Don't Speak

Gwen Stefani sat down to write a love song with her brother Eric. Then her seven-year romance with No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal fell apart. She scrapped the original lyrics and poured that heartbreak into what became "Don't Speak." The track anchors the band's 1995 album Tragic Kingdom, produced by Matthew Wilder.

Europe got the single in November 1996. In the US, no commercial single was released, so it never charted on the Billboard Hot 100. But radio couldn't get enough. "Don't Speak" spent 16 weeks at number one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. It topped charts in Australia, Canada, the UK, and beyond. The song earned Grammy nominations for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group.

Its opening chords echo the intro of Supertramp's 1979 hit "Breakfast in America." Over the years, the song has appeared in Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero III. Hip hop artists Rakim and Ice Cube have sampled it. Richard Marx released a cover retitled "All I Ever Needed" featuring Chris Botti. [edit]