Can someone explain Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girls" to me?

[Maddy McCall]

What is a hollaback girl, and why is she not one?

I thought, at first, it was a typical bubblegum pop song for highschool kids, or for cheerleaders to do their routine to. But she says Shit in it fify times.

And, why is her shit bananas? b-a-n-a-n-a-s.

I bought the CD, because I liked her music when she was with No Doubt, but, there isn't a whole lot that I like on this CD. :shrug:

[pstans]

1. I love that song

It is so catchy and makes you want to rock. I am 25 and don't really know what a Hollaback Girl is, but the song is fun, so who cares.

[Maddy McCall]

3. Yeah, the song is a fun song, and it makes you want to shake your ass.

But I have no idea what the lyrics mean. :shrug:

[Droopy]

2. Can you post the lyrics?

I'll give you my interpretation if you post the lyrics because I've never heard the song.

[Maddy McCall]

4. Here ya go.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GWEN STEFANI LYRICS

"Hollaback Girl"

Uh huh, this is my sh*t
All the girls stomp your feet like this

A few times I've been around that track
So it's not just gonna to happen like that
Because I ain't no hollaback girl
I ain't no hollaback girl

Ooooh ooh, this my sh*t, this my sh*t

I heard that you were talking sh*t
And you didn't think that I would hear it
People hear you talking like that, getting everybody fired up
So I'm ready to attack, gonna lead the pack
Gonna get a touchdown, gonna take you out
That's right, put your pom-poms downs, getting everybody fired up

A few times I've been around that track
So it's not just gonna to happen like that
Because I ain't no hollaback girl
I ain't no hollaback girl

Ooooh ooh, this my sh*t, this my sh*t

So that's right dude, meet me at the bleachers
No principals,no student-teachers
Both of us want to be the winner, but there can only be one
So I'm gonna fight, gonna give it my all
Gonna make you fall, gonna sock it to you
That's right I'm the last one standing, another one bites the dust

A few times I've been around that track
So it's not just gonna to happen like that
Because I ain't no hollaback girl
I ain't no hollaback girl

Ooooh ooh, this my sh*t, this my sh*t

Let me hear you say this sh*t is bananas
B-A-N-A-N-A-S
(This sh*t is bananas)
(B-A-N-A-N-A-S)

Again
This sh*t is bananas
B-A-N-A-N-A-S
(This sh*t is bananas)
(B-A-N-A-N-A-S)

A few times I've been around that track
So it's not just gonna to happen like that
Because I ain't no hollaback girl
I ain't no hollaback girl

Ooooh ooh, this my sh*t, this my sh*t

from http://www.shopireland.ie/forum/about63.html

[Droopy]

8. Maybe it's a woman who talks trash behind other's backs

[Maddy McCall]

10. I think you're right.

After reading through the lyrics, that's what I am getting, too.

Thanks! :hi:

[angee_is_mad]

14. Can't back her sh&* up

somebody trying to be hard but when its time to get grimey she gotta hollaback?

[jobycom]

5. Not her shit

It's "This shit is bananas."

My daughter and I take it to mean she's not the kind of woman to just holler back what someone tells her. When a guy on stage yells "Holla back!" and the audience repeats it, for instance. I've since heard it's a cheerleading term, where the leader hollers a cheer, and the hollaback girls holler it back to her.

Either way, has about the same meaning. Sounds to me like she's telling someone to leave her alone, that she makes up her own mind.

Could be wrong, but my kid and I want it to mean that, so it does to us! :-)

[Maddy McCall]

7. I hope that's what it means.

I can just see it being used across the US at every highschool pep rally. Maybe the fact that she says SHIT through the whole song will keep that from happening. I hope...

[jobycom]

11. It's supposed to sound like a cheer

It's written to mimic a cheer, but it has a more personal meaning. I think it does, anyway, and knowing some of Stefani's work (especially with No Doubt), I'd be surprised it didn't.

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

17. Lyrics are modified for radio version

I heard one that had "this girl is bananas" instead of "this shit is bananas" on the radio.

[sendero]

31. That was what I thought...

... also. Also seems to imply "I'm not gonna holler back, I'm gonna kick your ass" :)

Check with Skittles. :)

[mark414]

6. basically

someone was talking shit about gwen, but she says she's no hollaback girl, meaning, she's going to fight instead of just talk

i didnt like no doubt but i think this album is incredible; produced by the neptunes, new order, dr. dre, andre3000 (of outkast), this album is nuts

oh, and gwen's shit IS bananas, it is awesome

[Maddy McCall]

9. I've only listened to it once.

I'll listen to it a few more times. Thanks for the info. :hi:

[komplex]

12. Still not sure...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollaback_Girl
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hollaback+&r=f

[flvegan]

13. As I understand it, hollaback girl

is a girl that answers a booty call, so to speak.

Anyway, Gwen is one sexy gal. Attractive, talented...I wish she'd give me a hollaback.

I have no idea what that means.

[radwriter0555]

25. A HOLLA-BACK GIRL IS

The FIRST gal the fella runs into that night, while out and about. She's HOT, BUT he wants to play the field for the night, and when he has struck out all night long with ALLL the other gals in the club he goes back to her and HOPES she'll still in the game.

If she's GWEN, she's NOT!

[JI7]

15. i don't really like her recent stuff either

at least compared to the previous

[bbernardini]

16. Sorry, this stuff is crap (IMHO).

That "If I Were A Rich Girl" thing? Embarrassing. I'm all for the reinterpretation of any and all media (hello, Negativland, we salute you!), but that one just sucks.

It's not that I don't like her previous work, you understand. I just wish she would shut the hell up for a bit. WE GET IT. YOU'RE DIFFERENT. You dress in all kinds of wacky ways, and you're always changing your hair. Great. Good for you. Now shut the fuck up and make some music worth listening to.

[kanrok]

20. Oh, C'mon have a little FUN!

It's about fun. It always doesn't have to be about "good music."

[bbernardini]

30. Sorry, I find "good music" to be fun. :)

I'm one of those people who sits at concerts and listens instead of dancing or singing. I don't fault those who do, but listening to every little thing is fun for me.

So, I find "Hollaback Girl" to be annoying rather than fun, but that's just me. I have no doubt some of the things I listen to that I consider "fun" would make most people run away screaming. :)

[Beware the Beast Man]

18. Mrs. B exp-lained this to me the other day:

It's when a guy tries to hook up with the first lady he sees, then jilts her for what he feels is someone better, only to get rejected by that lady, so he attempts to go back to the first. That's the "holla back girl."

[DrGonzoLives]

19. Here you go:

http://www.jozjozjoz.com/archives/002369.php

[Shell Beau]

23. That was funny!

[Blue-Jay]

21. She sucks ever since No Doubt.

That's all the explanation I need.

[newportdadde]

22. I thought she was saying "I aint no Harlem Fat Girl"

Seriously I thought I was going crazy till I googled it and found some music review site which thought the same thing. Thankfully they posted the lyrics and cleared it up for me.

It has a good beat and was I think #1 last week on the top 40 chart you hear Sunday mornings.

[Richardo]

24. Stefani + marching band uniform = rowrr!

Spoken like a band nerd, I know, but... :loveya:

[izzybeans]

26. Nice to look at with the sound off. Beyond that not much substance.

She's in a race to create the next pop cliche.

[Lex]

27. Funny you should ask this question . . .

I asked it on May 18 here in the lounge and got 0 replies. :crazy:

My timing must be off.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=3283333

[paula777]

28. The urban dictionary says it means .....

1. holla back girl
A girl that is willing to be treated like a doormat or booty call. She is a girl that will allow guys to do whatever they want with her and will just wait for them to 'holla back' at them.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=holla+back+girl&r=f

[giant_robot]

29. Consensus on urbandictionary.com is that a hollaback girl

is an attractive girl, but not cream of the crop.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hollaback+girl&r=f

[mitchum]

32. It's product

[electricmonk]

33. Here's a good breakdown of the song

http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/05/35/music-stacy.php

Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” is one of the most baffling pieces of music of the modern age. It’s got something to do with cheerleaders—that much is clear, judging from the chanting and the marching band that’s honking and tooting in the background. Beyond that, good luck deciphering the song’s ambiguities. We were so vexed by the mystery that is “Hollaback Girl” that we have devoted countless hours to its study. Our conclusions are below. The first thing you should know, though, is that Gwen is not singing “I ain’t no Harlem fat girl”—at least, we don’t think she is.

Uh huh, this my shit
Gwen is introducing us to her shit.

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