In 2004, Stefani released her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The album featured several collaborations with producers and other artists, including No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal, Linda Perry, André 3000, Nellee Hooper, and The Neptunes. It was primarily inspired by pop and new wave music of the 1980s, and emerged an international success with sales of over seven million copies. The third single Hollaback Girl became the first U.S. digital download to sell one million copies.
The debut album also drew attention to the Harajuku Girls, Stefani's entourage of four Japanese backup dancers named for the fashionable suburb in Tokyo. Originally hired in 2004 for the album, the Girls continued to appear alongside Stefani, and are featured in these music videos: "What You Waiting For?", "Rich Girl", "Hollaback Girl", "Luxurious", "Crash", "Wind It Up", "The Sweet Escape", and "Now That You Got It".
Stefani's second solo album The Sweet Escape was released December 5, 2006. Collaborating again with her on the project were Perry, The Neptunes, along with Akon and Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane, and producers Pharrell and Kanal. Despite mixed reviews of the album as a whole, the title track The Sweet Escape became an international success and earned Stefani a Grammy nomination, and remains the most successful song of her solo career.
Although it had been speculated that the album would contain only material originally written for L.A.M.B. that did not make the final cut, only two songs left over from L.A.M.B. were included in the record: 80's-influenced U Started It; and Wonderful Life, which features Depeche Mode's Martin L. Gore on guitar.
Stefani is equally known as a fashion trendsetter. In 2003, she created a clothing fashion line named L.A.M.B. which shares the initials of her debut solo album. This collection was later expanded with the introduction of a newer line in 2005 called Harajuku Lovers, which draws its inspiration from Japanese culture and fashion.
On May 26, 2006, Stefani gave birth to her first child, a baby boy named Kingston James McGregor Rossdale. The father is British grunge musician Gavin Rossdale, former frontman of the now-defunct bands Bush and Institute, who she married in 2002.
In January 2008, Stefani's now ex-father-in-law confirmed that she would be expecting her second child in the summer. On August 21, 2008, second son Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale was born.
Gwen Stefani said in 2011 that she was no longer planning to release another solo album.
On April 12, 2014, Stefani made a surprise appearance at the Coachella festival, where she joined Pharrell Williams onstage during his set to perform "Hollaback Girl". She and Williams were coaches for season 7 of The Voice. After nine years since her last appearance, she attended the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, and during an interview on the red carpet she said, "I didn't know I was gonna have a baby, I didn't know I was gonna be on The Voice, I didn't know I was gonna be writing new music, so I'm just like, what's gonna be next?".
On September 8, 2014, Stefani told MTV News during New York Fashion Week that she is working on both a No Doubt album and a solo album. She also revealed that she is working with Williams. Stefani released her comeback single "Baby Don't Lie" on October 20, 2014, co-written with producers Ryan Tedder, Benny Blanco, and Noel Zancanella. Billboard magazine revealed that her third studio album is set to be released in December and Benny Blanco is set to executive produce it. In late October, a sneak peek of a new track from Stefani's third album, named "Spark the Fire", was premiered. The song was produced by Pharrell Williams.
On October 17, 2015, Stefani performed a one-night concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, where she performed a new song, reportedly about her breakup with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale, titled "Used to Love You". It was released as a digital download on October 20, 2015. The video was released later that same day. The song was released to Mainstream radio in the U.S. on October 27, 2015. The track is the first official single off her third solo album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like, which she has been working on since June of that year. Neither "Baby Don't Lie" or "Spark the Fire" were included on the album. Stefani said much of the previous material felt forced and inauthentic, while the songs written since she returned to the studio are more natural and better describe where she is in her life. The album's second single, "Make Me Like You", was released on February 12, 2016.
In November 2015, she announced that she began dating fellow “The Voice” judge Blake Shelton. The couple got engaged in October 27, 2020. The couple got married in July 3, 2021.
The Sweet Escape
Gwen Stefani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Woo hoo, yee hoo
Woo hoo, yee hoo
Woo hoo, yee hoo
If I could escape
I would, but first of all let me say
I must apologize for acting, stinking, treating you this way
It's your fault you didn't shut the refrigerator
Maybe that's the reason I've been acting so cold
If I could escape (escape)
And recreate a place as my own world (own world)
And I could be your favorite girl
Forever, perfectly together
And tell me, boy, now wouldn't that be sweet? (Sweet escape)
If I could be sweet (be sweet)
I know I've been a real bad girl (bad girl, I try, I try)
I didn't mean for you to get hurt
(Whatsoever) we can make it better
And tell me, boy, now wouldn't that be sweet?
(Sweet escape, sweet escape)
Woo hoo, (I wanna get away) yee hoo
Woo hoo, (to our sweet escape) yee hoo
Woo hoo, (I wanna get away) yee hoo
Woo hoo, (yeah) yee hoo
You held me down
I'm at my lowest boiling point
Come help me out
I need to get me out of this joint
Come on, let's bounce
Counting on you to turn me around
Instead of clowning around, let's look for some common ground
So, baby, times getting a little crazy
I've been getting a little lazy
Wait on you to come save me
I can see that you're angry
By the way the you treat me
Hopefully you don't leave me
Want to take you with me
If I could escape (escape)
And recreate a place as my own world (own world)
And I could be your favorite girl
Forever, perfectly together
And tell me, boy, now wouldn't that be sweet? (Sweet escape)
If I could be sweet (be sweet)
I know I've been a real bad girl (bad girl, I try, I try)
I didn't mean for you to get hurt
(Whatsoever) we can make it better
And tell me, boy, now wouldn't that be sweet?
(Sweet escape, sweet escape)
Woo hoo, yee hoo
Woo hoo, (if I could escape) yee hoo
Woo hoo, (if I could escape) yee hoo
Woo hoo, yee hoo
'Cause I've been acting like sour milk all on the floor
It's your fault you didn't shut the refrigerator
Maybe that's the reason I've been acting so cold
If I could escape (escape)
And recreate a place as my own world (own world)
And I could be your favorite girl
Forever, perfectly together
And tell me, boy, now wouldn't that be sweet? (Sweet escape)
If I could be sweet (be sweet)
I know I've been a real bad girl (bad girl, I try, I try)
I didn't mean for you to get hurt
(Whatsoever) we can make it better
And tell me, boy, now wouldn't that be sweet?
(Sweet escape, sweet escape)
Woo hoo, (I wanna get away) yee hoo
Woo hoo, (to our sweet escape) yee hoo
Woo hoo, (I wanna get away) yee hoo
Woo hoo, (yeah) yee hoo
Woo hoo, yee hoo
Woo hoo, yee hoo
Woo hoo, yee hoo
The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani is a song about wanting to escape from the problems in the relationship and imagining a perfect world with her partner. The song starts with a chorus of "Woo hoo, yee hoo" and then she apologizes for her behavior, and agrees that she has been acting like sour milk all over the floor. She blames her cold behavior on her partner's negligence in shutting the refrigerator, which has caused her to feel distant and disconnected from him. She wishes to escape this reality and create a place of her own where she and her partner can be perfectly together.
Gwen Stefani sings about how she wants to be sweet and tries to make amends for her mistakes, hoping that her partner can help her out of the relationship rut. She wants to escape the problems and recreate a place of her own where everything is sweet and perfect. She asks her partner to understand her situation and suggests that they can make things better by finding common ground. The song implies that Gwen Stefani is aware of her past mistakes and committed to improving the relationship with her partner by escaping the issues together and starting anew.
Line by Line Meaning
Woo hoo, yee hoo
Expressing excitement and anticipation.
If I could escape
Expressing a desire to leave a current situation.
I would, but first of all let me say
Acknowledging a need to address past actions before leaving.
I must apologize for acting, stinking, treating you this way
Apologizing for past behavior that has been harmful or unpleasant.
'Cause I've been acting like sour milk all on the floor
Describing one's behavior as distasteful or undesirable.
It's your fault you didn't shut the refrigerator
Blaming others for one's own negative behavior.
Maybe that's the reason I've been acting so cold
Connecting past behavior to a potential cause or reason.
And recreate a place as my own world (own world)
Desiring a fresh start in a new environment.
And I could be your favorite girl
Expressing a desire to be loved and valued by someone.
Forever, perfectly together
Longing for a lasting and harmonious relationship.
And tell me, boy, now wouldn't that be sweet?
Questioning whether a positive change would be well-received by a significant other.
I know I've been a real bad girl (bad girl, I try, I try)
Admitting past mistakes and expressing a desire to improve.
I didn't mean for you to get hurt
Expressing regret for causing harm to someone else.
(Whatsoever) we can make it better
Remaining hopeful that there is a path forward to improve a situation.
You held me down
Describing a feeling of being trapped or constrained in a current situation.
I'm at my lowest boiling point
Feeling frustrated and overwhelmed with one's current circumstances.
Come help me out
Reaching out for support and assistance.
I need to get me out of this joint
Expressing a strong desire to leave a current environment.
Come on, let's bounce
Encouraging someone to leave with them and move on to a new situation.
Instead of clowning around, let's look for some common ground
Suggesting a way to work together to find a solution or compromise.
Baby, times getting a little crazy
Acknowledging that things have become difficult or stressful.
I've been getting a little lazy
Admitting to not putting in enough effort to address the current situation.
Wait on you to come save me
Placing responsibility on someone else to rescue them from a difficult situation.
I can see that you're angry
Recognizing that someone is upset or frustrated.
Hopefully you don't leave me
Expressing a fear of being abandoned or left behind.
Want to take you with me
Expressing a desire to include someone in a new and better situation.
(if I could escape)
Repeating the desire to leave a current situation.
Woo hoo, (I wanna get away) yee hoo
Repeating the excitement of potentially leaving a current environment.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Aliaune Thiam, Gwen Stefani, Giorgio Tuinfort
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hattybee9136
no one:
7 yr old me: deep breath youvebeenactinglikesourmilkfellontheflooritsyourfaultyoudidntshuttherefridgoratormaybethatsthereasonivebeenactingsocold
@PepperDoom
also 27 yr old me: deep breath youvebeenactinglikesourmilkfellontheflooritsyourfaultyoudidntshuttherefridgoratormaybethatsthereasonivebeenactingsocold
@pablindiesel
33 yr old me: causwkdkfjdiwjfjdksbfididbckfiejfisifjcididbcisifjdowkcocold
@honeys.9579
🎶😆🤣
@sensualcreationistofinfini8082
You've been acting cold cuz you didn't shut the fridge. It's okay. We can rewire your fridge, turn it into a heater, then you'll emanate warmth again. ☺
@raynam7229
looooooooool
@n1knak
Gwen Stefani: Akon can you sing a verse for me
Akon: Woooohoooo Yeeeehooooo
@TheJohnharrell
Bahaha!
@WilliamBerube
I want to get awayyyyyyy
@jaxbriggs3887
To our sweet escape