Songfacts®:

• This dancehall-infused pop song is the lead single by American rock band No Doubt, from their sixth studio album, Push and Shove. "I'm a rough and tough. I'm a rough and tough. And nothing's gonna knock this girl down," Gwen Stefani chants on the bridge. Discussing the single, Stefani explained: "I feel like it represents lyrically where I was at... am at, a lot. It's interesting being the first single because it lyrically summarizes the past couple of years."
• The song was debuted on July 16, 2012 and marked the first new single from the band after a decade-long hiatus. Within a few days, it had attracted at least one superstar fan, pleased to see No Doubt's return. "I'm obsessed with 'Settle Down' anybody that disagrees is wrong," Lady Gaga, No Doubt's labelmate, tweeted. "No this is not an interscope plug, I'm a fan."
• The music video, which was shot on the week of June 11, 2012, was directed by Sophie Muller (Beyoncé, Lady Gaga), who has previously directed many of No Doubt's music videos including "Don't Speak" and "Underneath It All". The clip shows each member of the band driving a truck to a reunion party. "I think [bassist Tony Kanal] came up with the idea that we should do something with trucks," Muller told Rolling Stone of the video treatment. "The idea is they are all driving to meet after having had their separate lives over the last 10 years." Muller added, "It's such a mix of cultures ... We tried to do something that resembled different parts of the world rather than a specific place."
• The video for the band's 1999 single "New" had a similar set up. In that clip each band member played a character going to a rave.
• The song reflects the doubts Stefani had as a busy mom when the band got together again to make new music after their long break. "Here we go again. Are you insane?" she sings. ''Don't get me started. I'm trying to get a hold on this. Get in line and settle down." "I think a lot of the record I'm writing about being overwhelmed by trying to do all these things at one time," Stefani explained to The Associated Press. "You just never know when you become a mom what it's really going to be like. It's so different than you think."