Underneath It All

Last updated

"Underneath It All"
Underneath it all.jpg
Single by No Doubt featuring Lady Saw
from the album Rock Steady
ReleasedJuly 22, 2002 (2002-07-22)
Recorded2001
Genre Reggae fusion
Length
  • 5:02 (album version)
  • 4:10 (radio edit)
Label Interscope
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
No Doubt singles chronology
"Hella Good"
(2002)		"Underneath It All"
(2002)		"Running"
(2003)

"Underneath It All" is a song by American ska band No Doubt, released in July 2002 as the third single from their fourth studio album Rock Steady (2001). Written by the band's lead singer Gwen Stefani and David Stewart, the song features a reggae production from Sly and Robbie and guest vocals from Lady Saw.

Contents

The song received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics and became No Doubt's highest-charting US single, but was less successful elsewhere. It won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 46th Grammy Awards, and was also featured in the 2004 film 50 First Dates .

Background and writing

During a visit to her then-boyfriend Gavin Rossdale in London, Gwen Stefani and David Stewart used backward string samples to write the song in only ten minutes. [1] Guitarist Tom Dumont commented that Stewart's experience helped them keep the song simple because he "would have way overthought those chord changes." [2] When the band was working on the album in Jamaica, producers Sly and Robbie called Lady Saw to have her contribute a guest toast. [3] After listening to the song, Lady Saw wrote and recorded her part on the spot. [4]

Music and structure

A love song composed in the key of E major, the track is written in common time and moves slowly at 69 beats per minute. Stefani avoids the heavy vocal vibrato that she often uses. [5] Her vocal range spans under an octave and a half during the song, from F#3 to B4. [6] The song describes Stefani's relationship with Rossdale, and the line "You're really lovely underneath it all" comes from a journal entry that Stefani made after spending a day in the park with him. [7]

The song opens with a sample from Bob Clarke's Sunday radio show on IRIE FM, and a recording of Rossdale stating "You don't have to forget, just remember this Sunday, alright?" [8] The verses use a simple I-vi chord progression, alternating between a first inversion E major chord and a second inversion C♯ minor chord, played on the off-beats and switch to a IV-iii progression. Each verse is followed by the chorus, which uses a I-IV-V-IV progression. After the bridge, Lady Saw performs her toast. [6] Stefani then sings the chorus twice, and Clarke closes the song after Stefani repeats the line "Mm mm mm underneath it all" four times. [6] [8]

An alternative version of "Underneath It All" with a more pop-centric structure was released to pop radio stations, omitting Lady Saw's contribution. [9] [10]

Critical reception

"Underneath It All" received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. Rolling Stone found its ska sound and Stefani's questioning whether or not Rossdale is her soulmate tired. [11] LAUNCHcast agreed the beat was one "that Sly & Robbie can do in their sleep" but added that the song "keeps its modern edge thanks to Lady Saw's cooling rap." [12] Kitty Empire writing in NME also gave Lady Saw's toast a positive review, stating that it "does an excellent job of sexing up all the sugar." [13] Stylus Magazine was pleased with Stefani's performance on the song, stating that "she lets her voice ride gently on top of the melody, pushed along by the gentle steel drums in the background." [14] PopMatters commented that "No Doubt isn't afraid of working with new ideas" but that the dancehall of "Underneath It All" was unsuccessful and sloppy. [15] In its review of The Singles 1992-2003 , OMH Media described the song as "an embarrassingly self-conscious reggae pastiche, unimproved by a guest rap from Jamaican dancehall queen Lady Saw." [16]

On their end-of-year list, The Village Voice named the song as one of the Singles of the Year for 2002.[ citation needed ]

Chart performance

"Underneath It All" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, [17] becoming No Doubt's highest charting US single; "Don't Speak" had not been allowed onto the Hot 100 as it did not have a commercial single release. [18] It was successful in mainstream music, topping the Top 40 Mainstream and reaching number two on the Top 40 Tracks. The single was also successful in the adult contemporary radio market, reaching number two on the Adult Top 40 chart with a 2004 re-appearance atop the Top 40 Adult Recurrents and peaking at number 27 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It had some crossover success on urban contemporary and Hispanic rhythmic stations, reaching the top 40 on the Latin Pop Airplay and Rhythmic Top 40 charts, and number 23 on the Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay. [19] The single fared poorer on the Canadian Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 35. [17]

"Underneath It All" debuted at number 18 on the UK Singles chart but was unable to reach a higher position. It was unsuccessful across mainland Europe, only reaching the top 40 in Austria and Sweden. [17] On the ARIA Charts, the single peaked at number 28 and remained on the chart for seven weeks. [20] In New Zealand, the single peaked at number eight for two consecutive weeks and stayed on the chart for over four months. [21]

Music video

The accompanying music video for the song, directed by Sophie Muller and directing collaborative Logan, [22] opens with a sequence of Stefani, as shown on the cover of the single, removing several pieces of clothing and later lying on a bed. After a scene with her in front of a white heart with roses, bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young play basketball while Stefani stands against the wall. Stefani is then shown against a sparkling sky, followed by a scene of the whole band bicycling during Lady Saw's toast. The video closes with a scene of Stefani jumping on a bed in white undergarments and without makeup.

Muller wanted to add more sexual themes to the look of the video to contrast with the innocence of the song's lyrics. The original idea for the video was to show Stefani with heavy makeup "really over done like a stripper" and have her remove her clothing throughout the video. Muller found that this complicated the video too much, so each sequence shows Stefani with progressively less makeup instead. Muller decided to use a color scheme with bright colors such as orange, lime green and pink, and the contrast was increased using Symphony in post-production. The bicycling scene was to originally show footage that the band shot while recording in Jamaica since Stefani wanted to include a Jamaican theme. Instead, the scene was created by filming the individual band members on a twelve-foot turntable in front of a bluescreen. Tracks were used to shoot two members riding next to each other and Logan used computer-generated imagery to show the entire band bicycling in Jamaica. [22]

The video was successful on video channels. It debuted on MTV's Total Request Live October 7, 2002, at number seven. [23] It reached number five on the countdown [24] and was on the program for twenty-four days. [23] "Underneath It All" peaked at number two on MuchMusic's Countdown in September 2002. [17] The video received nominations for Best Pop Video and Best Cinematography at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost to Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" and Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" respectively. [25]

Track listing and formats

CD maxi-single

  1. "Underneath It All" featuring Lady Saw (album version) – 5:03
  2. "Underneath It All" (Radio 1Live acoustic version) – 3:44
  3. "Just a Girl" (Radio 1Live acoustic version) – 3:30
  4. "Underneath It All" (video) – 5:03

2-track CD single

  1. "Underneath It All" featuring Lady Saw (album version) – 5:03
  2. "Underneath It All" (Radio 1Live acoustic version) – 3:44

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Underneath It All"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [51] Platinum1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Underneath It All"
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesJuly 22, 2002 Contemporary hit radio Interscope [52]
AustraliaSeptember 2, 2002CD [53]
United StatesSeptember 23, 2002 Hot adult contemporary radio [54]
United KingdomSeptember 30, 2002
  • CD
  • cassette
 [55]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Doubt</span> American rock band

No Doubt is an American rock band formed in Anaheim, California in 1986. For most of its career, the band has consisted of vocalist and founding member Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young. Keyboardist Eric Stefani, Gwen's brother, was also a former member when the band started to release albums in 1992. Since the mid-1990s, trombonist Gabrial McNair and trumpeter Stephen Bradley have performed with the band as session and touring musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwen Stefani</span> American musician (born 1969)

Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs", and "Don't Speak", from their 1995 breakthrough studio album Tragic Kingdom, as well as "Hey Baby" and "It's My Life" from later albums.

<i>Rock Steady</i> (album) 2001 studio album by No Doubt

Rock Steady is the fifth studio album by American rock band No Doubt, released on December 11, 2001, by Interscope Records. The band began writing the album with initial recording sessions in Los Angeles and San Francisco, then traveled to London and Jamaica to work with various performers, songwriters, and producers. Sly & Robbie, the Neptunes, and William Orbit were among the many artists the band collaborated with on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Speak</span> 1996 single by No Doubt

"Don't Speak" is a song by American rock band No Doubt from their third studio album, Tragic Kingdom (1995). It was released in 1996 as the third single from Tragic Kingdom in the United States by Interscope Records. Lead singer Gwen Stefani and her brother Eric Stefani, former No Doubt member, wrote the song originally as a love song. The song went through several rewrites and new versions. Gwen modified it into a breakup song about her bandmate and ex-boyfriend Tony Kanal, shortly after he ended their seven-year relationship.

<i>The Singles 1992–2003</i> 2003 greatest hits album by No Doubt

The Singles 1992–2003 is a greatest hits album by American rock band No Doubt, released on November 14, 2003, by Interscope Records. It features 13 of the band's singles from three studio albums—Tragic Kingdom (1995), Return of Saturn (2000), and Rock Steady (2001)—and the single "Trapped in a Box" from their 1992 self-titled debut album. The album also included a cover of Talk Talk's 1984 song "It's My Life", the only new song on the album and which was released as a single. It was released alongside the DVD Rock Steady Live, a video of a concert as part of the band's Rock Steady tour in 2002, and the box set Boom Box, which contained The Singles 1992–2003, Everything in Time, The Videos 1992–2003, and Live in the Tragic Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiderwebs (song)</span> 1995 single by No Doubt

"Spiderwebs" is a song by American band No Doubt for their third studio album, Tragic Kingdom (1995). It was written by Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal, produced by Matthew Wilder, and released as the album's second single on November 19, 1995. "Spiderwebs" appears on their 2003 greatest hits album, The Singles 1992–2003. Stefani was inspired to write the song after an admirer recited bad poetry to her. "Spiderwebs" is a ska punk song with angsty lyrics responding to Stefani's potential suitors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What You Waiting For?</span> 2004 song by Gwen Stefani

"What You Waiting For?" is a song by American singer Gwen Stefani from her debut solo studio album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). Written by Stefani and Linda Perry, the song is the album's opening track and was released as Stefani's debut solo single. Lyrically, "What You Waiting For?" details Stefani's lack of inspiration and fear of producing the album, as well as her reaction to pressures exerted by her record label. It is primarily an electropop song and introduces Stefani's four backup dancers, the Harajuku Girls, who had a major input into the album's production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Girl (Gwen Stefani song)</span> 2004 single by Gwen Stefani

"Rich Girl" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her debut solo studio album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). Produced by Dr. Dre, the track features American rapper Eve, and is a remake of Louchie Lou & Michie One's 1993 song of the same name, which in turn interpolates the Fiddler on the Roof song "If I Were a Rich Man". The song discusses Stefani's dreams of fame and riches from the perspective of "when she was just an Orange County girl".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just a Girl</span> 1995 single by No Doubt

"Just a Girl" is a song by American band No Doubt from their third studio album, Tragic Kingdom (1995). Released as the record's lead single in the United States on September 21, 1995, it was written by Gwen Stefani and Tom Dumont, and produced by Matthew Wilder. It has also made an appearance on their 2003 greatest hits album, The Singles 1992–2003. Lyrically, "Just a Girl" is about Stefani's perspective of life as a woman and her struggles with having strict parents. "Just a Girl" was the first song Stefani wrote without the assistance of her brother Eric.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cool (Gwen Stefani song)</span> 2005 single by Gwen Stefani

"Cool" is a song by American singer Gwen Stefani from her debut solo studio album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). Written by Stefani and Dallas Austin, the song was released as the fourth single from the album on July 5, 2005. The song's musical style and production were inspired by synth-pop and new wave arrangements from the 1980s, and its lyrics chronicle a relationship in which two lovers have separated, but remain "cool" with each other as good friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luxurious</span> 2005 single by Gwen Stefani

"Luxurious" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her debut solo studio album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). Written by Stefani and fellow No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal, the track contains a sample of the Isley Brothers' 1983 song "Between the Sheets".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Baby (No Doubt song)</span> 2001 single by No Doubt

"Hey Baby" is a song by American rock band No Doubt from their fifth studio album Rock Steady (2001). Written by band members Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal and Tom Dumont, "Hey Baby" was released as the album's lead single on October 29, 2001 by Interscope Records. "Hey Baby" is heavily influenced by the Jamaican dancehall music present at No Doubt's post-show parties and tour bus lounges of their Return of Saturn tour. Its lyrics describe the debauchery with groupies at these parties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hella Good</span> 2002 single by No Doubt

"Hella Good" is a song by American rock band No Doubt from their fifth studio album, Rock Steady (2001). Written by Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal and the Neptunes, and produced by Nellee Hooper and the band, "Hella Good" was released as the album's second single on March 11, 2002, and received positive reviews from contemporary music critics, who made comparisons to the work of a diverse range of artists such as Afrika Bambaataa and Madonna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's My Life (Talk Talk song)</span> 1984 single by Talk Talk

"It's My Life" is a song by the English new wave band Talk Talk. Written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene, it was the title track on the band's second album, It's My Life (1984), and released as its first single in January 1984. It reached number 46 on the UK Singles Chart, but did better in several other countries, reaching number 33 in Germany, number 32 in New Zealand, number 25 in France and number 9 in Italy. In North America, it entered the Top 40 in both the United States and Canada. It peaked at number 1 on the US Dance Club Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ex-Girlfriend (song)</span> 2000 single by No Doubt

"Ex-Girlfriend" is a song by American ska band No Doubt from their fourth studio album, Return of Saturn (2000). The song was released as the album's lead single in early 2000 and was moderately successful, reaching the top 40 in most countries it charted in, including peaking within the top 10 in Australia, Iceland, and Spain. A review from Billboard magazine called Stefani's vocal performance on the song "fantastic".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glycerine (song)</span> Single by Bush

"Glycerine" is a song by English rock band Bush. It was released on 14 November 1995 as the fourth single from their debut album, Sixteen Stone.

<i>Running</i> (No Doubt song) 2003 single by No Doubt

Running is a song by American rock band No Doubt from their fifth studio album, Rock Steady (2001). Written by band members Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal, the song was released as the album's fourth and final single on January 27, 2003, by Interscope Records. The song was also used in the final episode of the American television series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simple Kind of Life</span> 2000 single by No Doubt

"Simple Kind of Life" is a song written by Gwen Stefani for American rock band No Doubt's fourth album, Return of Saturn (2000). The song contrasts Stefani's desire to settle down and start a family with her commitment to the band. It received positive reviews from music critics, who noted the song's somber melody and raw lyrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sweet Escape (song)</span> 2006 single by Gwen Stefani featuring Akon

"The Sweet Escape" is a song by American singer Gwen Stefani from her 2006 second solo studio album of the same name. It was written by Stefani, Aliaune "Akon" Thiam and Giorgio Tuinfort, and produced by the latter two. Akon, who is also a featured artist, developed the song's beat before collaborating with Stefani. He designed it based on her previous work with No Doubt, and Stefani later commented that it put her "on the yellow brick road to the No Doubt record I might do". "The Sweet Escape" is an apology for a fight between two lovers and describes a dream of a pleasant life for them. As the album's title track, its title was chosen to help market Stefani's music and fashion lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Settle Down (No Doubt song)</span> 2012 single by No Doubt

"Settle Down" is a song by American rock band No Doubt. It is the first single from their sixth studio album Push and Shove (2012). Written by Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, and produced by Spike Stent, it was released on July 16, 2012 by Interscope Records. The song is a combination of many styles, such as reggae, ska, dancehall, Latin and Caribbean-tinged beats, merging with American pop and rock music. Lyrically, the song is about confidence and about feeling good, adjusting yourself to unfamiliar circumstances.

References

  1. ↑ "Underneath It All". Montoya, Paris and Lanham, Tom. The Singles 1992-2003 . Interscope Records. November 25, 2003.
  2. ↑ Edwards, Gavin. "No Doubt Make Party Music". Rolling Stone . October 16, 2001. Retrieved October 22, 2007.
  3. ↑ Butler, Adika. "Lady Saw". Where Itz At. 2004. Retrieved August 10, 2007. Archived May 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "Deeper with No Doubt". VH1. January 24, 2002.
  5. ↑ Sanneh, Kelefa. "'Just a Girl,' Or Wishing To Be More?". The New York Times . October 26, 2002. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  6. 1 2 3 Sheet music for "Underneath It All". Hal Leonard Corporation. 2001.
  7. ↑ Strauss, Neil."No Doubt's Anniversary Party". Rolling Stone . January 31, 2002. Retrieved July 14, 2007.
  8. 1 2 Rock Steady (liner notes). This same sample closes the song, but proceeds to become slowed down after a few seconds in. Interscope Records. December 11, 2001.
  9. ↑ "No Doubt - Mixtape".
  10. ↑ "No Doubt - Underneath It All (Pop Mix)".
  11. ↑ Scheffield, Rob. "Rock Steady : No Doubt : Review". Rolling Stone , issue 887. January 2, 2002. Retrieved August 4, 2007.
  12. ↑ Oliver, Lisa. "No Doubt – 'Rock Steady'". LAUNCHcast. February 14, 2002. Retrieved August 4, 2007.
  13. ↑ Empire, Kitty. "No Doubt : Underneath It All" Archived February 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine . NME . September 19, 2002. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  14. ↑ Delaney, Colleen. "No Doubt – Rock Steady – Review" Archived October 21, 2007, at the Wayback Machine . Stylus Magazine . September 1, 2003. Retrieved August 4, 2007.
  15. ↑ Miller, Eden. "No Doubt: Rock Steady". PopMatters . December 10, 2001. Retrieved August 4, 2007.
  16. ↑ McDonnell, Sara. "No Doubt – The Singles 1992–2003" Archived October 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine . OMH Media. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "No Doubt Underneath It All". Top40-Charts.com. Retrieved August 14, 2007.
  18. ↑ "No Doubt > Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2007.
  19. ↑ "Rock Steady > Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2007.
  20. ↑ "No Doubt feat. Lady Saw – Underneath It All". Australian-Charts.com. Retrieved August 4, 2007.
  21. ↑ "No Doubt feat. Lady Saw – Underneath It All". Charts.org.nz. Retrieved August 4, 2007.
  22. 1 2 "Interview with Music Video Directors Sophie Muller & Logan". MVWire. Retrieved August 22, 2007. Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  23. 1 2 "The TRL Archive – Debuts" Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine . ATRL. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
  24. ↑ "The TRL Archive – Recap – October 2002" Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine . ATRL. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
  25. ↑ "2003 MTV Video Music Awards". Rock on the Net. Retrieved August 4, 2007.
  26. ↑ "No Doubt – Underneath It All". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  27. ↑ "No Doubt – Underneath It All" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  28. ↑ "No Doubt – Underneath It All" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  29. ↑ "Canadian Digital Song Sales". Billboard. October 4, 2003. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Canadian Top 20 in 2002" (PDF). Cross Canada Countdown. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2005. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  31. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 20, no. 43. October 19, 2002. p. 9. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  32. ↑ "No Doubt – Underneath It All" (in French). Les classement single.
  33. ↑ "No Doubt – Underneath It All" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  34. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography No Doubt". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  35. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 14, 2004" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  36. ↑ "No Doubt – Underneath It All" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  37. ↑ "No Doubt – Underneath It All". Top 40 Singles.
  38. ↑ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 45, saptamina 11.11–17.11, 2002" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  39. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  40. ↑ "No Doubt – Underneath It All". Singles Top 100.
  41. ↑ "No Doubt – Underneath It All". Swiss Singles Chart.
  42. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  43. ↑ "No Doubt Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  44. ↑ "No Doubt Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  45. ↑ "No Doubt Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  46. ↑ "No Doubt Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  47. ↑ "No Doubt Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
  48. ↑ "Longbored Surfer – 2002". longboredsurfer.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  49. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 2003". Archived from the original on March 4, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  50. ↑ "2003 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 115, no. 52. December 27, 2003. p. YE-80. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  51. ↑ "American single certifications – No Doubt – Underneath It All". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  52. ↑ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records . No. 1462. July 19, 2002. p. 26. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  53. ↑ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 2nd September 2002" (PDF). ARIA. September 2, 2002. p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2002. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  54. ↑ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1471. September 20, 2002. p. 33. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  55. ↑ "New Releases – For Week Starting 30 September 2002: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . September 28, 2002. p. 31. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.