Album: Love.Angel.Music.Baby (2004)

Charted: 8 1

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Songfacts®:

• A "hollaback girl" is one of the lesser cheerleaders who yells in the background. Gwen Stefani is asserting that she is the queen bee on this squad, leading the cheers with the hollaback girls in her service. She was 35 years old when the song was released, but had no trouble playing a high school cheerleader in the video.
• Marching band instruments like trombones, saxophones and clarinets were used on this track, which ties in with the cheerleader theme. It's the only #1 hit with a prominent tuba ("The Tears of a Clown" uses a bassoon).
• "Hollaback Girl" is part of Love.Angel.Music.Baby., Gwen Stefani's first solo album, released in November 2004. She rose to fame as the frontwoman for No Doubt, where she also developed her skills as a songwriter on hits like "Don't Speak" and "Underneath It All."
  
  "Hollaback Girl" was a big, honkin' hit, spending four weeks at #1 in America, but it wasn't the first single - that was "What You Waiting For?," a song she wrote with Linda Perry. That one did well internationally but stalled at #47 in America. The next single was her Eve collaboration "Rich Girl," which went to #7. Then "Hollaback Girl" was released, rising to #1 in May 2005 to rival Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" for Song Of The Summer.
• Stefani got the idea for the cheerleader theme when she recalled a comment Courtney Love said about her in an issue of Seventeen magazine: "Being famous is just like being in high school. But I'm not interested in being the cheerleader. I'm not interested in being Gwen Stefani. She's the cheerleader, and I'm out in the smoker shed."
• Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo produced this track and wrote the song with Stefani. At the time, Williams and Hugo were active in their band N.E.R.D and produced under the moniker The Neptunes. Their energetic hip-hop beats fueled tracks by Britney Spears ("I'm A Slave 4 U"), Nelly ("Hot In Herre") and many others.
• Stefani sneaks in a profanity partway through the song, saying, "This s--t's bananas," before spelling out the word "bananas" multiple times. She masks the full forbidden word every time, but it's clearly what she's saying.
  
  On the cover of the single is written, "This s#!@'s bananas." This part of the song was very popular with listeners, but it drew an adverse reaction from some critics. Jason Damas of PopMatters, for instance, wrote, "Lyrically, this is where Gwen sinks the lowest here, especially on a breakdown where she repeats 'This s--t is bananas/ B-A-N-A-N-A-S!' several times. It's such a ridiculously stupid song laid over an adventurous Timbaland-like beat that it winds up being tons of fun, but it's the point where an awful lot of No Doubt fans might start getting worried."
• "Hollaback Girl" was big about a year after Apple introduced iTunes, making it possible to download the song for 99 cents. Many did: It became the first song to sell one million legal downloads. It was also the first single to sell more digital downloads than CDs.
• Stefani tried out for the cheerleading squad in high school but didn't make it - she couldn't do the choreography. She was in the marching band playing piccolo, but says she wasn't very good.
  
  Playing the head cheerleader in this song was a way for her to rewrite her high school experience and wear the uniform, which is why she wanted to be a cheerleader.
• At the beginning of the video, Stefani says, "Get in really close. Aww, super kawaii" as she takes a picture of her backup dancers. "Kawaii" is a Japanese word for "cute." Stefani is a big fan of alternative Japanese popular culture, especially of the crazily dressed teenage girls from the area near Harajuku station in Tokyo. >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Bertrand - Paris, France
• Sebastian Bach of Skid Row played Gil, a guitarist in the fictional band Hep Alien, on the TV series Gilmore Girls. In the 2006 episode "Bridesmaids Revisited," he plays this song at a Bar Mitzvah.
• On the 2006 Family Guy episode "Deep Throats," Brian watches a VH1 special on Gwen Stefani and says, "I don't know what a Hollaback Girl is, but I want her dead." >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Joe - Chicago, IL
• "Hollaback Girl" was the last song recorded for the album. Speaking with Rolling Stone (June 16, 2005), Stefani explained: "I did the whole record, but I knew I didn't have my attitude song - my 'this is my history, f--k you because you can't erase it' song. I knew I wanted a song like that."

Comments: 102

• Jeff from BostonIt's been a long time, so my memory might not be accurate, but I think I remember the "bananas" cheer being used when I was in high school about 15 years before this song came out. The way I recall, when the officials made a bad call against the home team, the cheer would be "The refs are bananas - B A N A N A S!" 'Bananas' here meaning simply crazy to make such a bad call.
• Lilith from CanadaEvery time I spell bananas I sing this song. lol.
• George Pope from Richmond, BcI have no trouble believing she's 35 in this video; her doctor's good, but not THAT good.
• Siahara Shyne Carter from United StatesMany believe it means that, by not being a “hollaback girl,” Stefani is saying that she won’t respond to guys who “holla” at her or treat her poorly. Actually, she’s using a cheerleading metaphor—a hollaback girl is one who repeats back the cheers that the head cheerleader yells. With this song, Stefani is stepping away from the pack and proclaiming herself independent. She’s the head cheerleader giving orders, not one of the cheerleaders who simply repeat them back.
  
  
  @Lyric interpretation
  
• Aleea from Bellevue(not The Hospital)What happened to "I got a girl named 7 - 0, pulling a 7 - 0? See that's why it would be so nice to go back to PRE-CENSORSHIP DAYS, and look up lyrics that are unintelligible.
  BTW, she says that's for the fan base that cast dispersions on her brand new solo career. The only constant in life is change: best oxymoron, and no, you can't swallow, snort, or shoot it.
• Gary from Houston, TxOk, folks, I know most of you all have totally missed the message of the video completely.
  Most us get our "Ranking" & a "Life's Outlook" when we are in High School.....
  What Stefani was doing was interpreting her's
  This is a very real Girls View of Life with a typical confrontation
  I really enjoyed this video, it gave me some insights
• Lolamento from La Concha De La Lora, Argentinaoh my god! i can't believe people here are soooo stpid!!
  
  Bananas is uses in britain to say "random"
  
  so she is basically saying this song is random...
• Germy-lee from Cairns, AustraliaAhh I want to know what type &+ make of car it is? :)x
• Unknown from Van Nuys , CaThe video "holla back girl" by Gwen Stephanie was shot in my school Birmingham High School! awesome!famous skateboarder "Paul Rodriguez" went to our school! and singer "Lala" the one that sings the song (homegirls)also went to our school.... coach carter's nephew coaches our football team/top 4 in Cali! he now coaches our basketball team and is doing an awesome job!.... many other famous people went to our school just look it up if you don't believe any of this.
• Louise from Newcastle, United KingdomShe's done better songs, but this definitely catchy!
• Edal from Baltimore, MdPure Sht! Such a great voice, but someone needs to throw her some depth and some lyrics. She sings for idiots and I don't know why.
• Krista from Elyria, OhI agree with Brian from Family Guy. (THis is from the Peanut Butter Jelly Time thing). "I'm watching a special on Gwen Stefani. I have no idea what a Hollaback Girl is; but I want her dead." XD
• Madison from Norway, MeKyle from Dover-that's the exact same thing I was thinking it was about. I still can't make sense of this song...
  
  I thought it was a girl who would just talk a lot of crap behind other people's backs instead of facing her adversary.
• Dizzy from Hell, Alshould it be mentioned that this song can be found mashed-up with the queen song 'Another One Bites the Dust'? It's known as 'Hollaback Queen'.
• Hugh from Kansas City, MoAre you sure this isn't a reference to her preferred position during sex? She does have some nice, long legs....
• Lydia from Yukon, OkSomeone mentioned the Banana Cheer...Is that the "Form/peel/go banana. Form, form/peel, peel/go, go banana." one?
• Audie from Auckland, New ZealandGwen Stefani says the word "sh*t" about 30 times. And I have Love.Angel.Music.Baby album! I love this song!!
• Kenz from Salt Lake, UtLol way better than the other song thats like all cheerleader that Mickey song,
  
  Goll that Micky song is annoying it gets stuck in your head like no other!
  
  "oh Mickey your so fine your so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey"
• Kenz from Salt Lake, UtLol this song taught me how to spell Banana because I used to always add one to many "an"'s
  
  Man I am a crappy speller.
• Kara from Louisville, Kyshe's no britney spears...that stuff makes me want to dance...gwen stefani solo career makes me want to bang my head against a wall
• Rafael from Pasadena, CaI wasn't crazy about No doubt but it WAS better than this.
  
  I kinda liked Stefani's earlier solo stuff but this one is not my cup of tea at all. The kind of stuff my 8 year old niece listens to.
  
  Just my opinion.
• Will from Kansas City, MoOK, let's make this simple. Everyone who said the song is about Gwen not backing down from a fight challenge is correct. Saying she isn't a "hollaback girl" is her way of saying she doesn't just "talk the talk". Also, the "bananas" reference is simply saying that the song & the beat are crazy. "Bananas" is a slang reference for doing something wild or crazy, like saying "Let's go bananas".
• Caitlin from Upper Township, NjI'm a cheerleader, so i have to hand it to Gwen for making a cheerleading themed song. I used to be in love with it. Now that it is older, it is not as popular with. me. I still like the " Bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S" part!
  
• Jeremy from Iowa City, IaI'm sorry but this song is terrible. The song is so far from some of the better stuff Gwen did with No Doubt. The lyrics are bad, the song is annoying and offers no replayablility offer. I was highly disappointed in Gwen's solo effort.
• Matthew from Dalton, PaI used to sing this song whenever it came on Tv or on the radio, particularly in school. But it got so annoying that whenever the song played and I danced to it, my teacher would have to turn it off
• Matthew from Dalton, PaWhen Gwen Stefani was interviewed about this, one concern was about the song being erased. Stefani said the song was her 'this is my history that you can't erase' song.
• Anonymous READ THIS Once I went to my great grandma's. I was with my my cousins. One was wearing ripped jeans. So GG brought up the subject of fashion when she was young. (Of course) "We wore(blah blah blah)...and I still wear a girdle." Well, my cousins and I were like " What's a girdle?" Then, to our shock, disgust,and amusment, my GG said slowly, "well..." than LIFTED HER SKIRT. Yeah, my 90 yr old GG lifted her skirt. In front of all of us. We all could barely keep from bursting out in laughter. Then one of my cousins leaned over and whispered " Ooh! grandma strippa" It was so hilarious. Overall, the whole experience was scary and, and, well, it was weird and hilarious.
• Melissa from My PlaceI loved this song when it first came out but it got annoying when they kept playing it on the radio all the time.
• Reese from Calgary, CanadaWhen this song comes on at the bar, I'm up on the speaker, stomping my feet to the beat, mouthing all the lyrics, and practically re-enacting the video! I LOVE IT! Great party song, wicked beat, fun lyrics, and a lot of fun to dance to! Hey Gweni, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Gweni! GO GWEN GO!
• Richard from Kaaawa, HiI have read all the comments and viewed the lyrics. This song is about two girls meeting after school for a fight. Simple. Gwen is saying she won't back down or just 'talk about it'. You can remember when two people would get together after high school for a big rumoured fight and have it be nothing but "yelling" at each other. Gwen is saying,"if you talk about me, I am going to kick your ass". Cause she ain't no holla back girl, no she ain't no holla back girl.
  The bananas part is the fact that fighting is stupid, or fighting over people talking about them is stupid. The fact that they are cheerleaders is irrelevant.
• Christina from Nor*cal, Ca"Beat It" is not a rock song! Get ur sources right its considered pop or R&B. Duh it made by Michael Jackson, the King of Pop.
  
  i love this song it rocks cause it has attitude and when did gwen get ghetto. And as u can tell from "Hela Good" she started using more beats oin her song so yah, and besides she got people from the rap and r&b backgroung to give her madd props like myself.
  
  And yes i new about no doubt b4 her solo career, she was great then too.
• Anonymus from New York City , NyNow usually im not really the Gwen Stefani i did love No Doubt tho anyway I dont like her new album AS MUCH i dont hate it just not as much but Hollaback Girl has got to be the most catchy, cool, funniest song i have ever heard in my 17 years of life
• Clare from Hmilton, CanadaI take back my ealier comment. like really early, GO TO THE BOTTOM. Thi song is SO catchy, and I think the video is Definitely good for a laugh. Everyone from Canada should definitely check out Much's Vieo On Trial for this though. Its amazing.
• Kaitlyn from Port Deposit, MdThis song is really cool andIi like to sing it a lot. Me and my mom always try to dance to it and we can never get it right!
• Howard from St. Louis Park, MnEven though Gwen Stefani is one of the most beautiful rock and roll women, the song is not. Hollaback Girl frequently uses the s word (according to my count) 37 times. I'm sure radio stations played a much cleaner version to satisfy FCC regulations. I do like the line "This ----is bananas. B-A-N-A--N-A-S."
• Sarah Floyd from Bloomingdale, Ilwhen first heard and saw the music video i tought this was a gay song. and when i heard this song more i loved it. i like the way gwen stefani looks. she is so skinny i want to be skinny like her.
• Doug from Sioux City, IaPerhaps it is my age, but I certainly don't remember this kind of crap being played when I was growing up. Of course, rap was all the rage at that time. And now, we are spiraling down the vortex that is pop/r&b. My biggest problem with this song is that it is played on the radio.....over....and over...and over. I also have never been partial to "cheerleading" songs....or whatever you want to call them. I don't know about you, but I remember hating those stupid pep rallys in school. And the only good thing that cheerleaders did was bounce around a lot. It's kind of like a Jessica Simpson video....find the mute button and it's smooth sailing from there.
• Reena from Not Telling, Maok, this song is way annoying, but it gets stuck in your head sooooooo easily. so u sing it the whole day, and you hate it! how unfair is that?
• Nessa from Huntville, TxI love Gwen!! I am a 34 year old working mom and when i need some motivation to get things done or I just feel like gettin an attitude, I pop in her CD and crack it up!!!! Her music makes me feel like I am a teenager again.
• Wik from Brooklyn, NyGuess many the girls love it, and many of the men hate it. I admit it is cachy.
• Holly from London, EnglandI love gwen stefani! she rocks...she is so pretty and has wicked style!! her songs are great and she is great and I really want to meet her!!
  I love her songs:
  . What Ya Waiting For
  . Hollaback Girl
  . Cool
• Cricket from Moscow, Idokay, kids. i have read all of this stuff and now it's time for me to have a few words. first of all, when gwen says "super kawaii" she is saying "super cute" as kawaii is japanese for cute...do not confuse it with kauai, which is an island in the hawaiian island chain (duh). second, a hollaback girl (or boy) can be known as someone who answers a late night booty call, or someone who reciprocates in an argument, or someone who responds to a holla coming from a moving car. third, i have always known bananas as slang for "crazy", which would make sense..."this s@#t is bananas (crazy). and finally DO NOT EVER DIS RESPECT PHARELL WILLIAMS. the boy is a genius and knows how to make a phat beat.
  holla.
• Jackh from Spokane, WaGwen Stafani was awesome foursome in No Doubt and whats w/ the SUPER KWAAEEE thing in the beginning of the music vid.Now her songs make me want to kill.
• Casey from Birmingham, EnglandI think the song and the video are good and Gwen Stefani is well tasty - But then again I aint got no taste!
  I am also now slightly closer to knowing what she's on about after reading this lot.
• Doug from Williamston, MiThis is one of the worst songs ever made, it has absolutely no musical value or creativity what so ever. It's thanks to all of you mindless fans that these talent-less "singers" are still around and pumping out this crap crap.
• Maria from Santa Monica, CaSilly people. When songwriters write songs, they keep their fans in mind. Gwen's fans include teenagers, and she's appealing to them with what's hip right now, that's why she's using current slang expressions. And that's why she's using a derivation of the cheerleading song "Go Bananas" often used at highschool games. I think the beat she got from the marchingband-style drumming is refreshing and creative.
• Sabrina from Montreal, CanadaWell i dont agree with all the other people from canada. i find this song pretty good. My baby cousin loves this song:) she sings it in her sleep "holla back girl" lol
• Velinda from Hernando, FlCould it possibly be that Gwen is saying that she isnt going to get into an altercation w/ another girl? That meaning she isn't a holler back girl (wont talk trash) instead she will just knock you out? Isnt afraid to fight and doesn't talk trash...
  
  And as far as the banana thing... perhaps a referrence to a man's penis... and nothing else???
  
  Sheesh!!!
• Marissa from Vero Beach, FlOkay, well, I have done further research, and it is believed to be that this song has much deeper meanings. I mean I think a song about running track and eating bananas is pretty cool though. Well, it is believed to be that Gwen has been a "holla back girl" (someone that is considered as a back-up girlfriend/ booty call) many times in her life before. And she is tired of it, and bananas(condoms...gasp!) So, now she is running away from her past of being a holla back girl. Hakuna Matata.
• Marissa from Vero Beach, Fli was in deep thought earlier. what is a holla-back girl and why is gwen stefanni so determined not to be one? after research the only idea i can get from it is that it's either a person that runs track or eats bananas.
• John from Sparta, NjThe Yamaha and Stefani partnership aired on three popular television shows: Saturday Night Live, The Late Show with David Letterman, and Good Morning America. Yamaha exclusively provided several Yamaha drums from the SFZ line including three white MS-9213 snare drums, three white bass drums ranging in size from a 20", 22" and a 24" drum. Yamaha also furnished two white MZ60234 drums. The quality of the Yamaha drum line allows Stefani to create her own unique beat and really rock the house. For More info:www.dannybritt.com/gwenstefani.htm
• Charlotte from Kansas City, MoThis song is so annoying i liked no doubt but gwen by herself is pop not ska. come on.
• Rob from Perth, Australiathis song got to number 1 in australia. i saw it on rage that morning. lucky it was saturday and i had nearly two full days to pump actual MUSIC out of the stereo to forget about her before i went back to work
• P from Hollywood, CaA "Hollaback Girl" for those that do NOT know is a girl who calls back REAL late at night like 2AM in the morning for a VERY PRIVATE meeting. Yeah you can pick those other terms but this is the current stylish term to appeal to the "young urban thug" market that stereotypical rap songs are supposed to appeal to.
  
  Stefani is saying in current lingo that she too is NOT someone who has been bought out, though obviously this song is merely a fad pop, light rap music that appeals to market demographic that she is intentionally selling this album to.
  
  The song is quick and easy, done to appeal to a cross market like DMX's "Party Up" which is NOT representative of the bulk of their defining work, but is needed to appeal to make people buy the album.
• Patrick from Conyers, GaThe "Bananas" chant is very popular in high schools across the country, usually performed at pep rallies and home games. This chant has a bit of a sexual reference (duh!), and thus a lot of schools have recently banned it. Some schools put slight variations on the chant, adding their own lyrics.
• Amanda from Newberg, OrEmily, you're wrong about the song "Schnappi, Das Kleine Krokodil." It was written and recorded by Joy Gruttman, 3 years ago, when she was 4. She just made up a song about a little crocodile. I don't think "Hollaback Girl" is an amazing song, but it's catchy, and I do like it. And I'm glad that in the U.S. we at least have real music, and don't rely on our 4-year-olds to make up songs ("Schnappi" is #1 in Germany and New Zealand, and is topping charts all over the world). I mean, seriously. It's cute, but'
• Colby from Bedford, VaThis song is GARBAGE! G-A-R-B-A-G-E! Anyone who likes this doesn't have taste in good music. This is just another listen to song and not a hear the music song. Someone can talk to you and you not hear what they say and this is that kind of song. All you hear is a beat and pointless lyrics. I feel sorry for people who waste money on CD's with this crap on it.
• Emily from Sheepland, AustraliaRight, where to begin tearing this 'song' to shreds? It definately does not deserve a place on the charts and if Gwen Stefani was not so popular or hot (and if the people who put the charts together had brains) it probably wouldn't even be around. NOTE TO SELF: to become a big star must get boob job, have a unique and individual style that everybody wears (My suggestion is that Mexican cultural dress will become the new thing(bring on the Sombreros!)), and sell out BIG TIME. Anyone heard or seen that song Schnappi by Baron Von Krocodil? its the theme song to a german cartoon played over and over again from what I can gather and it kicks Gwen's no-holla-backin'-butt back to Japan.
• John from Barrie, CanadaWhat the hell is the deal with the B A N A N A S thing?
• Jojo from Wichita, KsI might be shallow but I love this song, mostly because I worship Gwen but the song is also crazy addictive.
• Tony from Detroit, MiUh, okay, for those folks who are saying the song has not point --- DUH! It's a POP song, not a national anthem or some ode to a great war. If you want serious, depressing and painful, watch the nightly news.
• Amelia from Olathe, KsI love Gwen but holla back girl is played way to much on the radio.
• Hayley from Mckinney, Txthis song was a waste of time money and life... she can go die... this song is pure ace !
• Eric from Cumberland, RiThis song is horrible. But hey you know if you spell Kaballah backwards you get hallabak. (Madonas a Kaballhist.)
• Don from San Antonio, TxMediocre at best. Kid Rock is the next Vanilla Ice, Stefani is the next Cindi Lauper.
• Josh from Farmington, Utwhy does everyone have to take songs like this so seriously
• Thomas from Warba, Mn I happened to land on this site and got caught up reading the comments of haters who seem to think their opinion defines the quality of a song. The observation I have to make isn't meant to be personal, it's just a basic concept that could be valuable to anyone - you destroy your own credibility when you criticize music and follow it by ALL HAIL SLAYER. It's like saying
  I AM DEAF. You can't be taken seriously with a contradiction like that.
• Luke from Manchester, EnglandHOLLER - To shout
  BACK - the opposite way to whence you came
  GIRL - a female
  
  HOLLERBACKGIRL - a female who shouts in the reverce direction.
  
  
  hpnestly, if you idiots stopped analysiong everything you see, you'd know that the above is simple:
  
  Gwen is saying she's not a hollerback girl - Meaning she doesn't answer every guy that calls her name - "so many times I've been round that track so it's not gonna happen like that..."
• David from Medway, MaI hate this song, it has no point. Not only do I dislike the song, but the music video is third rate too. Actually, I just hate the convertible she's in...
• Zac from Charlotte, NcNow now people I may have said some things in my earlier posts that may have given you the idea that I like any of Gwen Stefani's work...This is not true...I always thought No Doubt sucks as a matter of fact Ska sucks all I was saying is that Ska is better than Pop-Rap or whatever it is she does now...But that still doesn't make her earlier stuff good...
• Kara1 from Shawnee, Okok well actually i LOVE this song, but i shouldn't. I'll tell u y. My interpretation of the song is that she is claiming a cheerleader is a hollaback girl (or basically all cheerleaders are SLUTS)
  this is just like any other stereotype of a cheerleader such as stupid or squeaky voice or whatever
  i am a cheerleader so while this offends me... i also ADORE this song and sing it obsessively...
  SUE ME!
• Drew from Great Falls, MtOk, I just registered on this site so I could say how horribly bad this song is. I don't even think you can call it music. Any one who likes it need's to have their brain checked out.
• Dude from Roanoke, AlWorst. Song. Ever. Gwen sold out big time to get a POP hit.
• Adrian from Melbourne, AustraliaYep this song isn't good at all.
• Kara from Louisville, KyI believe that Gwens' entire album exists only to solicit L.A.M.B., her new clothing line. It should not be considered music but as a marketing tool.
• Gywn from Queens,new Yorki agree with everyone who says this song is crap. Russ, Mivlerton, Canada expessally, he made a good point.
• Billy from Pittsburgh, PaUnbelievably bad. I agree with Mandy from Calgary...No Doubt was at least something you could consider music. What Gwen is doing now passes for ABOMINABLE. I honestly can't even consider this a song, because there aren't even actual musical notes coming out of her mouth for at least half of it.
• Jim from Oxnard, CaIf Gwen Stefani was "back in the game," she would stick to her originality that she had with No Doubt. Or are her bandmates the source of her creativity?
• Laura from Glasgow, ScotlandGranted, This song is not one of the best from L.A.M.B but it's fun and lighthearted and it makes me wanna dance so it can't all be bad.
• Mandy from Calgary, CanadaGwen Stefani used to be part of something much bigger. And it was sheer brilliance. No Doubt was one of the most original bands out there- they had amazing songs that actually had meaningful lyrics. Now, Gwen is prancing around like all the other main-stream artists making songs that are meaningless and pretty much just lame. Gwen, we liked you better when you were individual- now you just blend in with all the other artists out there that are crap.
• Aja from Gloucester, Mai just like the "ooooooo ooooo" sound and the banana part. thats it
• Claire from Oak Ridge, TnThis song, in my opinion, is really silly but you totally forget that when you dance to it. However much as i love Gwen Stefani, I have to say that she's gotten a little nutso without the guidance of her bandmates.
• Michael from Fair Lawn, NjThis is the stupidest song, wha the hell does "is bananas b-a-n-a-n-a-s mean....such a bad song
• Chris from Kansas City, MoI'm surprised nobody has made mention of the fact that BANANAS is an obvious reference (given her infatuation with Japanese culture, harajuku girls, etc.) to the ethnic slur connotation of the word.
  
  (Following text from wikipedia dot org):
  
  Banana is a mildly pejorative term used to describe people who are "white" (Western) on the inside and "yellow" (of east Asia) on the outside. It is particularly used to describe women who have become highly assimilated into Western culture and/or married Caucasians. It is usually used to refer to people of east Asian origin living in Western countries (e.g. Asian Americans ).
  
  It is commonly used by Chinese Americans to refer to other American-born Chinese. It is also increasingly used by native Chinese to describe Chinese Americans. It is a synonym of jook-sing.
  
  Banana Boys is a novel by Terry Woo about a group of Chinese males recounting the past and bringing to light issues they faced while growing up in Canadian society.
  
  The opposite of the term "Banana" is "egg" - a white person who acts as a person from east Asia.
  
  Other racial terms similar to banana include "coconut", which refers to people who are "brown" (Hispanic) on the outside and "white" (Caucasian) on the inside as well as "oreo" which refers to someone who is black (African American) on the outside and "white" (Caucasian) on the inside.
  
  In the film Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Harold says that his Korean friend would call him a twinkie - "Yellow on the outside, white on the inside".
• William from Ocean Springs, MsI enjoy all types of music. I don't really like this song, but, Gwen Stefani has a great voice. I love many of her other songs.
• Madeline from Melbourne, AustraliaIt's so different that it's actually good.
• Charlotte from Brigg, Englandhollaback girl is such a cool song its one of the best song in the world you must be mad if you dont like her or the song!!!!!!! charlotte
• Jade from London, EnglandI am into more edgy music, but when i heard this song i liked it, i think Gwen Stefani is a very cool artist & don't know why so many people knock her. Have a bit of humour people the banana's bit is a bit of fun, i think it's great, the beat's in the song are so cheerful, but then again everyone has different opinion's!
• John from Cape Coral, FlThis has got to be the single worst excuse for music i have ever heard. ALL HAIL SLAYER
• Russ from Mivlerton, Canadawell lets see this song is crappy. The only reason i watched the music video was to see Gwen cause she pretty hot. the song is just like every other pop song out there useless. hahaha
• Jenn from Cleveland, Ohshe had very bad writers block for this albulm. have of the stuff is sampled and remakes.
  
  she was under alot of pressure from her label to just get it done and put it out there. she could have done alot better. this whole cd is not that good.
• Abby from Los Angeles, CaIn this song, Gwen has modified the cheer "Go Bananas," which goes, "Go bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S." While she has changed the words for the worse, it is definitely the same cheer, and carries the cheerleading theme that permeates the song. The cheerleaders in the video are not, as Kyle proposed, unrelated to the song.
• Aleshia from Garrison, Moi love this song!!! gwen totally manages to be awesome no matter what she sings. i love her music, because its so different, and another thing i totally love about her is that shes totally herself, and not just another britney biddy. and just so u know - it really doesnt matter how u spell bananas.
• Monty from Omaha, NeThis song, her whole album, is an over-produced pile of well Bananas... Oh and the song fact is sooooo wrong. A Holla Back girl is a low self esteemed slut who waits for booty calls, Gwen's character is asserting she is a proad and defiant high school student, wait a minute... she is like 35 and she is releasing this? I mean stealing from Fiddler is one thing (Gwen is a rich girl isn't she?) but this schlock is taking the mindlessness of pop to a whole other level. Do yourselves a favor and look up the song "Hook," By Blues Traveler... the subject of that song is proven with this one... it doesn't matter what Gwen sings, as long as it sounds good thumping out of the speakers of your tricked out honda.
  God I never thought I'd miss the days of "Genie in a Bottle"
• Alvin from Sioux Center, IaHeheh...I really like this song. With the Neptunes and everything. Maybe we should stop putting so much imporance on the technicalities.
  "That's not how you spell bananas!"
  
• Rich from Coventry, United Statesthis really is awful, it just seems to be mindless swearing, and not even good mindless swearing at that
  
  did anyone notice that she seems to spell bannanas wrong? i thought she was saying B-A-N-A-N-A-N
• Clare from Hmilton, CanadaI TOTALLY agree with Zac this song is horrible and I'm so disappointed as her early work was so good.
• Gisela from Irelandthe best thing about this song is the when, during the line 'another one bites the dust', the horns play the riff from the queen song! excellent!
• Zac from Charlotte, NcFirst of all the song is just god awful...Gwen has talent but you couldn't tell by listening to this song...I really wish Gwen would go back to her roots and continue to do Ska music instead of falling farther and farther into this pop-rap crap
• Toshio from Kyoto, JapanI love this song. I love the bananas part.
• Kyle from Dover, DeJust a thought, but perhaps "Hollaback" in this instance is a contraction of "Hollow backed" (though my first impression was that it was "Holler back") - which is kinda the same thing as the old "Yellow bellied" expression. A "hollow backed girl", then, would be a girl who's afraid of a fight. In the song, then, Gwen would be challenging someone to a fight, and saying she's not afraid of them. Makes sense, given the verses. The cheerleaders in the video don't have as much to do with the song, but fit the beat and the apparent high school setting. That's my take on it, anyway.
• Chad from Andover, MnWait, shes saying "She aint no Hollaback Girl" So wouldn't that means she is one? Doesn't make much sense.

More Songfacts:

Let Me Blow Ya MindEve

2001 was when collaborations between rappers and singers became commonplace, leading to a new Grammy category: Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The first winner was "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" by Eve and Gwen Stefani. This was before Stefani put out her first solo album.

Carrie AnneThe Hollies

The Hollies' 1967 hit "Carrie Anne" is about the British singer-actress Marianne Faithfull, but with "Marianne" changed to "Carrie-Anne" to disguise it. Faithfull dated Allan Clarke of The Hollies.

Night MovesBob Seger

Bob Seger got inspired to write "Night Moves" after watching the movie American Graffiti, which showed young people growing up in his "neck of the woods."

Whatta ManSalt-N-Pepa

Salt's "mighty good man" in the Salt-N-Pepa "Whatta Man" video is played by Tupac Shakur.

Bang!AJR

The voice is that says "here we go" in the AJR song "Bang!" belongs to Charlie Pellett, the announcer on the New York City subway ("stand clear of the closing doors, please").

Let It GoIdina Menzel

The Frozen song "Let It Go" was recorded in 42 different languages for the movie's foreign releases. This earned it an entry in the 2016 Guinness World Records publication for "Most Languages Featured on a Single."

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