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.
The Climb
No Doubt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every step must be placed so that I don't fall off
Looking down to see about how much higher I am
Another cool wind comes through, brushes my skin
Oh, the harder I push the tension does grow
I gather my thoughts the further and further I go
With some luck I just might keep on climbing
So better to climb than to face a fall (face a fall)
So high the climb (So high the climb)
I can't turn back now
Must keep climbing up to the clouds
So high the climb (So high the climb)
Can't turn back now
Must keep climbing up to the clouds
Oh pulling myself up by a rop I better my view
The only thing in sight is what I must do
As I turned I could see myself falling, falling, falling
Which in return gave me strength for the climb
So high the climb (So high the climb)
I can't turn back now (can't turn back now)
Must keep climbing up to the clouds
So high the climb (So high the climb)
I can't turn back now (can't turn back now)
Must keep climbing up to the clouds
Although the many failed
I must now prevail with no question
Have no time to stop
Onward to the top of the mountain
And I, I can't turn back now
It's so very high but I can't turn back now
If I keep it up, I'm gonna make it
I'm so very close can't you see
So high the climb (So high the climb)
I can't turn back now (can't turn back now)
Must keep climbing up to the clouds
So high the climb (So high the climb)
I can't turn back now (can't turn back now)
Must keep climbing up to the clouds
So high the climb (So high the climb)
I can't turn back now (can't turn back now)
Must keep climbing up to the clouds
Getting closer
Getting closer
Coming closer
Getting closer
Looking back to
Looking back to you
Looking back to
Looking back to you
Looking back to
Looking back to you
Looking back to
(To the top, to the top, to the top, to the top)
Climb up to the top, to the top, to the top
Looking back to you
Looking back to
Looking back to you
The song "The Climb" by No Doubt talks about the journey of climbing to the top and the challenges that come with it. The lyrics describe the physical and mental struggles of climbing a mountain, as the singer fights the tension and fear of falling off with every step they take. The metaphorical meaning is of course much greater and says that life can be a climb, and that this climb can be full of challenges that must be overcome. The lyrics remind us to stay focused and persevere, that even when we must pull ourselves up (literally and figuratively), we can't let ourselves falter, because the reward at the end is worth the struggle.
The chorus of "So high the climb" is a powerful reminder of the ultimate goal of reaching the top. The verses are poetic and full of imagery that help the listener to feel as though they are taking the same journey as the singer, as they climb higher and higher, facing their fears and doubts along the way. The bridge describes the sense of determination that comes from facing an obstacle and overcoming it, and the outro brings the song to a close with the idea that the climb is not over—there is always another peak to reach.
Line by Line Meaning
Step by step I come closer to reaching the top
I am making progress towards achieving my goal, but it requires patience and taking small steps
Every step must be placed so that I don't fall off
Each action I take must be deliberate and thought out to ensure that I do not fail or make a mistake
Looking down to see about how much higher I am
I stop and reflect on the progress I have made and how far I still have to go
Another cool wind comes through, brushes my skin
The environment around me is constantly changing and may present challenges, but I must keep moving forward
Oh, the harder I push the tension does grow
The more effort I put in, the more difficult the climb becomes and the more pressure I feel
I gather my thoughts the further and further I go
As I climb higher, I take time to think and strategize my next moves
With some luck I just might keep on climbing
Even though success is not guaranteed, positive outcomes are possible and I must remain hopeful
So better to climb than to face a fall (face a fall)
It is better to continue pushing myself towards success than to give up and fail
Oh pulling myself up by a rope I better my view
I work hard to improve my situation and gain a better perspective by relying on my own strength and determination
The only thing in sight is what I must do
My focus is solely on the task at hand and what I need to accomplish to reach the top
As I turned I could see myself falling, falling, falling
Despite my efforts, failure is always a possibility and I must be prepared to face it
Which in return gave me strength for the climb
Instead of becoming discouraged, I use my failures as motivation to push harder and continue climbing
Although the many failed
Others may have failed before me, but I am determined to succeed where they did not
I must now prevail with no question
I must succeed without any doubt or hesitation in my abilities
Have no time to stop
There is no time to rest or take a break - I must keep moving forward
Onward to the top of the mountain
My ultimate goal is to reach the top of the mountain, and I am committed to doing whatever it takes to get there
And I, I can't turn back now
I am so close to achieving my goal that turning back is not an option
It's so very high but I can't turn back now
Although the climb is difficult and the goal seems far away, giving up is not an option for me
If I keep it up, I'm gonna make it
I am confident that if I continue to work hard and persevere, I will eventually achieve my goal
I'm so very close can't you see
Despite the challenges I face, I am so close to achieving my goal that I can almost taste it
Getting closer
I am gradually making progress towards my goal
Coming closer
I am approaching my goal with determination and focus
(To the top, to the top, to the top, to the top) Climb up to the top, to the top, to the top
My goal is to reach the top, and I must continue climbing until I get there
Looking back to you
Although I am focused on my goal, I am also aware of the support and encouragement I receive from others
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ERIC STEFANI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind