"Just A Girl" Remains A Timeless Feminist Anthem
Although No Doubt was never part of the ‘90s riot grrrl movement and Gwen Stefani has never publicly claimed to be a feminist — in 2021 she told Paper Magazine, "I don’t even know if I knew what feminist at that time was" — "Just a Girl" remains relevant and influential. So much so that, in 2019, Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel used the song when Brie Larson’s character finally learns to harness her strength, empowering her to defeat the bad guys.
"Just a Girl" is a snarky song that speaks to women being fed up with the patriarchal rules that limit personal autonomy and freedom — a feeling women still experience on a daily basis. Stefani told Paper that the song is about growing up and "all of a sudden you realize your gender."
The No Doubt frontwoman might not be a feminist, and she may not have meant for the song to be a feminist anthem, but it rightfully has become a long-reigning tune championing our angst and subversion of gender norms.
Tragic Kingdom Can Still Mend A Broken Heart
If you’re going through heartache and all the pain associated with it, this album is overloaded with songs marking every phase of the mournful process, and they’re based on the real-life relationship Stefani had with Kanal.
"Happy Now?" goes hard with the pummeling guitar riffs as Stefani shouts words of reproach like, "There’s no looking back / This time I mean it!" Other songs like "Don’t Speak" are more sentimental and regretful, speaking to the sorrow you feel when you realize a meaningful relationship has truly run its course. The album is rich with variety when it comes to themes, but when it comes to heartache, it’s full of bangers to get you through the emotional journey.
It Also Reflects On Healing, Acceptance & Growth
Tragic Kingdom's 14 tracks allow listeners to indulge in the despair and misery associated with a breakup, but also offer songs for the healing process.
"Sunday Morning," one of the most upbeat and fun songs on the album, is a song of epiphany: It marks the moment Stefani realized she had outgrown Kanal and the roles had reversed between them. She makes this evident when she croons, "I didn’t think you had it in you/And now you’re looking like I used to."
Meanwhile, "End It on This" is all about acceptance, and it offers hope for the future, which Stefani proves when she sings, "I’ve been here before / But I’ve never ever felt this sure / And now I know I’ve been dreaming / And your actions / Have inspired me."
Tragic Kingdom Still Sounds Contemporary
Many albums made in the ‘90s sound like the time they were made; a distinction often made by their sludgy grunge sound or hyper-alternative rock riffs. Tragic Kingdom defies this trend, largely because No Doubt intentionally avoided grunge and other popular styles of the time.
Perhaps because of their ska roots, they were trying to find their own niche, and the album perfectly captures their experimentation with sound. There are fast-paced upbeat rock songs like "Excuse Me Mr." and "Sixteen," while throwing in other styles like the funk/disco-inspired song "You Can Do It," and the reggae/two-tone-influenced "World Go ‘Round." Perhaps because of that variation in sound (and due in part to renewed interest in '90s sounds by Gen Z fans), Tragic Kingdom remains sonically and lyrically relevant.
The Album Enabled Gwen Stefani To Spread Her Wings & Soar
Stefani’s brother and band co-founder, Eric, left the band before Tragic Kingdom was released. Eric had been the primary songwriter for the band, so when he left, the daunting responsibility to write songs suddenly fell to Stefani.
"As soon as he left, a kind of creativity opened up for me," she told Interview Magazine. "I think that’s why a lot of the songs on Tragic Kingdom are much more personal than on our previous record, because I wrote almost all the lyrics on this one."
From that moment on, Stefani was never the same — she evolved, took the helm writing the band’s songs thereafter, and eventually became such a star in her own right, that she went on to have a profound solo career. Stefani has won two golden gramophones as a solo artist.
The Title Track Offers Its Own Kind Of Disney Magic
Many punk songs have been written about Disneyland — among them, the Dickies’ "Stukas Over Disneyland," the Eyes’ "Disneyland" and the Vandals’ "Pirate’s Life" — and while they’re all great in their own right, No Doubt's song goes hardest.
"Tragic Kingdom" offers a folkloric storytelling of the theme park. The intricate tune follows the tradition of an epic poem and starts by narrating the legend of Disneyland when Stefani croons, "Once was a magical place / overtime it was lost / price increased the cost / Now the fortune of the kingdom / Is locked up in its dungeon vaults." The myth continues, along with heavy distortion, explosive beats, and a fiercely blistering guitar solo that captures the Miltonian nature of the song. It makes perfect sense that the album ends with this monumental tale, so that we remember and never forget the epic story of "Tragic Kingdom."
Eric Stefani’s Magic Touch Is Still Present
The eldest Stefani had been the leader of the band since its inception, but started disconnecting from the band prior to the release of Tragic Kingdom when he accepted a job as an animator on "The Simpsons" and then left the band entirely. However, two important songs on the album are credited to him: "The Climb" and "Don’t Speak."
"The Climb" is a moody but inspiring tale about overcoming adversity, and it’s the longest song on the album at 6 minutes and 36 seconds. He also originally wrote "Don’t Speak" for the band, and even though it was later re-worked, the song catapulted the band into stardom — the single sold more than 3 million units and was certified platinum three times. Even through his departure, his influence in Tragic Kingdom remained strong, and as the No Doubt frontwoman put it to Rolling Stone in 1997, "…Eric is No Doubt."
"Different People" Highlights The Unity We Need Now More Than Ever
"Different People" calls for everyone to come together in unity to create a better world based on our diversity. Stefani told Paper Magazine that "Different People" was the first song she ever wrote, noting it’s "a song about everyone being different and being the same and loving each other." The song is so positive, catchy and upbeat, that former President Barack Obama is into it, and in 2012, included it in his annual music playlist.
Matthew Wilder’s Pop Expertise Took Tragic To New Heights
Artist Matthew Wilder, who had a hit single in the ‘80s with "Break My Stride," went on to become a successful music producer, working on projects like the soundtrack for Disney’s 1998 animated film, Mulan. When he was tapped to produce Tragic Kingdom, the band was initially hesitant about the collaboration.
In a YouTube interview with music composer Jared Faber, Wilder revealed that at the time, he was trying to help "pull them away from the ska and develop a sound for them that was not so singular in its direction." While Stefani told Rolling Stone that the direction "was such an invasion, at first," the partnership clearly worked, because the album became rooted in pop sensibilities. Tragic Kingdom had seven singles and many other unsung goodies in the mix.
Tragic Kingdom Created A Lasting Legacy
Without a doubt, Tragic Kingdom launched the band’s career, taking the group from Anaheim to the world. Tragic Kingdom generated their mainstream success, and changed their lives forever. From their first GRAMMY nominations to diamond status with the RIAA, Tragic Kingdom's massive success of the album and its force in introducing No Doubt to the world, ultimately creating a legacy still going strong today.