Spiderwebs

:"You may have been looking for Spider web."Infobox Single
Name = Spiderwebs


Artist = No Doubt
from Album = Tragic Kingdom
B-side =
Released = Early 1996 (North America)
Format = CD single
Recorded =
Genre = Ska punk, post-grunge
Length = 4:27 (Album Version)
3:50 (Radio Edit)
Label = Interscope
Writer = Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal
Producer = Matthew Wilder, No Doubt
Certification =
Chart position = * #18 (U.S. Hot 100 Airplay)
** #5 (Modern Rock Tracks)
** #29 (Adult Top 40)
* #16 (UK)
* #46 (Australia)
Last single = "Just a Girl"
(1995)
This single = "Spiderwebs"
(1996)
Next single = "Don't Speak"
(1996)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate covers
Lower caption = UK single cover
Type = Single

Extra album cover 2
Upper caption =
Lower caption = German single
Type = Single

Extra album cover 2
Upper caption =
Lower caption = Swedish single
Type = Single

Extra album cover 2
Upper caption =
Lower caption = Spanish single
Type = Single

"Spiderwebs" is a ska punk song written by Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal for No Doubt's third studio album "Tragic Kingdom" (1995). It was released as the album's second single in 1996 (see 1996 in music). When "Spiderwebs" reached the radio airwaves in the U.S, it began a revival of the ska genre. The song is a combination of ska and pop. With its ubiquitous airplay for months, more ska-flavored singles became prevalent in later years such as The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' "The Impression That I Get", Save Ferris' "Come On Eileen", and The Specials' "A Little Bit You, A Little Bit Me".

Initially, the song debuted number 10 on the Billboard charts and peaked at number 5 after three weeks of its release. The song's lyrics are about a man who had been calling Gwen at all hours to recite bad poetry to her. ["Spiderwebs". Montoya, Paris and Lanham, Tom. 2003. "The Singles 1992-2003" (liner notes). Retrieved December 5, 2006.] Musically, the song uses a drum for the beat and various brass instruments, such as a trombone to build up the crescendos in the chorus.

The song is featured in both "" and "Guitar Hero World Tour".

Music video

Two different music videos were produced for "Spiderwebs". In the first version, the music video showed clips of the band playing. MTV thought that the exploding telephones were inappropriate for younger viewers so they added more footage of the band. These included lead singer Gwen Stefani walking around being covered in "spiderwebs" made of strings sprayed out of aerosol cans and Gwen being tangled in various telephone chords. In the second version, the music video featured the band playing in a Japanese restaurant entertaining the patrons. As the band plays, various Japanese-language sentences are displayed on the screen.

The subtitles during in the Japanese music video during the wedding reception scene translate to: "Excellent party", "I really like cake a lot", "What is your name", "This is excellent champagne", "What is this? Crazy kids", "It's making me sick".

Track listing

;Australian single
# "Spiderwebs" (LP version) – 4:28
# "Spiderwebs" (live from KROQ) – 4:05
# "Sailin' On" (from MOM: Music for Our Mother Ocean) – 3:37
# "Just a Girl" (enhanced version)

;British single 1
# "Spiderwebs" (LP version) – 4:28
# "The Climb" (live) 7:56
# "Doghouse" – 4:30
# "Spiderwebs" (video) – 4:08

;British single 2
# "Spiderwebs" (LP version) – 4:28
# "D.J.'s" (live) – 4:06
# "Let's Get Back" (LP version) – 4:14
# "Excuse Me Mr." (video) – 3:37

;Promotional US CD Single
# "Spiderwebs" (Radio Edit) – 3:50
# "Spiderwebs" (Album Version) – 4:28

;Swedish single
# "Spiderwebs" (LP version) – 4:28
# "Sailin' On" (from MOM: Music for Our Mother Ocean) – 3:37

;Spanish single
# "Spiderwebs" (LP version) – 4:28
# "The Climb" (live) 7:56
# "Doghouse" – 4:30
# "Oi to the World" - 2:42
# "Spiderwebs" (video) – 4:08

Chart performance

References

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-8zHJ0qSTw "Spiderwebs" music video] on YouTube
* [http://www.nodoubt.com/ No Doubt's official site]
** [http://www.nodoubt.com/lyrics/Spiderwb.asp "Spiderwebs" lyrics and guitar tabulature]