160. No Doubt – ‘Bathwater’ (2000)

“Love to think that you couldn’t love another”

Taken from the album Return Of Saturn

Also released on The Singles 1992-2003 and Boom Box

UK #17, AUS #79

No Doubt’s best song is also one of their strangest, and one of their most lyrically emotional. It’s such a sad, strange image for someone to say they “love to wash in your old bathwater, love to think that you couldn’t love another”. On one hand, it’s the jealous psycho from ‘Ex-Girlfriend’ rearing their ugly head again, reading to cut a bitch who looks at her man sideways. On the other, more depressing hand, it’s the words of a lonely, lonely person, hanging on to a love that is long gone, wallowing in a pit of isolation while the former lover goes out and lives it up, not at all dwelling in anyone’s bathwater.

It also gives ‘Bathwater’ an almost uncomfortable intimacy, especially on the line “share a toothbrush, you’re my kind of man”. I couldn’t share a toothbrush with anyone (ANYONE), so to me that line represents a love that I have never even considered could exist. That’s like… forget sex, you know you’re intimate with someone when toothbrushes are being passed around willy-nilly.

‘Bathwater’ is also backed by a rousing horn section and some amazing drums, making the song wide open musically but very close to home lyrically, a wonderful balance that Gwen plays with endlessly. An undeserved flop upon release, I find ‘Bathwater’ is one of the No Doubt songs that wasn’t a huge hit but still gets a lot of love from diehards and casual fans alike. As I said it’s the best No Doubt song, far better than their biggest singles, although it’s not the best thing Gwen Stefani has ever done…

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