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.
Beauty Contest
No Doubt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look how somber my vanity is
A feminine human creature
Superficial, seducing detour
I'm going to the mall for the cookie cutter
The ugly duckling will always suffer
Contaminated standards, I try to fight it
Obsessed with the beauty contest
Beauty contest
How'd my vanity get such a mess?
Beauty contest
I'm obsessed
Reduce myself, I got the strict restrictions
Not sexy enough without the regulations
A melting point countdown the fading features
Born to blossom and bloom to perish
Obsessed with the beauty contest
Beauty contest
Oh, I've got to get out of this mess
Beauty contest
I'm obsessed
And I've fallen, I can't help myself
I'm feeling envious of all the rest
You're bringing out the lemming in me
A victim of the cattle call disease
Not easy to be me
I feel swollen
Obsessed with the beauty contest
Beauty contest
How'd my vanity get such a mess?
Obsessed with the beauty contest
Obsessed with the beauty contest
Beauty contest
I've got to get out of this mess
Obsessed with the beauty contest
Obsessed with the beauty contest
Beauty contest
How'd my vanity get such a mess?
Caught up in the beauty contest
Caught up in the beauty contest
Caught up in the beauty contest
Caught up in the beauty contest
Caught up in the beauty contest
And I feel swollen
How'd my vanity get such a mess?
My vanity's a mess
In No Doubt's song "Beauty Contest," the lyrics describe the struggles of a woman who is consumed by her obsession with the beauty standards set by society. The first verse highlights the pressure to be a "feminine human creature" who is "superficial" and uses her appearance as a "seducing detour." The singer feels trapped in this role and tries to resist the "contaminated standards," but ultimately feels forced to "reduce [herself]" and stick to the "strict restrictions" of the beauty contest.
The chorus emphasizes the singer's obsession with the beauty contest and her frustration with her own vanity being in such a mess. She feels like she's fallen and can't help herself, and is envious of others who seem to effortlessly meet society's expectations. The bridge adds to the despair, with the singer feeling like a victim of the "cattle call disease" as she gets caught up in the competition.
Overall, the lyrics of "Beauty Contest" speak to the unfair and often unattainable expectations placed on women in regards to their appearance. The pressure to conform to a certain beauty standard can lead to obsession and even self-hatred, as evidenced by the singer's struggle in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Damsel in distress is quite submissive
A woman who appears helpless and vulnerable tends to be passive in nature.
Look how somber my vanity is
My reflection in the mirror seems dull and gloomy.
A feminine human creature
A woman who is a biological and social inhabitant of planet Earth.
Superficial, seducing detour
An attractive, yet shallow diversion from the realities of existence.
I'm going to the mall for the cookie cutter
I'm heading to the shopping center to acquire the identical itemization of those deemed beautiful.
The ugly duckling will always suffer
Those who don't conform to societal beauty standards will forever endure hardship in this world.
Contaminated standards, I try to fight it
The polluted ideas of what is beautiful I'm struggling to combat.
I better get back on my diet
I should go back to controlling my food intake to achieve the desired appearance.
Obsessed with the beauty contest
I'm overly preoccupied with the competition of physical appearances.
Reduce myself, I got the strict restrictions
I am compelled to minimize myself to comply with rigorous requirements.
Not sexy enough without the regulations
I am not perceived as attractive without adhering to particular rules.
A melting point countdown the fading features
I am reaching the limit where my desirable characteristics begin to deteriorate.
Born to blossom and bloom to perish
I was created to thrive and reach my peak, only to wither and die.
Oh, I've got to get out of this mess
I must depart from this toxic situation.
And I've fallen, I can't help myself
I have succumbed to this destructive behavior and can't break free from it on my own.
I'm feeling envious of all the rest
I am experiencing jealousy towards those who conform to beauty standards.
You're bringing out the lemming in me
You are causing me to become one of the mindless followers, susceptible to societal norms.
A victim of the cattle call disease
I am a casualty of the overwhelming pressure to be the same as everyone else.
Not easy to be me
It's tough to be myself in a world that favors conformity.
I feel swollen
I am experiencing an uncomfortable expansion to my body from immoderate eating or weight gain.
Caught up in the beauty contest
I am wholly absorbed in the rivalry of physical attractiveness.
My vanity's a mess
My excessive pride in my physical appearance is in disarray and distress.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gwen Renee Stefani, Tony Ashwin Kanal
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind