"The Real Thing" is a song by American singer Gwen Stefani from her debut solo studio album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). It was written by Stefani, Linda Perry and her then-husband Gavin Rossdale, who is credited as "GMR". Nellee Hooper produced the song, with Mark "Spike" Stent serving as an additional producer. A synthpop and Europop ballad, "The Real Thing" talks about mutual love between two lovers. Interscope Records released the song as a promotional single exclusively in the Philipp...