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.
SPARKLE
No Doubt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never gonna be the same
Never ever ever gonna be the same
Never gonna be the same
Never ever ever gonna be the same
Never gonna be the same
Never ever ever gonna be the same
Never gonna be the same
It's nothing new you've gone missing before
People like you fade in and out
Somehow we got lost in the travels
Why did the world unravel us?
And how it was
Sometimes I feel like I just passed you by
And left you standing in your pain
But you were the one with the magic
You were the one with the sparkle
And you had it all
I know it's never gonna be the way it was
How can it?
Feelings change and people can get lost
But I still think of you so much
Do you remember how it was?
Never ever ever gonna be the same
Never gonna be the same
Never ever ever gonna be the same
Never gonna be the same
So what you doin' while the day goes by?
And what you thinking in your head?
I just want you to be happy
Please let me know if you are
The way you were
I know its never gonna be the way it was
How can it?
Feelings change and people can get lost
But I still think of you so much
Do you remember how it was?
I know it's never gonna be the way it was
How can it?
Feelings change and people can get lost
But I still think of you so much
Do you remember how it was?
Never gonna be the way it was
How can it?
Feelings change and people can get lost
But I still care about you so much
Do you remember how it was?
But I still care about you so much
The lyrics of "Sparkle" by No Doubt explore the idea of losing a connection with someone important and trying to rekindle it. The opening lines of the chorus are repeated in a mantra-like fashion to emphasize the idea that things will never be the same as they were before. The song then delves into the question of how this loss happened and where the other person is now. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and care even though things can never be the same as they once were.
The second verse addresses the idea that sometimes we can overlook the people who are truly special to us. The significance of the other person is highlighted through the use of the words "magic" and "sparkle". The lyrics show that despite the passing of time and change in circumstance, the singer still holds onto the memories of what made the other person so special to them.
The final verse expresses the desire for the other person to be happy, even though the two of them may never be as close as they once were. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the fact that things will never be the same, but it doesn't stop them from caring about the other person.
Overall, the lyrics of "Sparkle" are reflective and evoke a sense of nostalgia for something that was once important in the singer's life but now seems out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
Never ever ever gonna be the same
The past cannot be undone, and things cannot be the way they once were.
Never gonna be the same
The past cannot be undone and things cannot be the way they once were.
It's nothing new you've gone missing before
This isn't the first time you've disappeared, it has happened before.
People like you fade in and out
You tend to come and go, and it is not uncommon for people like you to do so.
Somehow we got lost in the travels
We got lost in the journey of life and the experiences that came with it.
Why did the world unravel us?
The complexities of life and the world's unpredictability caused our relationship to unravel.
And how it was
We can't help but think about how things used to be between us.
Sometimes I feel like I just passed you by
I regret not being able to help you in your time of need and instead, leaving you with your pain.
And left you standing in your pain
I regret leaving you alone to deal with your emotional struggles.
But you were the one with the magic
You were the one with a unique quality that made you special to me.
You were the one with the sparkle
You were the one who radiated with energy, enthusiasm, and positivity.
And you had it all
You had everything I ever wanted in a person.
I know it's never gonna be the way it was
I accept that we can't go back to the way things used to be.
How can it?
It's impossible to recreate the past because circumstances and people change over time.
Feelings change and people can get lost
Our emotions and direction can evolve, and sometimes we lose ourselves in the process.
But I still think of you so much
I still have you in my thoughts and miss you dearly.
Do you remember how it was?
I wonder if you recall the memories we shared together.
So what you doin' while the day goes by?
I am curious about how you spend your time these days.
And what you thinking in your head?
I wonder what thoughts are running through your mind.
I just want you to be happy
My only wish for you is to find joy and contentment in life.
Please let me know if you are
I hope that you are happy, and I want to hear it from you.
But I still care about you so much
Despite everything that's happened, I still deeply care for you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAVE STEWART, GWEN STEFANI, TONY ASHWIN KANAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind