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 Making Of "Rock Steady"
No Doubt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rock steady, rock steady
Our love is rock steady
Love is like a punishment
Home girl here to represent
So innocently you seem to come my way
While Tinkerbell and Cupid play
I sit here and I can't believe my eyes
You found me at last
But wait and see how it'll agonize
[Chorus]
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
Rock steady, rock steady
Our love is so rock steady
Rock steady
Steady now, stop rocking it
It's a delicate environment
Retire the sleeping is a Shanti love
Be careful now don't wake it up
It's never gonna last
It's never gonna make it back alive
So how can we relax
I really hope that we will actually survive
[Chorus]
It's never gonna last
It's never gonna makes it back alive
So how can we relax
I really hope that we will actually survive
[Chorus]
Rock steady
Our love is so rock steady
Rock steady, rock steady
The song "Rock Steady" by No Doubt explores the idea of the stability and strength of love. The chorus repeats the phrase "our love is rock steady" to reinforce the idea that the love between the two people in the song is strong and unchanging. The lyrics describe the unpredictability of love and how it can sometimes feel like a punishment. The reference to Tinkerbell and Cupid suggests the magical and mysterious nature of love that can surprise even those who seem innocent.
The verses describe the fragility of love, using metaphors like "retire the sleeping is a Shanti love" to suggest that love is delicate and must be handled with care. The lyrics suggest that even the strongest love can be threatened by outside forces and that survival requires a "rock steady vibe."
The overall message of the song is that love is difficult and unpredictable, but with a strong and steady foundation, it can endure. The repeated phrase "rock steady" throughout the song reinforces this idea and becomes a powerful affirmation of the strength of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Our love is rock steady
The stability of our love is strong and unwavering
Rock steady, rock steady
Our love is steady and consistent
Love is like a punishment
Love can be difficult and painful
Home girl here to represent
I am here to express my experience with love
So innocently you seem to come my way
Your approach seems innocent and harmless
While Tinkerbell and Cupid play
Referencing the fairytale characters to show the playful nature of falling in love
They sit there and laugh
The idea of love is portrayed as laughing at the struggles and feeling of disbelief
I sit here and I can't believe my eyes
I am in disbelief that love has finally found me
You found me at last
The idea that love is something we search for and finally find
But wait and see how it'll agonize
The uncertainty and possible painful journey of love is acknowledged
A real love survives a rock steady vibe
True love endures even in tough times and remains steady
Steady now, stop rocking it
The importance of not disrupting the stability of love
It's a delicate environment
Love is fragile and requires care and attention
Retire the sleeping is a Shanti love
A reference to retiring or resting a peaceful and serene love
Be careful now don't wake it up
Being cautious not to disturb or ruin the peaceful state of love
It's never gonna last
The idea that love is fleeting and won't last forever
It's never gonna make it back alive
The idea that love can die or fade away
So how can we relax
The uncertainty of how to keep love alive and stable
I really hope that we will actually survive
Expressing the hope that their love can withstand any challenges
Rock steady
Reinforcement of the steadiness and strength of their love
Our love is so rock steady
The stability and solidity of their love is emphasized
Rock steady, rock steady
Reiteration of the consistent and unwavering nature of their love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GREG KURSTIN, SHAZNAY LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind