Music Review: Smash Mouth "All Star"
Smash Mouth
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All Star
Album: Astro Lounge
Year: 1999
Steve Harwell defies people's low expectations of him in the rallying "All Star."
Plain guitars open the single, setting a credulous tone. In the first verse, he remembers an adult who told him that he was stupid and that he would get stomped on. She then said he was a loser. He remarks that her trendy way of telling him off was silly. In the end, she was the unintelligent one. He said he grew up and followed the rules. Once he graduated high school, he opted to live life by his impulses. He adds that people spend too much time on the insignificant details. They forget what made them who they were in the first place. He decides to travel and try everything once. Otherwise, he won't ever find out what his talents are.
In the chorus, he encourages everyone to do their best. It's only the people who try who make a difference.
In the second verse, people have warned that the world continues to get harsh. It doesn't let up on its nastiness. However, he's heard from others that it gets enjoyable and freeing. He says life is unstable and people should deal with it. His life is filled with excitement. He spurns routine and goes on adventures every day. No day is the same. He wouldn't want any other way.
The chorus is sung once.
A cutesy synth (which resembles a bell on a child's bike) has a solo. Meanwhile a formal male voice tells people to "go for the moon."
In the bridge, he met someone who was desperate to get out town. He says it's a great idea. He's ready for a radical move. He says people need to break from their banal lives. It continues with the last half of the first verse.
The chorus is sung once to close the song.
Hartwell has been underestimated ever since he was a kid. Ever since he's been determined to prove people wrong. He suggests that everyone do their own thing and not listen to the detractors.
Hartwell's doltish vocals reinforce other people's negative view of him. He may as be an extra from a beer commercial with is party hearty voice. His efforts to bolster up people'sconfidence end up being more for his benefit. Wordplay is stretched is until the concept snaps and becomes word dung.
The cloying, smiley arrangement is scary in its Stepfordness. The perfect synths must follow the perfect drums until the perfect little song ends. Nothing ever goes wrong! It's just so gosh darn perfect. It's so annoying that it should be slapped violently. With a frying pan. Or five.
"All Star" tries way too hard to gets its moral message across.
Album: Astro Lounge
Year: 1999
Steve Harwell defies people's low expectations of him in the rallying "All Star."
Plain guitars open the single, setting a credulous tone. In the first verse, he remembers an adult who told him that he was stupid and that he would get stomped on. She then said he was a loser. He remarks that her trendy way of telling him off was silly. In the end, she was the unintelligent one. He said he grew up and followed the rules. Once he graduated high school, he opted to live life by his impulses. He adds that people spend too much time on the insignificant details. They forget what made them who they were in the first place. He decides to travel and try everything once. Otherwise, he won't ever find out what his talents are.
"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 rule 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 back streets/You'll never know if you don't go/You'll never shine if you don't glow."
In the chorus, he encourages everyone to do their best. It's only the people who try who make a difference.
"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."
In the second verse, people have warned that the world continues to get harsh. It doesn't let up on its nastiness. However, he's heard from others that it gets enjoyable and freeing. He says life is unstable and people should deal with it. His life is filled with excitement. He spurns routine and goes on adventures every day. No day is the same. He wouldn't want any other way.
"It's a cool place and they say it gets colder/You're bundled up now but 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 about yours/That'sthe way I like it and I never get bored."
The chorus is sung once.
A cutesy synth (which resembles a bell on a child's bike) has a solo. Meanwhile a formal male voice tells people to "go for the moon."
In the bridge, he met someone who was desperate to get out town. He says it's a great idea. He's ready for a radical move. He says people need to break from their banal lives. It continues with the last half of the first verse.
"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… You'll never shine if you don't glow."
The chorus is sung once to close the song.
Hartwell has been underestimated ever since he was a kid. Ever since he's been determined to prove people wrong. He suggests that everyone do their own thing and not listen to the detractors.
Hartwell's doltish vocals reinforce other people's negative view of him. He may as be an extra from a beer commercial with is party hearty voice. His efforts to bolster up people'sconfidence end up being more for his benefit. Wordplay is stretched is until the concept snaps and becomes word dung.
The cloying, smiley arrangement is scary in its Stepfordness. The perfect synths must follow the perfect drums until the perfect little song ends. Nothing ever goes wrong! It's just so gosh darn perfect. It's so annoying that it should be slapped violently. With a frying pan. Or five.
"All Star" tries way too hard to gets its moral message across.