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Cool (Gwen Stefani song)

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"Cool"
Song

"Cool" is a pop song written by Gwen Stefani and Dallas Austin for Stefani's debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby (2004). The song's musical-style and production was 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 the media have drawn parallels between the song's lyrical content and the romantic relationship that Stefani had with Tony Kanal, a fellow group member of No Doubt.

The song was released as the album's fourth single in mid-2005 (see 2005 in music) and entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on. While "Cool" failed to match the success of its predecessor "Hollaback Girl", it reached number one in Canada.

Background and writing

The lyrics of "Cool" reflect 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 good friends. Stefani and Kanal's relationship had provided the inspiration for No Doubt's "Don't Speak" (1996),[1] and while "Cool" presents an amicable friendship between former lovers,[2] "Don't Speak" is about a failing relationship and never arrives at a solution for the couple.[1] Stefani and Kanal supply the basis for the characters.

Dallas Austin wrote "Cool" after listening to No Doubt's "Underneath It All" (2002).[3] He was unable to finish the song and asked Stefani if she had wanted to co-write lyrics.[3] During a studio session together, they finished "Cool" in fifteen minutes.[2] "When he told me about the track and where it came from for him, it just triggered something in me," Stefani said.[2]

Because 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 lover; Stefani indicates that she is in a new relationship. They suggest a progression through a turbulent time to a mutual understanding that takes their relationship to a level of respect.

"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"

Stefani sums up the evolution of their relationship with the line "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".

Stefani said that she had never intended to include "personal"[2] material on Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and commented, "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]

"Cool" was featured in the comedy-drama film Click (2006).

Music and structure

File:CoolSheetMusic.png
A portion of the song's guitar (top) and keyboard notes (bottom).

"Cool" is a mid-tempo love song featuring new wave production and is composed in the key of D major and in 4/4 time. The song is written in the common verse-chorus form and features five instruments: bass guitar, drums, guitar, keyboards, and synthesizer.[4] The song begins with all five instruments,[5] and as Stefani begins singing, the synthesizer is lowered and the hard-hitting drum beat increases in volume. Her highest pitch (C#5)[5] is performed during the chorus and she quickly descends as she approaches its end.[5] She performs her lowest pitch (E3)[5] at the beginning of each verse and sings in a softer, almost sotto voice toward the end of every chorus.[5]

Template:Sound sample box align right Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen end Template:Sample box end

The synthesizer emulates brass and woodwind instruments, while the bass and guitar retain a prominent and regular eighth note pulse. In the percussion section a drum kit is used, and the snare is introduced at the beginning of the first chorus, which maintains its beat. During the song's fade-out, Stefani repeats "I know we're cool" four times and "yeah" three times, and she occasionally emphasizes "cool". Her vocal range covers close to two octaves.

Critical reception

"Cool" was generally very well-received by contemporary pop music critics. LAUNCHcast's Jennifer Nine referred to the song as "a liltingly sweet paean to post-break-up friendships",[6] while All Music Guide wrote that the "high school anthem-in-waiting" exuded "sleek, new wave textures".[7] Richard Smirke of PlayLouder commented that the song successfully used the same production formula as 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".[8]

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".[9] While Blender magazine ranked "Cool" at number forty-five on its list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of 2005",[10] Bill Lamb of About.com felt that it "doesn't immediately grab attention like her other singles"[11] and the Toronto Star called it "the year's love anthem, but at the cost of its short length and undeniable repetition".[3]

Chart performance

Stefani performing "Cool" on the Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005.

Although "Cool" was officially released to U.S. radio on July 5 2005, it appeared a week early on Billboard magazine's Pop 100 Airplay chart. The song reached the Pop 100 top ten, and the following week it debuted on the 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. The song entered the top twenty on most of the Billboard charts on which it appeared, and its remixes topped the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in mid-November. While "Cool" proved somewhat popular on Adult Contemporary radio, it peaked inside the top five on the Adult Top 40 format and reached the top ten on the U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40, a chart unassociated with Billboard.

In Canada "Cool" was officially released to radio on July 13 2005. The song reached the top five on the Canadian BDS Airplay chart and remained in the top ten for another month. "Cool" debuted higher on the Canadian Singles Chart than it did in the U.S. and topped the chart three months later for two weeks, from October 13 2005. It peaked higher in Canada than "Hollaback Girl"'s predecessor "Rich Girl", while in the U.S. "Rich Girl" was the single that charted higher.

The song was released in Australia, Europe and New Zealand on August 22 2005. "What You Waiting For?" (Love. Angel. Music. Baby.'s first single) and "Rich Girl" reached the UK top five, 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 and 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.

Although "Cool" reached number one in Argentina (for the week of September 23 2005) and the top ten in the Netherlands and New Zealand, it was a moderate top twenty success in Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Norway. The song reached number six on the United World Chart.

Music video

File:CoolCap3.JPG
The song's lyrics and accompanying music video present Stefani as "cool" with her former boyfriend and his girlfriend.

The song's music video was directed by Sophie Muller and filmed in Lake Como, Italy.[12] The video follows the song's theme very closely and depicts the relationship that Stefani has with a former boyfriend, who is played by Daniel González. González and his new girlfriend (played by Tony Kanal's girlfriend, Erin Lokitz) are shown walking 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 (her natural brown hair has not been seen since she was in grade school).[3] Although the lyrical theme of "Cool" is maintained within the video, there are frames incorporated to portray Stefani feeling "uncool". During most of the video, she is depicted as "cool" with her former boyfriend and his girlfriend, but there are moments where she remembers the past and is uncomfortable.

The music video includes flashbacks to Stefani's relationship as it comes to an end.

The video showcases the scenery of Como's forests, lakes and restaurants and was the first from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. not to include Stefani's Harajuku Girls, who were present throughout the majority of the album's promotion. The complete version of "Cool" featured in the music video was released commercially on CD single and digital download formats and introduced an orchestral arrangement that differs from the original 1980s composition on Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

"Cool" premiered on MTV's top-ten chart program Total Request Live on June 30 2005,[13] where it reached number three.[13] On VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown, the video peaked at number two.[14] After its July 8 debut on MuchMusic's Countdown, it reached number one for the week of October 7.[15] "Cool" debuted and peaked at number nine on LAUNCHcast's top one-hundred most-watched videos for the week of July 23.[16]

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Cool".

Credits and personnel

Charts

Chart (2005) Peak
position
Argentine Singles Chart 1
Australian ARIA Singles Chart 10
Canadian Singles Chart 1
Dutch Singles Chart 6
German Singles Chart 20
Irish Singles Chart 12
Italian Singles Chart 15
Latin American Singles Chart 12
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 9
Norwegian Singles Chart 16
Chart (2005) Peak
position
South African Airplay Chart 4
Swiss Singles Chart 24
United World Chart 6
UK Singles Chart 11
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 13
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 23
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 4
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play1 1
U.S. Billboard Pop 100 9
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 9

1 Photek/Richard X remixes

Preceded by Canadian number-one single
October 13 2005 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by

Notes

  1. ^ a b "The phenom": Information on the inspiration for "Don't Speak". October 20 2005. "Sign on San Diego". Retrieved October 20 2005.
  2. ^ a b c d e Vineyard, Jennifer. MTV News. "Gwen Stefani's Song About Tony Kanal To Be Her Next Single". Retrieved November 28 2005.
  3. ^ a b c d Cohen, Sandy. "'Underneath It All' helped conceive the year's love anthem". Toronto Star. F1. Retrieved October 15 2005.
  4. ^ Unknown (2004). In Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (CD liner notes). United States: Interscope Records. Retrieved December 7 2006.
  5. ^ a b c d e Commercial sheet music for "Cool". EMI Music Publishing. Distributed by Hal Leonard Publishing. Retrieved October 20 2005.
  6. ^ Nine, Jennifer. "Gwen Stefani — 'Love, Angel, Music, Baby'". LAUNCHcast. November 25 2004. Retrieved October 25 2005.
  7. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Love.Angel.Music.Baby". All Music Guide. Retrieved October 25 2005.
  8. ^ Smirke, Richard. "Love. Angel. Music. Baby.". PlayLouder. November 23 2004. Retrieved October 25 2005.
  9. ^ Damas, Jason. "GWEN STEFANI – Love.Angel.Music.Baby.". PopMatters. November 29 2004. Retrieved October 25 2005.
  10. ^ "The 100 Greatest Songs of 2005". Blender. January/February 2006. Retrieved June 1 2006.
  11. ^ Lamb, Bill. "Gwen Stefani — Cool". About.com. Retrieved October 25 2005.
  12. ^ Collis, Clark. "Holla Back". Entertainment Weekly. December 1, 2006: issue #909. Retrieved April 11 2007.
  13. ^ a b "The TRL Archive — Debuts". PopFusion. Retrieved January 30 2007.
  14. ^ "Gwen Stefani biography". VH1. Information on Gwen Stefani. Retrieved January 30 2007.
  15. ^ #1s. MuchMusic programming. Original airdate: October 2006. Retrieved January 30 2007.
  16. ^ LAUNCHcast. "Top 100". Retrieved January 30 2007.

References

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