No Doubt's live act began to attract regional interest, and Interscope Records signed them in 1991. The band's debut a year later, an odd fusion of '80s and ska, sank without a trace in the wake of the grunge movement. As a result, Interscope refused to support No Doubt's tour or further recordings. The band responded by recording on their own during 1993-94; the result was the self-released The Beacon Street Collection, much rawer and more punk-inspired than the debut. Eric Stefani left just after its release, later working as an animator for The Simpsons. By late 1994, Interscope allowed recordings to resume, and Tragic Kingdom was released in October 1995. The album's third single, Don't Speak, which although originally written by Eric was later altered by Gwen to document her breakup with bassist Tony Kanal. Tragic Kingdom went platinum and has sold over 15 million copies to date. As Tragic Kingdom obtained success, the band toured furiously until late '97.
After a long break, the band had prepared a more mellow, and powerfully dramatic album entitled Return of Saturn. It emphasized Gwen's encounters with men, her biological clock, and miscellaneous topics. Although the album had a completely different approach to it, the band was making rock music with less of a punk/ska flare. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts in early April of 2000, and then declined to a flop. The public never did justice to the album, and it serves as a favorite for many die-hard fans.
While touring in Jamaica for Return of Saturn, the band wanted to try adding Reggae to their music, and making more of a dance rock record. 20 months after Return of Saturn debuted, the band was quick to jump on the creation of Rock Steady, released in December of '01. The singles Underneath It All and Hey Baby became international dance club symbols as top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. This album proved that No Doubt had not lost their potential with the public, and that they could appeal to various groups of people.
In 2004, No Doubt announced they would be going on hiatus after the release of the singles compilation The Singles 1992–2003, which contained one new song, a cover of experimental rock band Talk Talk's "It's My Life". Tony Kanal did several projects with Gwen and other artists. Adrian Young married and had a child; Tom Dumont formed a new band, Invincible Overlord, often plays with Matt Costa's band. Gwen embarked on a sucessful solo career which consisted of two albums - "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." and "The Sweet Escape". The first of these albums contains the single "Hollaback Girl", a song which was inescapable for most of 2005 and hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won her a Billboard Award for first track to reach 1 Million legal downloads ever. The self titled track off "The Sweet Escape" went on to become her most notorious calling card.
With the hiatus officially over in late 2008 No Doubt announced tour plans for 2009, kicking it off in Atlantic City. The tour concluded with four dates in Irvine, CA. In May, 2009, the band was featured as a fictional 80's band, "Snowed Out", on CW Network's "Gossip Girl" The band performed their cover of Adam and the Ants 'Stand and Deliver.'
The group entered the studio in May 2010 to start recording on their sixth studio album: Push and Shove which will be release on September 25, 2012 and its first single will be "Settle Down". Their first music video for the new album will also be for "Settle Down" and it will be directed by Sophie Muller (who previously has done numerous music videos for No Doubt). The whole album has been recorded with producer Mark "Spike" Stent (who worked on their previous album Rock Steady) but they have also collaborated with Major Lazer (now Diplo's solo project). No Doubt previously revealed they are taking influence from ska, 80s new wave and Jamaican reggae music for the new record.
A Real Love Survives
No Doubt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rock steady, rock steady
Our love is rock steady
Love is like a punishment
Homegirl here to represent
So innocently you seem to come my way
While Tinkerbell and Cupid play
I sit here and I can't believe my eyes
You found me at last
But we're too human to see the way we'll agonize
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
Rock steady, rock steady
Our love is so rock steady
Rock steady
Steady now, stop rocking it
It's a delicate environment
Retire but sleeping is a Shanti love
Be careful now don't wake it up
It's never gonna last
It's never gonna make it back alive
So now can we relax
I really hope that we will actually survive
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
It's never gonna last
It's never gonna makes it back alive
So now can we relax
I really hope that we will actually survive
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
Rock steady
Our love is so rock steady
Rock steady, rock steady
The lyrics to No Doubt's song "A Real Love Survives" speak to the durability of true love. The first verse compares love to punishment, with the singer feeling surprised at the other person's sudden appearance in their life. However, the chorus reassures that their love is rock steady and will survive any obstacles that come their way. The second verse urges caution, comparing their love to a delicate environment that must be carefully tended to. Ultimately, the song suggests that while love may face challenges and seem fragile, a real love will endure.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "rock steady," which gives the song its title. This phrase is powerful because it suggests a sense of stability and strength. Meanwhile, the mention of Tinkerbell and Cupid in the first verse adds a whimsical feel to the lyrics, contrasting with the seriousness of the rest of the song. The singer's doubts and fears are relatable to anyone who has experienced love; the need to protect and nurture a strong relationship is universal. Overall, the lyrics to "A Real Love Survives" emphasize the importance of true love and the need to fight for it to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Our love is rock steady
Our love is stable and unwavering
Love is like a punishment
Love can be difficult and painful
Homegirl here to represent
I am here to speak my truth
So innocently you seem to come my way
You approached me with a naive and pure intention
While Tinkerbell and Cupid play
Like childhood fantasies, love can be playful and whimsical
They sit there and laugh
Love is not always kind and can cause others to mock or feel jealousy
I sit here and I can't believe my eyes
I am in awe of what is happening in my life
You found me at last
I finally found the person that completes me
But we're too human to see the way we'll agonize
Our flaws and mistakes will cause us to suffer in love
Steady now, stop rocking it
We need to be careful to avoid causing harm to our relationship
It's a delicate environment
Our love needs to be nurtured and protected
Retire but sleeping is a Shanti love
Retreat and get the rest you need, love will still be there when you wake
Be careful now don't wake it up
We must be mindful of not disturbing the peace in our relationship
It's never gonna last
The future of our love is uncertain
It's never gonna make it back alive
If we don't take care of it, our love will not survive
So now can we relax
Let's take it easy and not stress about the future
I really hope that we will actually survive
I am optimistic that our love will endure
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
Genuine love can withstand the challenges and uncertainties of life
Our love is so rock steady
Our love is unbreakable and consistent
Rock steady, rock steady
Repeating the strength and security of our love
Contributed by Katherine L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.