JUST A GIRL
(G. Stefani, T. Dumont)
from the album Tragic Kingdom

Written by Tom and Gwen, "Just A Girl" is the track that brought attention to No Doubt in the US. The lyrics were written about the trials and tribulations of being a girl. Gwen has said in numerous interviews that she came up with the title first, which she loved because it was pathetic and sarcastic, and Tom shot for a new wave sort of style with the jerky guitar riff. Matthew Wilder plays the strange keyboard line (referred to by Tom as "farty") on a Jupiter 8 synthesizer. The song, which started to get played live around December of 1994, quickly became a vehicle for Gwen to tease the crowd with. A side note - the riff featured in the song must have been the  most frequently played live riff by Tom, as the middle section (played alone by Tom) would stretch the song out to over twice its original length.

Take this pink ribbon off my eyes
I'm exposed
And it's no big surprise
Don't you think I know
Exactly where I stand
This world is forcing me
To hold your hand

'Cause I'm just a girl, oh little ol' me
Well Don't let me out of your sight
Oh I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite
So don't let me have any rights
Oh... I've had it up to here!

The moment that I step outside
So many reasons
For me to run and hide
I can't do the little things I hold so dear
'Cause it's all those little things
That I fear

'Cause I'm just a girl,
I'd rather not be
'Cause they won't let me drive
Late at night
Oh I'm just a girl,
Guess I'm some kind of freak
'Cause they all sit and stare
With their eyes
Oh I'm just a girl,
Take a good look at me
Just your typical prototype
Oh... I've had it up to here!

Oh... am I making myself clear?
I'm just a girl
I'm just a girl in the world...
That's all that you'll let me be!

Oh I'm just a girl, living in captivity
Your rule of thumb
Makes me worry some
Woh I'm just a girl, what's my destiny?
What I've succumbed to
Is making me numb
Oh I'm just a girl, my apologies
What I've become is so burdensome
Oh I'm just a girl, lucky me
Twiddle-dum there's no comparison

Oh... I've had it up to!
Oh... I've had it up to!!
Oh oh oh oh oh ... I've had it up to here.