| "The Real Thing" | |
|---|---|
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| Promotional single by Gwen Stefani | |
| from the album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. | |
| Released | 2005 |
| Studio |
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| Genre | |
| Length | 4:09 |
| Label | Interscope |
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Nellee Hooper |
"The Real Thing" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her debut studio album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). It was produced by Nellee Hooper and written by Stefani, Linda Perry, and Stefani's then-husband Gavin Rossdale, who is credited under the moniker GMR. In 2005, the song was released as a promotional single in the Philippines, where Interscope Records distributed a CD single. Inspired by the music of New Order, Stefani approached the group with the idea of collaborating. Despite initially declining, they eventually changed their minds and lent members Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook to perform background vocals and bass, respectively. American duo Wendy & Lisa also contribute to the song's instrumentation, playing guitar and keyboards, and created a "Slow Jam Remix" of the song which appears on the select editions of the parent album.
"The Real Thing" has been described as a synth-pop, Europop, and new wave ballad influenced by the music of the 1980s. It contains romantic lyrics and was referred to as a love song about Rossdale. It received generally positive reviews from music critics, who frequently called it one of the best songs on Love. Angel. Music. Baby.. Other critics felt the decision to collaborate with several high-profile musicians paid off. However, some critics considered the lyrics to be cheesy. The song was featured in Stefani's first two solo concert tours, the Harajuku Lovers Tour in 2005 and the Sweet Escape Tour in 2007. She also included it in her promotional MasterCard Priceless Surprises Presents Gwen Stefani (2015–2016) concert series. American group Vitamin String Quartet recorded and released a cover of "The Real Thing" in 2005.