4 in the Morning

This article is about the Gwen Stefani song. For the Faron Young song, see It's Four in the Morning. For other uses, see 4 AM.

"4 in the Morning"
Single by Gwen Stefani
from the album The Sweet Escape
ReleasedMay 8, 2007 (2007-05-08)
Recorded2006
Studio
GenreSynth-pop
Length4:51
LabelInterscope
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Tony Kanal
Gwen Stefani singles chronology
"The Sweet Escape"
(2006) 		"4 in the Morning"
(2007) 		"Now That You Got It"
(2007)
Music video
"4 in the Morning" on YouTube

"4 in the Morning" is a song by American singer Gwen Stefani from her second studio album, The Sweet Escape (2006). It was written by Stefani and co-written and produced by Tony Kanal, with additional production by Mark "Spike" Stent. Interscope Records serviced the song to US contemporary hit radio on May 8, 2007, as the album's third single; elsewhere it was released in June 2007. Described as one of her favorite songs on the album, Stefani began writing the song while pregnant and finished with Kanal, drawing inspiration from Roberta Flack and Billy Idol records.

A 1980s-inspired mid-tempo synthpop ballad, "4 in the Morning" features a light keyboard during its intro through its break, a guitar, synthetic strings and a slick sheen. Lyrically, the song talks about a relationship on the edge, with the protagonist trying to save her love. "4 in the Morning" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who noted it as an improvement over her last singles, while praising its tempo and highlighting her vocals.

"4 in the Morning" failed to replicate the commercial success of previous singles in the United States, peaking at number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was moderately successful elsewhere, peaking within the top-ten in Australia and New Zealand, and the top 20 in several European countries. Its accompanying music video was directed by Stefani's longtime collaborator Sophie Muller, and features Stefani lying in bed and walking around her apartment while performing the song in a melancholic mood. The song was performed during The Sweet Escape Tour and in some concerts Stefani made during 2015.