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.
Sinking
No Doubt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one around you for miles
You're thinkin' of drinkin' on water
While you're sailing the Nile
No one to stop you on your way
Flyin' by goes a stork
You decide to bring your oars in now
Row your boat to shore
'Cause it is leaking and you're still drinking
Unless you cork the hole
You won't be sailing, you'll be sinking
And not knowin' your sinkin'
You take out a bottle of rum, yum
Swiggin' a drink to the bottom
The label reads 'Van Monchinghum'
Oars back into the water
You think you'll sail on
But you can't, 'cause your boat contains
Three and a half gallons
Row your boat to shore
'Cause it is leaking and you're still drinking
Unless you cork the hole
You won't be sailing, you'll be sinking
Row your boat to shore
'Cause it is leaking and you're still drinking
Unless you cork the hole
You won't be sailing, you'll be sinking
Row, row, row your boat
And sail your ship to shore
You're barely, barely, barely keeping afloat
Well, I hope that you don't drink no more
Row your boat to shore
It is leaking, you're still drinking
Unless you cork the hole
You won't be sailing, you'll be sinking
Row, row, row your boat
And sail your ship to shore
You're barely, barely, barely keeping afloat
Well, I hope that you don't drink no more
Row, row, row your boat
And sail your ship to shore
You're barely, barely, barely keeping afloat
Well, I hope that you don't drink no more
Row, row, row your boat
Sail your ship to shore
You're barely, barely, barely keeping afloat
I hope that you won't drink no more
The song "Sinking" by No Doubt tells a cautionary tale of a sailor who is lost at sea and struggling to stay afloat after accidentally knocking the cork out of his boat. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a wide open ocean, with no one around for miles, and the sailor is left to navigate his way back to shore alone. He decides to drink his water supply, not realizing that he is on the verge of sinking due to a leak in his boat. He continues to drink, even taking out a bottle of rum, and seemingly oblivious to his dangerous situation. The chorus reminds him to take action, urging him to row his boat to shore and cork the hole before it’s too late.
The underlying message of the song is about the danger of indulging in excesses, whether it be alcohol or anything else. Despite the sailor's initial bravado and confidence, his lack of foresight and inability to take action promptly results in him sinking. The lyrics are a warning to listeners to be responsible and proactive in their lives - to take care of themselves and their surroundings before it’s too late.
Taking a closer look at the lyrics, they are all set to a mellow reggae-style rhythm that belies the darker message of the song. The catchy melody and upbeat rhythm mask the cautionary tale, as if to remind listeners that life can be unpredictable, and one should always be mindful of their actions.
Overall, "Sinking" by No Doubt is a poignant, yet entertaining, reminder to be responsible for oneself and make wise choices.
Line by Line Meaning
You're on a wide open ocean
You find yourself in a vast and expansive body of water
No one around you for miles
You are completely alone and isolated
Your thinkin' of drinkin' on water
You contemplate the idea of drinking water instead of alcohol
While you're sailing the Nile
As you journey through the water, you reference the famous Nile river.
No one to stop you on your way
You have full autonomy over your actions.
Flyin' by goes a stork
You observe a passing bird.
You decide to bring your oars in now
You retract your oars.
But accidentally knock out the cork
You unintentionally remove the cork from its place.
Row your boat to shore
You must steer your boat towards land
'Cause it is leaking and you're still drinking
Your boat is taking in water and you continue to consume alcohol
Unless you cork the hole
The hole in the boat must be fixed
You won't be sailing you'll be sinking
If the hole is not fixed, your boat will go under the water
And not knowin' your sinkin'
You are unaware that your boat is taking on water and sinking
You take out a bottle of rum, yum
Despite the danger, you opt for an alcoholic beverage
Swiggin' a drink to the bottom
You quickly consume the alcohol in its entirety
The label reads 'Van Monchinghum'
The brand of the beverage is identified
Oars back into the water
You use your paddles again
You think you'll sai-ail on
You anticipate sailing onwards
But you can't 'cause your boat contains
Your boat is incapable of moving forward
Three and a half gallons
Excessive weight is preventing your boat from moving.
Row, row, row your boat
You must use your paddles deliberately
And sail your ship to shore
You need to guide your boat towards land
You're barely, barely, barely keeping afloat
Your boat is on the verge of sinking
Well I hope that you don't drink no more
It is advised that you abstain from alcohol
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Eric Matthew Stefani
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind