This sourpuss anthem was written by Ugly Kid Joe lead singer Whitfield Crane and guitarist Klaus Eichstadt. The song was inspired by their friend Farrell T. Smith, who they grew up with in Palo Alto, California. In our interview with Crane, he explained: "Farrell is a very cynical man and he's very good at it. He's not mean-spirited by any means, but he can sure pick apart any situation. And he always had that charm about him." Smith later became a captain in the Woodside, California fire department.
Ugly Kid Joe described themselves at the time as "A bunch of stupid-ass, cheesy idiots from Santa Barbara." They embraced their ugly side in their music and their artwork, with a logo that looks like it came from the Garbage Pail Kids. Their live shows got the attention of Polygram Records, which was hot and heavy to sign authentic acts with a grunge sound. With the big-label backing, the group released a debut EP, As Ugly as They Wanna Be, in 1991, which contained the first version of "Everything About You." Polygram's investment paid off, and the EP eventually sold over a million copies. "Everything About You" was released as a single and became a surprise international hit, filling a niche for novelty grunge. A new version of the song was included on the band's first full-length album, As Ugly As They Wanna Be, in 1992.
With an aversion to ballads, UKG guitarist Klaus Eichstadt wrote this as "an anti-love song."
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