Spiderwebs (4:29)

“Spiderwebs” is a ska punk song written by Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal for No Doubt’s third studio album Tragic Kingdom. It was released as the album’s second single in 1995. When “Spiderwebs” reached the radio airwaves in the U.S, it began a revival of the ska genre. The song is a combination of ska and pop. With its ubiquitous airplay for months, more ska-flavored singles became prevalent in later years such as The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ “The Impression That I Get”, Save Ferris’ “Come On Eileen”, and The Specials’ “A Little Bit You, A Little Bit Me”.

The song debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart and peaked at number 5 after three weeks of its release. The song’s lyrics are about a man who had been calling Gwen at all hours to recite bad poetry to her. Musically, the song uses a drum for the beat and various brass instruments, such as a trombone to build up the crescendos in the chorus.