Cheer Up!

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Cheer Up

Studio album by Reel Big Fish

Released

June 25, 2002

Recorded

Various Californian studios

Genre

Ska punk

Length

62:58

Label

Mojo, Jive

Producer

Reel Big Fish, Val Garay

Professional reviews

Reel Big Fish chronology

Favorite Noise
(2002)

Cheer Up!
(2002)

We're Not Happy 'Til You're Not Happy
(2005)

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. Nevertheless, the album is a continuation of the band's longstanding tradition of putting self-loathing lyrics to upbeat music. The hornless single, "Where Have You Been?", was a moderate success in 2002, helping album sales. The last track, "Drunk Again," is sung by Reel Big Fish trumpeter/guitarist/pianist/vocalist Scott Klopfenstein. The CD cover art of the evil clown for this album was drawn by Aaron Barrett's father.

The album also contains an a cappella cover of Frank Sinatra's classic "New York, New York" as well as a cover of Sublime's "Boss DJ".

1 Track listing
2 Personnel
3 Trivia
4 Recording Locations
5 External links

[edit] Track listing

"Good Thing" – 3:38
"Somebody Loved Me" – 3:19
"Ban the Tube Top" – 3:10
"Cheer Up" – 2:43
"Where Have You Been?" – 4:00
"Suckers" – 3:57
"What Are Friends For?" – 3:35
"A Little Doubt Goes a Long Way" – 3:19
"Dateless Losers" – 3:34
"Valerie" – 3:55
"Rock and Roll Is Bitchin'" – 2:53
"New York, New York" (Frank Sinatra cover) – 3:25
"Sayonara Señorita" – 4:09
"Boss DJ" (Sublime cover) – 3:09
"Brand New Hero" – 3:39
"Drunk Again" – 4:49
Bonus Track "Kiss Me Deadly" (Lita Ford cover) – 3:40 (UK release)
Bonus Track "Rock It with I" (The Melodians cover) – 3:11 (UK release)
Hidden Track "Give It to Me" (J. Geils Band cover) (attached to "Rock It With I" on UK release; attached to "Drunk Again" on US release)
Hidden Track "Average Man" (Japan only) - 3:34

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Band

Aaron Barrett - Guitar, Lead Vocals, Arranger, Producer
Carlos de la Garza - Drums, Percussion
Scott Klopfenstein - Guitar, Trumpet, Electric Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals (track 16, 20), Arranger, Producer
Dan Regan - Trombone, Arranger
Matt Wong - Bass Guitar

[edit] Additional musicians

Tavis Werts - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Tyler Jones - Trumpet
Ryland Steen - Percussion
Shawn Sullivan - Vocal Percussion, Mixing, Digital Editing, Engineer
Kyle Homme - Percussion, Drum Samples, Digital Editing, Mixing
Gordie Johnson - DJ, Producer
Iki Levy - Percussion Sampling
Nic. tenBroek - String Arrangement

[edit] Production

George Marino - Mastering
Richard Harbaugh - Photography
David Schiffman - Engineer
Ross Garfield - Studio Technician
Alex Feliscian - Studio Technician
Tom Ames - Studio Technician
Joe Zook - Engineer
Pavan Grewall - Assistant Engineer
John Avila - Engineer
Robert M. Barrett (Aaron's Dad) - Cover Art
Val Garay - Producer, Engineer
Josh Atkins - Assistant Engineer

[edit] Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

This is actually the first Reel Big Fish CD to be released which does not contain a version of the song "I'm Cool". Their early album, Everything Sucks has a version of it, as does the Keep Your Receipt EP. Why Do They Rock So Hard? had a slower version of the original song, and Turn the Radio Off has an acoustic version of the song as a hidden track. It is also the first album not to have re-recorded songs from Everything Sucks.
"Good Thing" is played on the news show The Daily Buzz.
Aaron Barrett is quoted on You're All In This Together (the concert DVD included with the live triple set) as saying that he was asked indirectly by the president of Jive as to why "all of his songs were so depressing." In response to this statement, Aaron claims he went into the president's office and played a version of "Cheer Up", replacing all negative words with positive words, such as "I've got a funny feeling, we're not born to lose, and I've got a funny feeling that this life is worth living through!" Apparently, the president said he understood why the songs were so pessimistic.
This is the only Reel Big Fish album to have a title track that bears the same name of the album that it's featured on.
This is the only full length Reel Big Fish album to not bear a Parental Advisory sticker.