Cool (Gwen Stefani song)
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"Cool" is a pop song performed by Gwen Stefani. It was written by Stefani and Dallas Austin for Stefani's debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby (2004). The song's musical-style and production were heavily inspired by pop music from the 1980s, and its lyrics chronicle a relationship in which two lovers have separated, but remain "cool" with each other as good friends. "Cool" received praise from pop music critics, and parallels have been drawn by the media between the song's lyrical content and the relationship that Stefani had experienced with her former boyfriend Tony Kanal, a fellow group member of No Doubt.
The song was released in 2005 (see 2005 in music) as the album's fourth single and it entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, but it failed to match the success of its predecessor "Hollaback Girl". "Cool" reached number one in Canada.
Writing and inspiration
The lyrical content of "Cool" reflects Stefani's former relationship with No Doubt bassist, Tony Kanal. Although their romantic relationship ended, Stefani's lyrics portray her attitude that it is "cool" that they still remain very close and good friends. Stefani and Kanal's relationship had previously provided the inspiration for No Doubt's "Don't Speak" (1996). While "Cool" presents a solid friendship between former lovers, the lyrical content of "Don't Speak" is about a failing relationship and never arrives at a solution for the couple. Stefani and Kanal supply the basis for the protagonists.
Stefani said of the song, "Dallas Austin heard my song 'Underneath It All' and got inspired to write a new song called 'Cool', which he could never finish about his girlfriend and all the bullshit of breaking up, and how he wanted it to be okay. We finished the thing in fifteen minutes. I didn't write all of the melody — I'm ashamed, I want to say that I did — but I also know how magical it is that somebody could be so inspired by my song that they write one."[1]
Since Austin had wanted to write a song about the aftermath of his failed relationship, the lyrics recall a romantic affiliation that once existed, from the point of view of one who has moved on from their former love, with Stefani indicating that she has found a new partner. The lyrics suggest a progression through a turbulent time to a mutual understanding that takes their relationship to a level of respect.
Stefani sums up the evolution of their relationship with the lyric "after all that we've been through, I know we're cool". The former couple are now "hanging out" with Kanal's new girlfriend, while Stefani has married and is pleased that he calls her by her "new last name".
- "And I'll be happy for you
- If you can be happy for me
- Circles and triangles, and now we're
- Hangin' out with your new girlfriend"
- "So far from where we've been
- I know we're cool"
The lyrical content of "Don't Speak" and "Cool" create a timeline of the events that occurred between Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal between and during the years of 1994 to 2004; this includes their association in the band No Doubt, while maintaining a personal relationship. Stefani said, "I was never intending to go personal on [the] record ... but no matter what you do, things just come out. It just ended this whole thing for me in my head, and it puts an end to a chapter in a really nice way."[2]
Music and structure
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"Cool" is a mid-tempo love song featuring new wave production and is composed in the key of D major and in a 4/4 time signature. The instrumentation follows the common verse-chorus form, opening with five instruments: the bass guitar, the drums, the guitar, the keyboard, and the synthesizer, which are maintained throughout the entire piece. Stefani begins to sing the first verse in an unemotional state as the emphasis on the synthesizer becomes less apparent and the hard-hitting drum beat increases in volume. She places stress on several of the lyrics to emphasize some of the changes in her relationship by rising to her highest pitch in the song (C#5) before she quickly descends, as on the lyric "and now we're hangin' out with your new girlfriend". She sings in a softer, almost sotto voice towards the end of each chorus, when she asserts that her and her former boyfriend are "cool" with each other.
There are two sharps in the song's composition: C sharp and F sharp, which establishes its harmony and structure. Throughout the piece, the synthesizer creates sounds ranging from brass-like instruments (such as the baritone, trumpet and tuba) to woodwind instruments, while the bass and guitar retain a prominent and regular quarter-note pulse; the drum also maintains its beat throughout the song. "Cool" features occasional half rests, quarter rests and eighth rests, most of which appear following the third verse. As the music fades out, which lasts twenty-one seconds, Stefani repeats the lyric "I know we're cool" until the song concludes.
Critical response
"Cool" received a generally positive response from music critics. LAUNCHcast's Jennifer Nine referred to the song as "a liltingly sweet paean to post-break-up friendships",[3] while All Music Guide wrote that the "high school anthem-in-waiting" exuded "sleek, new wave textures".[4] Richard Smirke of PlayLouder commented that the song successfully used the same production formula as its fellow album tracks "Serious" and "What You Waiting For?", and described it as a "crisp blend of edgy 21C production and early 80s Madonna-esque pop".[5]
Jason Damas, in a review for PopMatters, characterized the song as "a slippery slice of keyboard driven new wave pop that easily could've slotted into any No Doubt album... pitched halfway between The Go-Go's and Cyndi Lauper", and added, "the lyrics immediately ensure it will be sung along to by lonely 16-year-olds".[6] While Blender magazine ranked "Cool" at number forty-five on its list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of 2005",[7] the song attracted some negative feedback as well: Bill Lamb of About.com proclaimed it to be "Gwen's lost Cyndi Lauper tune", but felt that it "doesn't immediately grab attention like her other singles".[8]
Chart performance
Although "Cool" was officially released to U.S. radio on July 5 2005, it charted a week early on the U.S. Billboard Pop 100 Airplay. The song reached the top ten on the Pop 100, and the following week it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, the official U.S. chart. "Cool" peaked at number thirteen in its eighth week and remained on the chart until its twentieth week. It entered the top twenty on the majority of the U.S. Billboard charts on which it appeared, but proved less successful on the Adult Contemporary format. It did not enter the top five of the Hot Dance Airplay even though the remixes reached the top of the Hot Dance Club Play chart for the week of November 12 2005. The song received moderate airplay on the U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40, a chart unassociated with Billboard, where it peaked within the top ten. In the U.S. the RIAA awarded "Cool" a gold certification for sales of more than 100,000 CD singles and digital downloads.
"Cool" debuted higher on the Canadian charts than it did in the U.S. and just over three months after its release, it reached number one on October 6 2005, a position it maintained for the following two weeks. It also reached the top five on the Canadian BDS Airplay chart. "Cool" peaked higher than "Hollaback Girl"'s predecessor "Rich Girl" in Canada, while in the U.S. "Rich Girl" was the single that charted higher.
The song was released in Asia, Australia and Europe on August 22 2005. The first two singles from Love. Angel. Music. Baby., "What You Waiting For?" and "Rich Girl", had reached the top five in the United Kingdom, but "Hollaback Girl" had only the top ten. "Cool" continued the trend of lower-charting singles when it debuted and peaked at number eleven. Stefani's previous singles had charted most strongly in Australia, where "What You Waiting For?" and "Hollaback Girl" debuted at number one and "Rich Girl" at number two. "Cool" debuted at number ten before it quickly descended the chart, but widespread airplay and Stefani's concurrent promotional visit to Australia stimulated a resurgence of interest in Love. Angel. Music. Baby., which began to ascend the albums chart again.
While the song entered the top ten in the Netherlands and New Zealand, it was only a moderate top twenty success in Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Norway, and on Russian radio. In Switzerland the song failed to enter the top twenty and reached number six on the United World Chart for the week of October 15 2005.
Music video
The music video was directed by Sophie Muller and was filmed in Lake Como, Italy. It follows the theme of the song very closely and depicts the relationship that Stefani has with a former boyfriend, who is played by Daniel Gonzalez. Gonzalez is seen walking with his new girlfriend (played by Tony Kanal's girlfriend, Erin Lokitz) to a house. Stefani answers the door, and the three of them are seen in each other's company, with intercut scenes of Stefani rolling around on a bed. There are brief flashbacks to the time when Stefani and her former boyfriend were dating where she wears a brunette wig, which represents her younger self. Stefani's natural brown hair has not been seen since she was in grade school.[10][11] While the lyrical theme of "Cool" is maintained within the video, there are frames incorporated to portray Stefani feeling "uncool". Throughout the majority of the video, she is illustrated as being "cool" with her former boyfriend and his girlfriend, but there are also moments where she thinks about the past, and is uncomfortable.[1]
The video showcases the scenery of Como's forests, lakes and restaurants. It was also the first video of Stefani's from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. not to include her Harajuku Girls, who were present throughout the majority of the album's promotion. The complete version of "Cool" featured in the music video has been released commercially through CD singles and digital downloads and it introduced an orchestral arrangement that differs from the 1980s musical-style of the original version.
"Cool" premiered on MTV's top-ten video-chart program Total Request Live on June 30 2005, where it reached number three; it also reached number two on VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown. Following its debut on MuchMusic's Countdown on July 8 2005, it ascended to number one for the week of October 7 2005. "Cool" reached number nine on LAUNCHcast's top one-hundred most-watched videos on July 23 2005.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Cool". For reasons that were never confirmed, the U.S. digital download was removed from iTunes and other online music stores shortly following its release. It was the first digital download to ever be removed.
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Credits and personnel
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Charts
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- (1 Photek/Richard X remixes)
Notes
- ^ a b "Cool". NoDoubtWeb.com. Retrieved October 25 2005.
- ^ Vineyard, Jennifer. "Gwen Stefani's Song About Tony Kanal To Be Her Next Single". MTV.com. Retrieved November 30 2005.
- ^ Nine, Jennifer. "Gwen Stefani — 'Love, Angel, Music, Baby'". LAUNCHcast. November 25 2004. Retrieved October 25 2005.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Love.Angel.Music.Baby". All Music Guide. Retrieved October 25 2005.
- ^ Smirke, Richard. "Love. Angel. Music. Baby.". PlayLouder. November 23 2004. Retrieved October 25 2005.
- ^ Damas, Jason. "GWEN STEFANI – Love.Angel.Music.Baby.". PopMatters. November 29 2004. Retrieved October 25 2005.
- ^ "The 100 Greatest Songs of 2005". Blender. January/February 2006. Retrieved June 1 2006.
- ^ Lamb, Bill. "Gwen Stefani — Cool". About.com. Retrieved October 25 2005.
- ^ "Gwen Stefani — Cool". MusicSquare.net. Chart trajectories for songs around the world. Retrieved July 9 2006.
- ^ "Artist Biography - Gwen Stefani". OnlineSeats.com. Information on the personal life of Gwen Stefani. Retrieved June 18 2006.
- ^ Gwen Stefani Biography and Quotes — "Stefani's original hair color is brown". Retrieved November 28 2005.
References
- "ARC Weekly Top 40 timeline – Gwen Stefani". Rock on the Net. Retrieved October 19 2005.
- "Australian Recording Industry Association". Australian airplay and sales charts. Retrieved October 19 2005.
- "BBC: The Official UK Charts Company". United Kingdom sales chart. Retrieved October 19 2005.
- "Billboard". Billboard Hot 100 airplay and sales charts. Retrieved October 19 2005.
- 70 Countries Worldwide, Number 1 Hit Singles, week of October 21 (2005). "Charly-1300". Retrieved October 17 2005.
- "Jam Canoe". Canadian airplay and sales charts. Retrieved October 19 2005.
- Vineyard, Jennifer. MTV.com. "Gwen Stefani's Song About Tony Kanal To Be Her Next Single". Retrieved November 28 2005.
- Rainey, Billy; Vineyard, Jennifer. MTV.com. "Gwen Stefani: Scared Solo (2004/2005)". Retrieved October 15 2005.
- NoDoubtWeb.com. "Stefani discusses Dallas Austin's inspiration from 'Underneath It All'". Retrieved October 15 2005.
- "Oricon". Japanese airplay and sales charts. Retrieved October 19 2005.
- "Recording Industry Association of New Zealand". New Zealand sales chart. Retrieved October 19 2005.
- "The phenom": Information on the inspiration for "Don't Speak". "Sign on San Diego". Retrieved October 20 2005.
External links
- "Cool" lyrics
- Gwen Stefani music videos — watch "Cool" at LAUNCHcast