"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".[1]
Background and writing
Lead singer Gwen Stefani originally composed the song as a dirge about her relationship with Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer of British rock band Bush, whom she married in 2002. After listening to it, the band increased the tempo because the album already included several ballads.[2] The line "you say you're gonna burn before you mellow" is a reference to the lyrics in the Bush song "Dead Meat": "I'm doing you in tomorrow/I'll burn before I mellow".
"Ex-Girlfriend" is a song composed in the key of E minor. It is written in common time and moves at a fast tempo of 168 beats per minute. Stefani's vocal range in the song covers nearly an octave and a half, from G3 to C5.[3] The song features Stefani rapping many of the lyrics rather than singing, and the instrumentals take influence from flamenco (as demonstrated by its guitar riffs), new wave and hip hop.[2]
Chart performance
"Ex-Girlfriend" failed to enter the US BillboardHot 100 chart but reached number 11 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.[4] It did manage to find popularity on US alternative rock stations, allowing it to peak at number two on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming No Doubt's highest-charting single on that listing alongside their breakthrough hit single, "Don't Speak".[5] Abroad, the single experienced more success, reaching number six in Iceland and number nine in Australia and Spain, as well as the top 20 in Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland.[6][7][8] In Australia, the song was certified Gold and came in at number 80 on the country's year-end chart for 2000.[9][10] In the United Kingdom, the song became No Doubt's fifth top-40 hit, debuting and peaking at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart and spending three weeks in the top 100.[11] In Ireland, the song reached number 40 and spent two weeks in the top 50.[12]
Music video
Stefani and Kanal falling in the music video.
The song's music video, which the video itself indicated was "presented" by Hype Williams, was partially based on the controversial animeKite.[13] It was filmed in Los Angeles on January 24–26, 2000.[14] In the video, Stefani cross-dresses to enter a men's bathroom and, upon being discovered, assaults Tony Kanal (who plays her ex-boyfriend) and several other men. When Kanal regains consciousness, he grabs Stefani and jumps out the window, and the two plummet to the ground. The storyline is cut with scenes of the band playing on a stage. No Doubt's guitarist Tom Dumont initially played the part of a police officer but was cut from the final version of the "Ex-Girlfriend" video. He enacts the role in MTV's Making the Video.
^The Making of Ex-Girlfriend (Video). No Doubt. Los Angeles, California. Event starts at 4:07.((cite AV media)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ abEx-Girlfriend (UK CD single liner notes). No Doubt. Interscope Records, Trauma Records. 2000. 497 298-2.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Ex-Girlfriend (UK cassette single sleeve). No Doubt. Interscope Records, Trauma Records. 2000. 497 298-4.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Return of Saturn (US CD album booklet). No Doubt. Interscope Records, Trauma Records. 2000. 490 638-2.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
