No Doubt - Don't Speak - Meaning of the song
Gwen Stefani wrote this song with her brother, Eric Stefani, before he left the band - originally it was a love song. After Tony Kanal dumped Gwen, it became a song about heartbreak. Eric Stefani founded the group but left in 1994 just before they hit it big. He's not exactly wracked with regret: he left to take a job with The Simpsons as an animator.
1996 was a huge year for No Doubt, which got signed to Interscope in 1991 and released their debut album a year later. The single from that album, "Trapped In A Box," got a music video and earned some airplay on KROQ in Los Angeles, but against the tide of grunge, their ska-tinged sound couldn't find a broad audience. The Tragic Kingdom album was released in October 1995, and in the spring of 1996 started gaining traction thanks to the lead single, "Just A Girl." That summer, they toured with Bush (where Gwen met Gavin) and got a flurry of press attention. In a bid to boost album sales, Interscope stopped releasing singles but pushed "Spiderwebs" to radio in the fall, followed by "Don't Speak," which earned an absurd amount of airplay as it was embraced by radio stations across a range of formats. It went to #1 on Billboard's Airplay chart dated December 7, 1996, and spent 16 weeks at the top. Billboard's rules at the time precluded any song not released as a single from the Hot 100, but on the albums chart that date, Tragic Kingdom went to #1 and stayed there for nine weeks. It went on to sell over 10 million copies in America, earning a rare Diamond certification.
Don't Speak - Lyrics
You and me We used to be together Every day together, always I really feel That I'm losing my best friend I can't believe this could be the end It looks as though You're letting go And if it's real, well, I don't want to know Don't speak I know just what you're saying So please stop explaining Don't tell me 'cause it hurts Don't speak I know what you're thinkin' I don't need your reasons Don't tell me 'cause it hurts Our memories They can be inviting But some are altogether mighty frightening As we die Both you and I With my head in my hands, I sit and cry Don't speak I know just what you're saying So please stop explaining Don't tell me 'cause it hurts, no, no, no Don't speak I know what you're thinkin' And I don't need your reasons Don't tell me 'cause it hurts It's all ending I gotta stop pretending Who we are You and me I can see us dying Are we? Don't speak I know just what you're saying So please stop explaining Don't tell me 'cause it hurts No, no, don't speak I know what you're thinkin' And I don't need your reasons Don't tell me 'cause it hurts Don't tell me 'cause it hurts I know what you're saying So please stop explaining Don't speak, don't speak Don't speak, no I know what you're thinkin' And I don't need your reasons I know you're good I know you're good I know you're real good, oh La-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la-la Don't, don't, ooh, ooh Hush, hush, darlin' Hush, hush, darlin' Hush, hush, don't tell me 'cause it hurts Hush, hush, darlin' Hush, hush, darlin' Hush, hush, don't tell me 'cause it hurts Oh, hush, hush, darlin' Hush, hush, darlin'
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