Trapped In A Box

Album: No Doubt (1992)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • When Gwen Stefani says "trapped in a box," the box she is talking about television. The song is about how people get really wrapped up in TV, and are very much influenced by actors, actresses, commercials, etc. The video has a really great representation of what the song is about. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Katie - Savannah, GA
  • "Trapped In A Box" was No Doubt's first single, released in 1992 six years after the band formed. The song got a promotional push from their label, Interscope, but couldn't find many takers for their California ska-pop sound. The No Doubt album sold about 30,000 copies, mostly due to airplay on the Los Angeles radio station KROQ.

    The group fared a lot better with their 1995 album Tragic Kingdom, which went on to sell over 10 million copies in America. About 300,000 more copies of the album were sold when fans looked into their back catalog.
  • The video for this song was the first that the band had done, and it only cost them $5,000. MTV never played it, but MTV2 did.
  • Gwen Stefani's brother, Eric, was still with the band at this time - he wrote the song along with Gwen, guitarist Tom Dumont, and bass player Tony Kanal. Eric left in 1994 to become an animator on The Simpsons.

Comments: 4

  • Lilly from Chicago, IlI love the guitar and vocals in this
  • Angelo from Las Vegas, NvGreat guitar solo!
  • Laura from Liverpool, Englandthis song was originally a poem written by tom, but band leader eric stefani turned it into a song
  • Michi-elle from S, MaThis song is about televison and how people get too caught up in what they see on it.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Keith Reid of Procol Harum

Keith Reid of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

As Procol Harum's lyricist, Keith wrote the words to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale." We delve into that song and find out how you can form a band when you don't sing or play an instrument.