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.
Gravity
No Doubt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're still holding on
Just like Venus in the morning sun
You and me got gravity
I don't know where all the time went
Light years and so many moons
So many close calls
You meant what you said and it's good
'Cause everybody falls
A million miles and it fades
We're into orbit now we're safe
So don't you let go
Don't ever let me float away
We're so lucky
Still holding on
Just like Venus in the morning sun
You and me got gravity
When it's feeling like a solar eclipse
In the shade it gets so cold
You think it will never go
Exploding like a beat up rocket ship
Spinning so fast round the world
I wish we could make it slow down
A million miles and it fades
We're into orbit now we're safe
So don't let me go
Don't ever let me float away
We're so lucky
Still holding on
We're so lucky
Just like Venus in the morning sun
You and me got gravity
We're so lucky
Still holding on
Just like Venus in the morning sun
You and me got gravity
And we can swim the milky way like star crossed lovers do
I never really thought we'd ever make out this far did you?
Leave the story in the sky like star crossed lovers do
Spend a million lost in space, me and you me and you
We're so lucky
Still holding on
We're so lucky
Just like Venus in the morning sun
You and me got gravity
We're so lucky
Still holding on
We're so lucky
Just like Venus in the morning sun
You and me got gravity
The lyrics to "Gravity" by No Doubt speak to the idea of a long-lasting relationship that has endured many challenges but still manages to hold strong. The opening lines suggest that the couple is fortunate to still be together despite the obstacles they have faced, comparing their bond to Venus in the morning sun - a bright and radiant symbol of perseverance. The chorus repeats the sentiment that they are "so lucky" to still be holding on and have "gravity" between them.
The second verse reflects on the passage of time and the numerous difficult situations they have overcome together. The singer acknowledges that they have had many "close calls" but are still together because they meant what they said to each other. The mention of "everybody falls" suggests that they have both made mistakes in the relationship but have been able to forgive and move past them.
The bridge compares their relationship to a rocket ship that can explode and spin out of control, but the singer hopes that they can slow it down and stay together. The final verse speaks to the idea of "star-crossed lovers," who are destined to be together no matter the circumstances. They can swim the milky way and spend a million lost in space, but they will always have each other and "gravity" holding them together.
Overall, the song is a beautiful testament to enduring love and the strength of a relationship that can withstand the test of time.
Line by Line Meaning
We're so lucky
We are incredibly fortunate
We're still holding on
Despite hardships, we have managed to hold onto each other
Just like Venus in the morning sun
Our love is as strong and bright as Venus in the morning sky
You and me got gravity
Our connection is strong and pulls us towards each other
I don't know where all the time went
Time has gone by so fast
Light years and so many moons
A long time has passed, and we've been through many ups and downs
So many close calls
We've had many difficult moments, but we've managed to stay together
Now I see a thousand percent
I am certain that you meant what you said
You meant what you said and it's good
You were honest with me, and it means a lot
'Cause everybody falls
It's normal to make mistakes and stumble, but we can get back up
A million miles and it fades
Distance can weaken relationships over time
We're into orbit now we're safe
We've gone through a lot, but we're still together and safe
So don't you let go
Please don't give up on us
Don't ever let me float away
Don't let me drift away from you
When it's feeling like a solar eclipse
When things are going wrong and it seems like everything is falling apart
In the shade it gets so cold
It can be lonely and isolating when things go wrong
You think it will never go
It may feel like the problems will never end
Exploding like a beat up rocket ship
Our love can be intense and difficult at times
Spinning so fast round the world
Our lives can be hectic and overwhelming, but we stick together
I wish we could make it slow down
I wish we could slow down and enjoy life more
And we can swim the milky way like star crossed lovers do
We can explore the universe together and have a romantic connection that spans beyond Earth
I never really thought we'd ever make out this far did you?
I never thought we would have made it so far in our relationship, did you?
Leave the story in the sky like star crossed lovers do
We can have a romantic story that will be remembered for generations to come
Spend a million lost in space, me and you me and you
Even if we were lost in space, we would still have each other
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gwen Renee Stefani, Thomas Dumont, Tony Ashwin Kanal
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind