I've loved No Doubt for years. They are a brilliant band and I've always wanted to see them live, although I've never had the chance to. :( I bought this CD in San Francisco in February when I was on holiday. I paid about $12.19 with tax, which is about £6.50. That's quite a lot cheaper than here in the UK high street but if you can't go like me to the US. It's 8.97 at Amazon.co.uk.

Members of the band now
Leader singer: Gwen Stefani
Drums: Adrian Young
Guitar: Tom Dumont
Bass: Tony Kanal

--A BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT NO DOUBT--

They started the band in 1987 in Anaheim, California. With the members, John Spence, Tony Kanal, Gwen Stefani, and Eric Stefani. Shortly after starting the band, John Spence committed suicide.

The band carried on, adding on two new members to their band, Adrian Young and Tom Dumont. In 1991, they got their "big break". They got a contract with Interscope Records. Between school and working, they managed to record their 14-track debut album self titled No Doubt. It was released in the March of 1992 but only sold 30,000 copies, which was a big disappointment.

They toured the Western states and then made a video for their song 'Trapped in a Box' for around $5000 but it was never played on MTV.

Moving along, in March 1993 they started the first sessions for the album, TRAGIC KINGDOM, which is actually my favourite album of No Doubt.

A lot of things happen in 1994, Eric leaves the band before Tragic Kingdom is finished to become an animator on the Simpson's and Gwen and Tony who were a couple for 7 years break up. The song "Don't Speak" evolved from a love song to a broken heart song.

In 1995, No Doubt self released a B-side to Tragic Kingdom called Beacon Street Collection, which was only available at the shows or in local record stores. No wonder I've never seen it about.

October 1995 Tragic Kingdom is finished and finally released. It shoots them into the charts and shoots them into the public eye.

No Doubt goes on to release
RETURN OF SATURN in 2000 with big hits like Ex-Girlfriend and Simple kind of life.
ROCK STEADY in 2001 with big hits like Hey Baby and Hella Good
And finally the CD, I'm writing about, The Singles 1992-2003, which is basically just their greatest hits.

--INSIDE THE CD CASE--
There's all the lyrics to all 15 songs and there's an introduction about No Doubt and an explanation about every song, which I think is a nice touch. The CD is silver like the front and back cover of the album. It's simple computer artwork.

-- THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CHOICES--

Here's my own thoughts about the choice of the songs on the album because this CD is a greatest album, it has a varied variety of songs and kinds of music. No Doubt songs are sometimes in a class of their own especially the earlier songs from 'No Doubt' and 'Tragic Kingdom'.
It's funny to find that there's no songs of the B-Side version of Tragic Kingdom that was called 'Beacon Street Collection'. It's odd to miss out a piece of the band's history like that. 'Beacon Street Collection' the album may not of been well known but it might have been more popular to place a least one or two songs of that album on the greatest hits album with the die hard fan of No Doubt.

There's a couple of songs on the CD that everybody will recognise like 'Don't Speak' and 'Hey Baby'. There were big hits for No Doubt. Some are unknown to many people unless they have the album it came off.

-- ONTO THE CD ITSELF--

1. Just A Girl
This song reminds when I was a young teenager. Just annoyed at the world. Just frustrated with the way I was been treated. I find the power of this song for a girl or woman never fades. It's the independent woman/girl song. I've even seen a couple of men sing-a-long to it. Now that's funny. I think they may have been quite drunk.
Most of their songs are jazzy, punky and ska/pop like. This is a classical example.
Comes from the album, Tragic Kingdom.

[Chorus]'Cause I'm just a girl, little ol' me
Don't let me out of your sight
I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite
So don't let me have any rights
Oh... I've had it up to here!

2. It's My Life
This is the only new track on the whole album. It's a cover version of 'It's my life' by the UK band, Talk Talk in 1984 (the year I was born) In usual No Doubt style, they give the song a twist and make it their own. The lyrics are so catchy and so is the tune. I think this song should have been last on the album show the band's transition from 'I'm just a girl' to 'It's My life'. It shows that basically the music has changed but the core of the bands and the lyrics stay true to set paths.

[Chorus]It's my life
Don't you forget
It's my life
It never ends

3. Hey Baby featuring Bounty Killer
This is first single of the album 'Rock Steady'. When it first came out, it annoyed me. It just didn't seem to be the No Doubt sound that I was used to but the whole album seemed to show off a new No Doubt. The song is about a girl that hangs with the boys and watches all the boys flirt with pretty women while she just sit there. Then Bounty Killer's lyrics are about jumping on the stage and getting one of them gorgeous woman.

[Chorus]All the boys say,
Hey Baby, Hey Baby, Hey
Girls Say, Girls Say,
Hey Baby, Hey Baby, Hey
Hey Baby Baby
Hey Baby, Hey Baby, Hey
Boys Say, Boys Say
Hey Baby, Hey Baby, Hey
All the boys get the girls in the back

4. Bathwater
This song sounds like an old radio song. It's got that kind of quality at the beginning. It about girls choosing bad boys and that he's her kind of man and he makes her feel like that by washing in his bathwater. It's a bit weird lyric wise but catchy nonetheless. This song is of their album 'Return of Saturn'

So why do we choose the boys that are nasty?
I don't fit in so why do you want me?
I know I can't tame you, but I just keep trying

[Chorus]'Cause I love to wash in your old bathwater
Love to think that you couldn't love another
On your list with all your other women

5. Sunday Morning

I just love the guitar and the beat in this song. It's just so up-tempo. I don't know if she talking about a father or a boyfriend but both could fit the lyrics and somehow the girl and the man have traded places and now he's the pathetic little 'boy' that she used be in the first bit of the song. Now he looks like she did on a Sunday Morning hence the title. This song is off the album, Tragic Kingdom.

[Chorus]You came in with the breeze
On Sunday morning
You sure have changed since yesterday
Without any warning
I thought I knew you

6. Hella Good
Another upbeat track. To this you KEEPING ON DANCING like the song suggests. The chorus gets a bit annoying on this one. You can tell that they are more commercialised in the 'Rock Steady' album, it seems this song was just for the mass market and doesn't really appeal too much to the long No Doubt fans. It just seems like it doesn't have a story background to it like most of the other songs. Nevertheless, it's still an okay song.

[Chorus]You've got me feeling hella good
So let's just keep on dancing
You hold me like you should
So I'm gonna keep on dancing

7. New

This is about her boyfriend being so new, different and not familiar to her and she doesn't want to lose this newness. It's got a good drum beat and a bit of guitar in the background becoming louder as the lyrics change to the

chorus.
This is off 'Return of Saturn'.

And you're not familiar
Recently discovered and I'm learning about you
New, you're so new
You, you're new

8. Underneath It All featuring Lady Saw
It's about what underneath all that exterior of a guy that he is really lovely and that she's lucky to have him. It's one of their slower songs. It's dreamy. With Lady Saw on the scene, it's more of a reggae-esk song. Is off the 'Rock Steady' album.

[Chorus] You're really lovely
Underneath it all
You want to love me
Underneath it all
I'm really lucky
Underneath it all
You're really lovely

9. Excuse Me Mr.
This is another classic song from Tragic Kingdom. Again, it reminds me of my teenage years. It's a song I used to belt out and it felt good to do it. Of course, only when I was alone in the house.

[Chorus]
So please excuse me Mr.
You've got things all wrong
You make it feel like a crime
So don't confuse me Mr.
I've known you too long
All I need is a little of your time

10. Running
This song is a new song for me as I'd never heard it before although it's off the album 'Rock Steady'. It's got a bit of an electrical beat to it but quite a slow. The title says it all. Carefree and running which the band were at the time of the release of the album.

[Chorus]Running, running
As fast as we can
I really hope you make it
(Do you think we'll make it?)
We're running
Keep holding my hand
It's so we don't get separated

11. Spiderwebs
Another classic from Tragic Kingdom (you can't tell yet, I can't fault a Tragic Kingdom song lol) This more Ska based beat more than the other songs on the album.

[Chorus] Sorry I'm not home right now
I'm walking into spiderwebs
So leave a message
And I'll call you back
A likely story, but leave a message
And I'll call you back

12. Simple Kind of Life
The first song that Gwen wrote herself and it's heart-wrenching. It's what nearly ever girl/woman wants. It's a beautiful song. It's off 'Return of Saturn'.

With a friendship that no one else could touch
It didn't work out, I'm covered in shells

[Chorus] When all I ever wanted was the simple things
A simple kind of life

13. Don't Speak
The break up song of No Doubt. This is about when Tony and Gwen broke up and I think without this song, they wouldn't have made it. Bad things may happen to make better things come. Off the album, Tragic Kingdom.

[Part of the Chorus] Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me 'cause it hurts

14. Ex-Girlfriend
It's all about envy and jealous in this song. The girl in the song is jealous because she's now the ex-girlfriend and looking back she knew she always would be. Great beat to it. It's off 'Return of Saturn'

[Part of the Chorus] I kinda always knew I'd end up your ex-girlfriend
I hope I hold a special place with the rest of them

I'm another ex-girlfriend on your list
But I should have thought of that before we kissed

15. Trapped In A Box
Gwen's voice on this song sounds quite strange but it's off their very first album. 'No Doubt' The lyrics and the title are quite self-explanatory. It's got a punky/ska feel to it.

[Chorus] Trapped in a box
Watch the world as it flocks
To life's paradox
We're all trapped in a box

Lyrics taken from www.nodoubt.com or from the CD

Some of these songs grow on you, some you just instant like if you love No Doubt and have one of their albums, this is for you. If you heard No Doubt and think they are okay, then this is also for you as it's got the best songs on it. People said that there are weaker songs on the album but to be honest, I think this album shows the journey that No Doubt has made. It's a brilliant album and I love it.

If you want to learn about No Doubt or listen to parts of this album, go to www.nodoubt.com > music and just pick an album.