitar & off-beat horns in the verses and driving upbeat organ in the chorus pay tribute to earlier eras before the “ooh-wee girl” post-chorus bursts through with fuzzy guitar that recalls the third wave of both Sublime and Reel Big Fish themselves. This band may excel at genre experimentation, but this cover proves they are equally excellent when respecting their roots.

8. Hungry Like the Wolf
Quite possibly the most libidinous song in Reel Big Fish’s library, both studio recordings of this Duran Duran cover exude distinct sexual energies. The original take from the late 90s features urgent drum and guitar work while Scott Klopfenstein dips into the sleazier end of his lounge-style lead vocals. Scott is playful yet restrained for much of the song, really letting loose after a muted trumpet solo, his voice building in intensity as Aaron’s clean guitar picks up in tempo with frantic distorted shredding laid over it. As he hits the song’s climax and subsequently pulls away with a sly “ooh, I’m hungry, baby,” one can hardly help but swoon and shiver. The 2010 re-recording has more sluggish drumming and guitar play, but it’s a tradeoff for Scott’s refined vocal performance. In addition to impeccable vocal technique, Scott gives the later version a desperate “Lord, I’m hungry” as well as some improvised sexual crooning over the trumpet solo, including and especially his irresistible call to “give it to me, give it to me in my mouth.” As Scott himself admits at the end of the first recording, “Was that too much? I never know.”

7. Stray Cat Strut
Easily one of the finest sounding productions Reel Big Fish has released in their studio career, this decade-late dive into swing revival once again proves the band’s musical versatility. A deep, groovy bass line from Matt Wong and Aaron’s cutting lead guitar set a sultry tone before blaring horns and crooning “ooh” vocals from Aaron & Scott double down on that sensuality. Unlike his other attempts at vocal affectation, Aaron’s rough, too-cool approach here suits the sleazy tone and lyrics and gives his voice a sexy edge without going overboard. His approach is complimented by understated vocal harmonies from Scott and horns that swing along with the guitar between lyrics. When Aaron takes the lead for a solo, his fingers glide over the strings with audible strut and swagger. Then-new trumpet player John Christianson also gets to show off his skills, with a muted horn lead in the first bridge and solo section that contrasts a wailing horn crescendo to the end of the song. The recording’s little sonic touches are too numerous to list, but between his meticulous production, boastful lead guitar and sensuous vocals, Aaron Barrett is the unquestionable star of this sexy swing number.

6. Uniform of Destruction
“Well, we don’t really like ska, but we have to live with it.”

Although Reel Big Fish have a song — and extended live bit — that honors long-defunct ska punk pioneers Suburban Rhythm, this lo-fi cover is a more fitting tribute to the group’s musical legacy. What makes Reel Big Fish’s rhythmically versatile rendition truly stand out is the energy of their performance. The recording may lack the high production values of Why Do They Rock So Hard?, but the musicianship of that era shines through regardless. Layered harmonic guitars interplay over busy bass work and a restless drum track, instilling an urgent live energy as the vocals and horns build. The “headed for the west, headed for Seattle” chorus hook is irresistibly catchy and Aaron succeeds at emotionally backing the nonsensical lyrics, giving meaning to the meaningless.

5. We Close Our Eyes
After Oingo Boingo bassist John Avila produced Reel Big Fish’s first two studio albums, it was only appropriate for the band to eventually give tribute, as Aaron appropriately toasts at the beginning of this light dub stylee. In his experimental production and arrangement, Aaron does a masterful job of emphasizing Danny Elfman’s desolate lyrical themes while recalling the creative instrumentation of Oingo Boingo. As horns, organs, vibraphones and more weave in and out over a stomping electric drum track, Aaron uses these instruments and backup vocals to emphasize three words — “Who am I?” Aaron himself gives a raw vocal performance that ranges from a low croon to a shaky falsetto that gives the feeling of a man laying himself bare before the universe. Moreover, Scott’s high harmonies carry a desperation that gives certain lyrics a heartwrenching impact. As the band takes it to the bridge — again accompanied by surprisingly effective vocal toasting — fuzzy muted chords underscore an emotionally devastating lyrical passage that crescendos to the four words that give the song its title. From there, more smart production individually drops the numerous instrumental tracks, the song gradually fading into nothingness.

4. Ask
Another showcase for Aaron Barrett as a producer and Reel Big Fish as a stellar lineup of musicians, this Smiths cover was the lead track on Duet All Night Long for good reason. Trade-off vocals between Aaron and Rachel Minton over a muted guitar track that gradually adds layers — first building to 2 tracks, then 3, then 4 — give way to a lead horn melody that bursts through over those crunchy layered guitars. Aaron’s ear candy guitar tracks drive the track under his dueting with Rachel, their voices coming together in the chorus for harmonies beautifully complimented by Scott on the high end. The three vocalists, but especially Rachel and Scott together, give the song a desperate urgency that uplifts some of its weaker lyrics. It’s a shame more Reel Big Fish recordings can’t capture this guitar sound and vocal energy.

3. Unity (live)
One of the band’s earliest cover renditions, Reel Big Fish dug it up and polished it off for an inimitable live rendition featuring Zebrahead vocalist Ali Tabatabaee. This arrangement based on an original Operation Ivy demo cuts to the lyrical chase with chunky guitar driving the opening lyrics of the song before Scott bursts through with a chilling harmony on the words “I don’t want no war!” What follows is two and a half minutes of essential ska punk, with every musician giving their all in a transcendent performance. The song builds to the chorus rather than rushing straight to it, and once it gets there, the whole band’s shout of “STOP THIS…WAR!” smashes through like a sonic sledgehammer. The interchange of lead vocals between Ali, Aaron, and Scott keep the song interesting, and each section suits their vocal strengths. Scott wailing “ain’t nothing wrong/with another unity song” over a squealing trumpet solo is a standout moment before the band joins Ali in chant while Aaron’s shredding guitar carries the song to the end. For a band that doesn’t often get political, they do great justice to this anti-war anthem.

2. Nothin’ Like a Dame
There is no weirder idea that just plain works in Reel Big Fish’s library than this four and a half minute musical odyssey. What makes this ridiculous disco arrangement work so well is a shared quality of the band’s best songs: escalation. While that often manifests as a build in tempo and/or dynamics, here it’s a gradual introduction of disco rhythms and instrumentation. Starting as a light ska jaunt, with trombones raunchily sliding beneath the lascivious lyrics, it isn’t until the first chorus that the disco creep begins. It’s certainly unsubtle, with an old school synth teasing the horns over a funky wah guitar rhythm as the band settles into a groovy disco beat. Aaron and Scott playfully exaggerate the lyrics, highlighting the obvious irony of them boasting about their deep lust for women while a guys’ disco party erupts beneath them. What really sells this cover is its unwillingness to end; the song seems like it could be over halfway through, but the band plays on without outstaying their welcome. From a key change at that halfway point, to an a capella call-and-response, to a classic 70s disco synth solo over funky guitar and horns, to a fakeout ska verse that slides back to disco, to a thudding bass rhythm overlaid by Aaron & Scott’s sultry crooning, right into a distorted frenzy of frustration that resolves into an explosive “woop woop!” disco celebration building in anticipation right to the very end, the final two minutes of this song are a relentless and joyful auditory assault. The closing cry of “there is nothin’ like a disco” is a winking acknowledgement of an unparalleled listening experience.

1. Take On Me
Was it ever going to be anything else? One of the band’s signature songs, this iconic a-ha cover has likely overtaken the original in the minds of younger music fans, and for good reason. In many ways, this song represents the ideal Reel Big Fish; every musical strength of the band is expressed in this three minute recording. From the thumping drum intro, to the explosive layered shredder guitars, to that simply iconic horn line lifted from and above the a-ha original, to Aaron and Scott’s playful vocal harmonies, the first 30 seconds of this song alone are a boiled down essence of everything this band does so well. The song could stand on the strength of those 30 seconds alone, but the band goes even harder in the chorus, where Aaron & Scott’s versatile harmonies are complimented by the horns blaring a brass approximation of the song title and capped off by an unforgettable bloodcurdling falsetto. Before closing with standout lead vocals from Scott, the bridge delivers layers of shredding guitar that has proved impossible for Aaron to imitate on stage live — a quality that in some ways defines this cover. In its recorded form, it represents an unattainable ideal for the band, with countless instrumental layers crafting an unmatched and unforgettable audio experience. An international track on the album Why Do They Rock So Hard?, this song begs, yet perfectly answers that question. Reel Big Fish can’t help but rock so hard.