Crash (Gwen Stefani song)

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“Crash”
“Crash” cover
Single by Gwen Stefani
from the album Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
Released January 1, 2006
Format Airplay (North America)
12" single
Recorded Los Angeles, California, United States
Genre Pop
Length 4:06
Label Interscope
Writer(s) Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal
Producer Tony Kanal
Gwen Stefani singles chronology
"Luxurious"
(2005)		 "Crash"
(2006)		 "Wind It Up"
(2006)

"Crash" is a pop song written by Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal for Stefani's debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby (2004). The song, influenced by 80s old school hip hop and dance music, uses automobile metaphors to describe a relationship,[1] and it received mixed reviews from critics. Not originally planned as a single, the song was released as the album's sixth single in early 2006 (see 2006 in music) during Stefani's pregnancy.

Contents

[edit] Background and writing

Stefani had been working on her solo project with Linda Perry. The two penned several songs, including lead single "What You Waiting For?", but Stefani found the process difficult, commenting, "It's humiliating and intimidating even if they're sweet and excited, because you're drowning in their creativity."[2] When the two began working on a song about a deceased friend of Stefani's, Perry began writing the lyrics and Stefani, feeling that Perry was encroaching on her territory, broke down and left.[2]

 
  • "Crash"
    The song takes influence from old school hip hop and has an automobile theme.
  • Problems playing the files? See media help.

Stefani's No Doubt bandmate and former boyfriend Tony Kanal invited her to his house so that the two could go out with friends.[3] When she arrived, however, Kanal surprised her by playing some tracks on which he had been working and revealed that he had prepared some for Stefani.[3] Though Stefani had wanted to work with Kanal, she was concerned that his work would not fit with her dance-oriented album; however, she called it her "favorite track that [she had] written so far", and the two worked on the track, modeling it after hip hop trio Salt-N-Pepa.[2][3]

[edit] Critical reception

The song received mixed reviews from critics. Entertainment Weekly called the song "a pricey retro fashion blurb in which Stefani appears as "an old-school, gold-chained rapper".[4] NME disagreed, calling it one of "the best bits of the decade of decadence" and referring to it as a "cartoon rap".[5] About.com stated that the song's "great Narada Michael Walden bleepy synth noises...pop out of the mix like the car stereo just decided to sing along",[6] and LAUNCHcast commented that the track had "icy-cool schoolyard sass".[7] Drawer B Media said that the track "revisits Stefani's blatant fondness for 80's pop, but not even...Tony Kanal can save her from lifeless retreads like these."[8] The Washington Post compared it to Salt-N-Pepa's 1987 single "Push It" and commented that "she pushes it real good".[9] PopMatters gave it a very strong review, stating that "Stefani nails all the vocal mannerisms" and that Kanal "reveals a major mainstream pop jones here, especially in the way he layers the cut...with dozens of orchestra hits...which have been absent from almost all pop albums for a decade or more now."[10] Slant magazine gave the song a mixed review, stating that it "features some near-fatal car metaphors" but that Stefani "maintains her signature sass throughout".[1]

[edit] Release and chart performance

Stefani (far right) performing "Crash" accompanied by her Harajuku Girls and b-boys.
Stefani (far right) performing "Crash" accompanied by her Harajuku Girls and b-boys.

"Crash" had originally not been planned as a major single-release from Love. Angel. Music. Baby.[11] In late 2005 Stefani announced that she was pregnant (while performing this song) and would be delaying her second solo album,[12] and the song was announced as the sixth single in January 2006.[13] Because it was released as the sixth single, success was very limited since many consumers had already purchased the album, which at the time had been certified triple platinum in the U.S.[14] and Canada.[15] It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 11, 2006 at number ninety-five.[16] It reached number forty-nine for two weeks on the chart and remained on the chart for a total of eight weeks.[16] The single was somewhat more successful on the pop charts, reaching number twenty on the Top 40 Mainstream and number twenty-eight on the Pop 100, and had some crossover success, reaching number thirty-eight on the Rhythmic Top 40.[17]

Stefani wore a racecar-style track suit for performances of "Crash" on the Harajuku Lovers Tour.
Stefani wore a racecar-style track suit for performances of "Crash" on the Harajuku Lovers Tour.[18]

"Crash" was the only single from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. that did not receive a CD single solicitation in Canada; in addition, the track experienced minimal radio success, and peaked at number eighty-seven on the BDS Airplay Chart.[19] "Crash" failed to make an impact in Mexico. It peaked at number ninety-nine on the singles chart and the video received very little rotation.[20]

In Romania the song is the most unsuccessful song released by Stefani in this country, spending only 2 weeks on the chart, and peaken at number 83, her lowest peak position here. Because of Stefani's pregnancy, a live music video was released instead of a narrative video.[21] The video was directed by Sophie Muller at a performance in Anaheim, California during Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour.[21]

[edit] Track listing

US (Promo) 12" vynil single

  1. "Crash" (Album Version) -4:06
  2. "Crash" (Instrumental) -4:05
  3. "Crash" (A Cappella) -4:06
  • Digital download
  1. "Crash" (Album Version)

[edit] Credits and personnel

[edit] Charts

Stefani performing "Crash" in a kerchief.
Stefani performing "Crash" in a kerchief.
Chart (2006) Peak
position
Canadian BDS Airplay Chart 87
Italian Singles Chart 87
Euro 200 Singles Chart[22] 198
Mexican Singles Chart 99
Romanian Singles Chart 83
South African Singles Chart[23] 15
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 49
U.S. Billboard Pop 100 28
U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 38
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 20

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal. "Music Review: Love. Angel. Music. Baby." Slant. 2004. Retrieved March 3, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c Vineyard, Jennifer. "Gwen Stefani: Scared Solo". MTV News. Retrieved March 3, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c Vineyard, Jennifer and Pak, SuChin. "Gwen Stefani Turns To Bandmate For Aid After Freak-Out". MTV News. December 6, 2004. Retrieved March 3, 2007.
  4. ^ Browne, David. "Love. Angel. Music. Baby. | Music Review". Entertainment Weekly. November 23, 2004. Retrieved March 3, 2007.
  5. ^ Murison, Krissi. "Gwen Stefani : Love Angel Music Baby". NME. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
  6. ^ Shawhan, Jason. "Gwen Stefani - Love, Angel, Music, Baby". About.com. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
  7. ^ Nine, Jennifer. "Gwen Stefani - 'Love, Angel, Music, Baby'". LAUNCHcast. November 25, 2004. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
  8. ^ Greenwood, Eric. "Gwen Stefani - Love Angel Music Baby (Interscope)". Drawer B Media. Retrieved March 3, 2007.
  9. ^ Daly, Sean. "No Doubt About It". The Washington Post (November 24, 2004), page C01. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
  10. ^ Damas, Jason. "Gwen Stefani - Love.Angel.Music.Baby." PopMatters. November 29, 2004. Retrieved March 3, 2007.
  11. ^ Moss, Corey. "For Gwen Stefani, Egyptian Cotton Is Something Like Love". MTV News. November 1, 2005. Retrieved March 17, 2007.
  12. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer. "Gwen Stefani Confirms Pregnancy While Onstage In Florida". MTV News. December 24, 2005. Retrieved April 12, 2007.
  13. ^ "For The Record: Quick News On Eminem, Beyonce, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Cam'ron, Jamie Foxx, Coldplay & More". MTV News. January 11, 2006. Retrieved April 12, 2007.
  14. ^ "Gold and Platinum Database Search". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 12, 2007.
  15. ^ "Gold & Platinum - March 2005". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 12, 2007.
  16. ^ a b "Gwen Stefani - Crash: Charts". Music Square. Retrieved March 3, 2007.
  17. ^ "Love.Angel.Music.Baby. > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". All Music Guide. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
  18. ^ Sitt, Pamela. "Gwen Stefani gives it up for the girls". The Seattle Times. 2005. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
  19. ^ "Chart Data: Gwen Stefani". Mariah-charts.com. Retrieved March 20, 2007.
  20. ^ "México Top 100". AmericaTop100.com. Retrieved June 26, 2006.
  21. ^ a b "For The Record: Quick News On Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, Gwen Stefani, Nick Lachey & More". MTV News. February 28, 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2007.
  22. ^ APCCHART.COM © since 1988 APC-stats EU/UE
  23. ^ Chart Data: Gwen Stefani

[edit] External links

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