No Doubt About the Origins of Don't Speak

No Doubt's breakthrough album Tragic Kingdom, which sold over 15 million copies, was fueled by a number of hit singles -- perhaps the most memorable of which is "Don't Speak," a song about the romantic breakup of band members Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal. The guitar part of the song's intro and verse bears a striking resemblance to Aerosmith's legendary song "Dream On." Compare:

Dream On:


Don't Speak:


Check out the tablature and you'll see the similarities:

Don't Speak Tab
Dream On Tab

So there you have it. Another example of a classic rock song reinvented to great a wonderful new song aimed at a different audience.

We'll be back next time with more examples of reinvented songs as well as our ongoing series of interviews with professional songwriters and guitarists to shed more insight into the craft. ++

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Know of a song that has been reinvented? Or a compelling guitarist and songwriter that we should interview? Shoot me an email to let me know.