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Welcome to Music Friday when we spotlight songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, we’re visiting Gwen Stefani’s heartfelt track “Rare,” in which the pop icon compares her longtime partner — country superstar Blake Shelton — to a sparkling sapphire.
Originally released in 2016 as the final track on her album This Is What the Truth Feels Like, “Rare” stands out as an intimate declaration of love. Co-written by Stefani and a trio of collaborators, the track blends electropop with a hint of folk pop, showcasing the softer, more romantic side of her songwriting.
Sapphire appears in the first line of the songs as a metaphor for something rare, beautiful and deeply valued.
She sings, “You’re a sapphire, you’re a rolling stone / You’re a sparkle in a deep black hole / You’re like moon shine, when the curtains close / You’re my answer, one that no one knows.”
The couple’s love story, which began in 2015 while they were coaching contestants on The Voice, continues to charm fans to this day (they were married in 2021). The lyric “You know I would be dumb to give perfection up” was widely interpreted as a subtle nod to Shelton’s past, but the song as a whole focuses on appreciation, devotion, and emotional healing.
Back when the album dropped, USA Today called “Rare” an “outright declaration of love for Shelton,” while Entertainment Weekly described it as a “sweetly smitten confessional.” The chemistry was no secret: Shelton even tweeted that “Rare” was his favorite track on the album, prompting Stefani to tease, “Wonder who that one is about?”
Now almost a decade since “Rare” made its debut, the song remains a fan-favorite for its vulnerability and symbolism.
Bursting onto the scene as the lead singer of No Doubt, she launched a solo career in 2004 that’s been equally iconic. With three Grammy Awards (out of 18 nominations), multiple AMAs, Billboard Music Awards, and more than 60 million albums sold worldwide, her influence on pop and fashion culture is undeniable.
Born in Fullerton, California, in 1969, Gwen Renée Stefani grew up listening to everything from Bob Dylan to Emmylou Harris. Her teenage obsession with The Police culminated in a full-circle moment when she inducted them into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 — proudly holding up a photo of Sting signed in 1983, back when she was just 14.
Please check out the video of Stefani’s live performance of “Rare.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Rare”Written by Gwen Stefani, Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels and Greg Kurstin. Performed by Gwen Stefani.
You’re a sapphire, you’re a rolling stoneYou’re a sparkle in a deep black holeYou’re like moon shine, when the curtains closeYou’re my answer, one that no one knows
And I can’t believe it, that you even existYou know I would be dumb to give perfection upHow can I accept it, that this is so precious?You know I would be dumb to give perfection up
You’re rareAnd I’m loving every second of it, don’t you know?You’re rareAnd only a stupid girl would let you go
You’re so good and you don’t even know itYou’re so good and you don’t even knowYou’re rareAnd only a stupid girl would let you go, don’t you know?
I am broken, I am insecureComplicated, oh yeah that’s for sureI feel worthless, I’ve been hurt so badI get nervous you won’t love me back
You’re so good and you don’t even know itYou’re so good and you don’t even knowYou’re rareAnd only a stupid girl would let you go
Do you really think you wanna make some new memories?With me?Do you really think you wanna make some new memories?With me?
You’re rareAnd only a stupid girl would let you goYou’re rareAnd only a stupid girl would let you go, don’t you know?
Credit: Photo by Pete Souza, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
