I thought this was pretty interesting. Checking out all the 90's hit songs that I grew up with, and was listening to "All Stars" by Smashmouth.
The entire song is about a mans existential crisis with climate change.
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 pictureSome people have already discussed and analyzed this song, so I will cite this: https://www.reddit.com/r/FanTheories/comments/4qucbd/allstar_by_smashmouth_is_about_a_mans_turn/
We're going to jump back and fourth in the song to piece this one together, so let's start here:
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
This set of lines explicitly establishes the song as being about global warming, directly referencing the hole in the Ozone layer. You're going to need warm clothes now, but you sure won't years from now.
The ice we skate is getting pretty thin
The ice we skate refers to the melting ice caps and will eventually flood everything.
Okay now, let's back up a little bit in the song:
Didn't make sense not to live for fun
This line begins to lay out Smashmouth Guy's life philosophies that he has gained from the realization that the earth is doomed. If earth is destroyed, all that we have created, all of our legacy as a culture, is lost. This may not happen during his lifetime, but in Shmouthguy's mind, any attempt to create meaning is pointless since it will eventually be destroyed, so the only thing that makes sense is to live for fun and get as much enjoyment out of his existence as possible. Later in the song, he uses this line again, preceded by:
Well, the years start coming and they don't stop coming
Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running
Not only is Smashmouth Guy confronting earth's demise, but also his own inherent mortality. Even if global warming wasn't going to destroy everything, he still knows that his time is limited and decides to "hit the ground running" because that makes his life pleasurable.
Now, let's jump to right after "The ice we skate is getting pretty thin." We've got:
The waters getting warm, so you might as well swim
My world's on fire how about yours
That's the way I like it and I never get bored
Saying that you "might as well" swim because the water's getting warm enforces Smashmouth Guy's philosophy of living for fun. Nothing is going to matter in the grand scheme of things, so you might as well just have fun. The line "My world's on fire, how bout yours" is both literal and metaphorical, referencing the burning world, but also how his own worldview has been shattered and burned down by the realizations he has come to. In the line "That's the way I like it, and I never get bored", Smashmouth Guy acknowledges that he has come to terms with all of this. Even if universe does not remember him, he enjoys the freedom that his realization has given him. By realizing that nothing matters, Smashmouth guy can live the life he wants to without fear of repercussions in the very long run.
During the break between verses, we hear in the background:
Go for the moon
Go for the moon
Go for the moon
Go for the moon
Although the Mouth-Man has come to terms with his own situation, he still feels sympathy for those who have not. "Go for the moon" is his plea that in order for humanity to survive, we colonize other planets and get away from the dying world we inhabit.
Now, let's hop back to the beginning:
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
The people who tell Smashmouth Guy that the world is gonna roll him and that he ain't the sharpest tool in the shed are actually the unenlightened ones. They look at his seemingly shallow, pleasure-seeking life and condemn him for not having higher aspirations, but really Smashman is the only enlightened one and they are the fools. Note that the person with her finger and her thumb in the shape of an L on her forehead is the one who is said to look "kind of dumb"
Now, let's jump near the end:
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
The 'Mouth needs a little fuel himself because he also needs to get himself away from this place, as none of the people around him believe what he is saying. He wants to find a place where like-minded people embrace the same lifestyle he does, which would be much more fun than living around the people he currently does. "We could all use a little change" means that society would benefit from a paradigm shift and realize it's true situation. The "little fuel" could also refer to rocket fuel, which would enable humanity to "go to the moon."
And that's it! Hopefully we've all gained a new respect for this deep, spectacular song. Smashmouth is the true all-star for trying to get us to realize that we are all doomed.Not a bad song, never was. It's really catchy! But having this context to the song really improves it, especially with his philosophy to enjoy life over creating greater change. Not to say I agree with this, but it's an interesting perspective to take, when accepting the fate of impending doom in the next century, for humanity globally.
