“Hella Good” by No Doubt
Most plainly translated, saying that something is “hella good” would be the same as proclaiming it is ‘really nice’. And what the vocalist is ascribing that characteristic to in this song is the way the addressee, who is obviously a romantic interest, makes her feel.
Moreover, based on the chorus it would appear that at the moment they are engaged in the act of dancing. But it is also possible that said activity serves as a metaphor for their relationship in general.
And what is being put forth is that their “dance” is very edifying, unexpected to the vocalist even, as she never necessarily expected the two of them would make such a good couple. So on top of celebrating the ‘hella good feeling’ that is being derived from this union, she also puts forth that they should “keep on dancing” for as long as they can.
Facts about “Hella Good”
“Hella Good” was released on the 11th of December, 2001 by No Doubt. It was the 2nd single from the band’s “Rock Steady” album.
It was written by Gwen Stefani in collaboration with the below:
- Chad Hugo
- Pharrell Williams
- Tony Kanal
“Hella Good” was produced by Nellee Hooper alongside No Doubt.
The song can be grouped under a number of music genres such as the following:
- Dance-punk
- Electro-funk
- Pop rock
In 2003, “Hella Good” earned a Grammy nomination alongside the following songs in the “Best Dance Recording”:
- Daniel Bedingfield’s “Gotta Get Thru This”
- Groove Armada’s “Superstylin’”
- Kylie Minogue’s “Love at First Sight”
- Dirty Vegas’ “Days Go By” (Winner)
The New York based entertainment magazine, Entertainment Weekly placed the song at number 7 on its yearly list of top singles for the year 2002.
Chart Performance
- US – 13
- UK – 2
- Belgium – 3
- Australia – 8
Movie and TV Appearance
“The Longest Yard”, a 2005 film featured “Hella Good” in its opening sequence. It was also featured in Season 2, episode 12 (“The Getaway”) of the television series, “Alias”. Another notable TV appearance was in the drama series, “The Black Donnellys” of 2007.
No Doubt’s “Rock Steady” Album
American rock band No Doubt released the pop-rock song Hella Good in 2001, as part of the singles from their fifth studio album, Rock Steady.
Interscope Records released Rock Steady on December 11, 2001. The band first began composing and recording the songs in several studios in Los Angeles and San Francisco. They then traveled to London and Jamaica and collaborated with other musicians and producers in various studios for a quality album.
Among the famous musicians who contributed to the success of the album include:
- William Orbit
- The Neptunes
- Nellee Hooper
- Prince
- Ric Ocasek
Rock Steady was honored with a nomination at the 2003 Grammys. In 2003, Rolling Stone included the album in their list of the best 500 all-time albums.
The album has been so successful that over the years, it has received gold certifications from the following countries:
- Australia
- United Kingdom
- Canada
