So we sat down and tried to re-write it and he made a joke by singing, ‘You and me,’ like literally taking his melody and turning it into three notes. As Stefani recalls: “My brother, he’s very eccentric and not good at criticism in that sense, he was just so frustrated. There was even an accordion incorporated (watch below).Įnter: the label, which asked the group to simplify the verses. “Don’t speak” was still the main lyric in the chorus, but the song put love in a happier light. Eric Stefani’s verses originally had a much more complicated melody and phrasing. You can hear those struggles in every measure of “Don’t Speak,” particularly in Stefani’s vocal delivery, but the song didn’t start as a breakup anthem. And even back then, compared to “Tragic Kingdom’s” mostly uptempo, attitudinal singles (like “Just a Girl” and “Spiderwebs”), “Don’t Speak” was, essentially, a power ballad that lamented two break ups - Stefani from bassist Tony Kanal, her boyfriend of seven years, and from her brother and No Doubt cofounder Eric Stefani, who objected to the band’s commercial ambitions and left before the album’s release in October 1995. radio and be nominated for song of the year at the 1998 Grammys, paints a different picture of the uber-confident TV and music star you see today. “Don’t Speak,” which would go on to spend 16 weeks as the most-played song on U.S. It was there where she met her fiancée, Blake Shelton. It didn’t hinder her work opportunities, as Stefani took on the role of coach on “The Voice” for five seasons. After releasing five albums, the group went on hiatus in 2001, and Stefani embarked on her solo career, during which she churned out hits like “Hollaback Girl,” “Rich Girl” and “Sweet Escape.” No Doubt reunited in 2012 to release “Push and Shove,” but Stefani chose to focus on motherhood, putting her solo career second. Stefani emerged in the late ’80s as the lead singer of the ska-punk band, which was personally signed to Interscope Records by noted music executive Jimmy Iovine. “I know some people live by it, birthdays and all that, but it’s just not something I care about.”īut as “Don’t Speak” - No Doubt’s biggest hit, from their third album, “Tragic Kingdom” - turns 25 today and Stefani sits on the cusp of a new chapter in her three decade-long career, she’s finding herself reflecting more and more on her past.įor someone who delighted in the frustrated superpowers that came with being “Just a Girl,” No Doubt’s 1995 breakout single, Stefani’s path to success is an impressive one.

“I don’t really pay attention to that stuff,” Stefani tells Variety.

Gwen Stefani isn’t one to celebrate anniversaries.

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