Composition and inspiration
"Cool" is a mid-tempo love song featuring numerous woodwind instruments and new wave production, with lyrics reflecting Stefani’s past relationship with No Doubt bassist, Tony Kanal. Although their romantic relationship ended, Stefani’s lyrics portray her attitude that it is "cool" that they still remain very good and close friends. Stefani and Kanal’s relationship had previously provided the inspiration for No Doubt’s 1997 hit single "Don’t Speak". However, whereas "Cool" presents a solid friendship between former lovers, "Don’t Speak" is about a failing relationship and never arrives at a solution for the couple. Stefani and Kanal supply the basis for the characters in both songs.
When Stefani was asked about the song, she responded, "Dallas Austin heard my song ‘Underneath It All‘ and got inspired to write a new song called ‘Cool’, which he could never finish about his girlfriend and all the bullshit of breaking up, and how he wanted it to be okay. We finished the thing in fifteen minutes. I didn’t write all of the melody—I’m ashamed, I want to say that I did—but I also know how magical it is that somebody could be so inspired by my song that they write one."[1]
The lyrics of "Cool" describe a relationship that ended amicably. As Austin had wanted to write a song about the aftermath of his failed relationship, the lyrics recall a romantic pairing that once existed, from the point of view of someone who has moved on from their former love, with Stefani mentioning that she has found a new partner. The lyrics suggest a progression through a turbulent time to a mutual understanding that takes their relationship to a level of respect.
Stefani sums up the evolution of their relationship with the line "after all that we’ve been through, I know we’re cool". They are now "hanging out" with his new girlfriend, amid "circles and triangles", while she has married and is pleased that he calls her by her "new last name".
- "And I’ll be happy for you
- If you can be happy for me
- Circles and triangles, and now we’re
- Hanging out with your new girlfriend"
- "So far from where we’ve been
- I know we’re cool"
The lyrics of "Don’t Speak" and "Cool" create a timeline of the events that occurred between Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal during and between the years of 1994 to 2004; this includes their association in the band No Doubt, while maintaining a personal relationship. Said Stefani, "I was never intending to go personal on [the album]… but no matter what you do, things just come out. It just ended this whole thing for me in my head, and it puts an end to a chapter in a really nice way."[2]
The music video for "Cool" was directed by Sophie Muller, and was shot in Lake Como, Italy. It follows the theme of the song very closely, showing the relationship that Stefani has with a former boyfriend, who is played by Daniel Gonzalez. Gonzalez is seen walking with his new girlfriend (who is played by Tony Kanal’s girlfriend, Erin Lokitz) to a house. Stefani answers the door, and the three of them are seen in each other’s company, with intercut scenes of Stefani rolling around on a bed. There are brief flashbacks to the time when Stefani and Gonzalez were dating, where she wears a brunette wig, representing her younger self, as her natural brown hair has not been seen since she was twelve years old. Although the lyrical theme of "Cool" is maintained within the video, shots are also incorporated to show Stefani feeling "uncool". For the majority of the video, she is shown as being "cool" with her former boyfriend and his girlfriend, but there are also moments where she thinks about the past when she was dating Gonzalez, and is uncomfortable.
The video showcases the scenery of Lake Como’s restaurants, forests, and lakes. It is also the first video of Stefani’s that does not feature her Harajuku Girls, who were present throughout most of the promotion of Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The complete version of "Cool" heard in the music video has not been released commercially and features an orchestral arrangement that differs from the 1980s musical style of the single or album versions. "Cool" premiered on top-ten music video chart program Total Request Live on June 30, 2005, reaching a peak of number two, and also peaked at number two on VH1’s Top 20 Video Countdown. After debuting at number thirty on MuchMusic’s Countdown, it climbed to number one for a single week three months later.
(the above was extracted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool_(song))
