Most early third wave bands emerged from Southern California but by the early 1990s, ska revival bands were forming throughout the United States and many other countries. Tazy Phyllipz and Albino Brown of the Ska Parade radio show popularized the label "third wave ska." Ska Parade helped promote many Southern California bands such as Sublime, No Doubt, and Let's Go Bowling.
In 1993 The ska-core band Mighty Mighty Bosstones signed with Mercury Records and appeared in the film Clueless, with their first mainstream hit "Where'd You Go?" Bands such as No Doubt, Sublime, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake and Goldfinger brought ska mainstream attention. During this time, many ska songs became hits on mainstream radio, including Spiderwebs, Sell Out, and The Impression That I Get.
Many third wave ska bands played ska punk and its subgenre, ska-core. Ska punk took 2 Tone and increased the punk rock elements, while ska-core blended ska with hardcore punk. However, some third wave ska bands — such as The Allstonians, Hepcat and The Slackers — continued to play in a more traditional 1960s-influenced style. Many of the popular accoutrements of the 2 Tone and mod movements were also popular with the third wave of ska. The checkerboard pattern of the 2 Tone record label became a popular stylistic element on third wave ska clothing, album covers, and posters. By the late 1990s, mainstream interest in third wave ska bands waned as other music genres gained momentum.
Happy Now?
No Doubt Lyrics
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But you gave her up
'Cause dependency might interrupt
Idealistic will so hard to please
Put your indecisive mind at ease
You broke the set
Now there's only singles
There's no looking back
This time I mean it
Are you happy now?
Oh tell me how?
Are you happy now?
(Are you happy?)
The uncertainty you had of me
Brought clouded shady company
The tenderness habitual
A seldom-fading ritual
You killed the pair
Now only one is breathing
There's no looking back
This time I mean it
Are you happy now?
Oh tell me how?
Are you happy now?
(Are you happy?)
Are you happy now?
How is it now?
Are you happy now?
(Are you happy?)
No more leaning on your shoulder
I won't be there, no more bother
If you feel you just might want me
That's too bad, I'm not that easy
The contemplator all those years
No you must adhere
To your new career of liberation
You've been cast all by yourself
You're free at last
You broke the set
Now there's, there's only singles
There's no looking back
This time I mean it
Are you happy now?
Oh tell me how?
Are you happy now?
(Are you happy?)
Are you happy now?
How is it now?
Are you happy now?
(Are you happy?)
You're by yourself,
All by yourself
You got no one else,
You're by yourself
All by yourself
All by yourself
All by yourself
All by yourself
No one else
No one else
By yourself
By yourself
The song "Happy Now?" by No Doubt seems to be a break-up song, where the singer is asking her former partner if they are happy with the decision they made to leave her. The lyrics suggest that the person had the best but they let her go due to fear of dependency and a will to please themselves. The singer tells them that they are now free from the dependency they feared, but at what cost? The singer seems to be asking if the ex-partner is truly happy with their new situation or if they regret the decision they made.
The second verse seems to suggest that the uncertainty the former partner had of the singer led them to seek comfort from someone else, who was not the singer. The singer suggests that the former partner ritualistically chose tenderness, which led to killing the pair and only one breathing. The singer seems to be trying to tell the former partner that they made their choice, and they can't have their cake and eat it too. The singer is no longer leaning on their shoulder, and they won't be there to bother them anymore. If the former partner wants them back, it's too bad because the singer is no longer easy.
In conclusion, "Happy Now?" is a song that seems to depict a relationship gone wrong. The singer seems to be asking their former partner if they are happy with their new situation and if they regret their decision. The lyrics suggest that the former partner may have sought solace elsewhere, and the singer has moved on, leaving the former partner alone.
Interesting facts about the song:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
You had the best
You once had someone great in your life
But you gave her up
But you let her go
'Cause dependency might interrupt
Because you were afraid of being too dependent on her
Idealistic will so hard to please
Your idealistic nature made it hard to find someone who could satisfy you
Put your indecisive mind at ease
You finally made a decision to end the relationship
You broke the set
You ended the relationship
Now there's only singles
Now you are alone
There's no looking back
You are determined to move on
This time I mean it
This time, you are serious about letting go
Are you happy now?
Are you satisfied with your decision?
Oh tell me how?
Can you tell me honestly?
(Are you happy?)
The uncertainty you had of me
Your doubts about me
Brought clouded shady company
Made you spend time with bad people
The tenderness habitual
My affection was something you took for granted
A seldom-fading ritual
A rare and fleeting act of showing affection
You killed the pair
You ended our relationship
Now only one is breathing
Now only you are alive
There's no looking back
You are committed to moving forward
This time I mean it
This time, you are serious about leaving me behind
No more leaning on your shoulder
I won't rely on you anymore
I won't be there, no more bother
I won't be in your life anymore
If you feel you just might want me
If you ever feel like you want me back
That's too bad, I'm not that easy
I won't be easy to win back
The contemplator all those years
You spent years contemplating your decision
No you must adhere
Now you have to stick to your decision
To your new career of liberation
Your new path of freedom and independence
You've been cast all by yourself
You are alone now
You're free at last
You finally have the freedom you were seeking
You broke the set
You ended the relationship
Now there's, there's only singles
Now you are alone
No one else
Nobody else is there with you
You're by yourself
You are alone
All by yourself
Completely alone
How is it now?
Do you feel better without me?
Are you happy now?
Are you satisfied with your decision?
(Are you happy?)
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: WILL YOUNG, PASCAL GABRIEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind