Love began her professional music career with a brief stint as the lead singer of Faith No More in the 1982. Shortly, she was kicked out of the band, due to the band wanting a male singer. Three years later, she formed an all-female pop-rock band called Sugar Babydoll with Kat Bjelland and Jennifer Finch, and later - also with Bjelland - the Pagan Babies. Love had greater early success as an actress, appearing as the best friend of Nancy Spungen in Alex Cox’s Sid Vicious biopic Sid and Nancy in 1986, and in Cox’s Straight to Hell in 1987, as well as small roles on television episodes.
Returning to music in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Love claims she co-founded the all-female rock band Babes in Toyland with Kat Bjelland in 1987, but others deny it;. Acrimony between Love and Bjelland led to Love’s quick exit from the band. The band’s biographer claims she stole house receipts to a Butthole Surfers concert. In 1989, Love formed her own band, Hole, with guitarist Eric Erlandson. The band’s 1991 debut album garnered little critical or popular attention in the United States but was celebrated in the influential British alternative-music press. Already a star in England, Hole’s fortunes improved considerably wtih Love’s marriage to Kurt Cobain and the publicity about Cobain’s death.
Unpopular with some Nirvana fans (comparisons to Yoko Ono were made early on and persist to this day), Love’s image was further tarnished by a 1992 article in Vanity Fair entitled “Strange Love,” in which she admitted to using heroin in the early stages of pregnancy. As a result, Child Welfare Services briefly investigated the Cobains’ fitness as parents. Love claims to this day that she was misquoted, saying she had told author Lynn Hirschberg that she had stopped using it once she learned she was pregnant.
Like Axl Rose, Love was ridiculed in the press for her abrasive, sometimes erratic behavior, such as cursing at paparazzi and publicly harassing Cobain’s former girlfriend, folksinger Mary Lou Lord.
Shortly before the release of Hole’s breakthrough album Live Through This in April 1994, Cobain committed suicide. Love read his suicide note at a televised memorial a few days later, sobbing hysterically and alternately cursing her husband as a “fucking asshole” and pleading with him to come back. Hole's bassist Kristen Pfaff died of drug overdose two months later. She was replaced by Melissa Auf der Maur later that year.
Love was a fashion trend-setter. In her early career, she modelled a “kinderwhore” look, which she was accused of having ripped off from Bjelland, although other sources suggest that the ripoff was in fact in the opposite direction. Love stated that the look was inspired by Christina Amphlett of 1980s rock group The Divinyls, most famously in a lengthy phone message recorded and subsequently released by The Muffs, who had ironically titled their album Blonder and Blonder after a sarcastic quote by Love regarding lead singer Kim Shattuck. Love’s style has since evolved, and she has modeled for more sophisticated designer labels.
Love received considerable acclaim for her role as Larry Flynt’s wife, Althea, in Milos Forman’s 1996 film The People vs. Larry Flynt, opposite Woody Harrelson as Flynt. She was also praised for her supporting role in the 1998 Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon, which starred Jim Carrey as Kaufman. Other notable film credits include Basquiat, 200 Cigarettes, and Feeling Minnesota.
Love released solo album ‘America’s Sweetheart’ in 2004, which contained a lot of collaborative work with Brody Dalle of The Distillers. In 2010, she resurrected the Hole name with a new lineup and released ‘Nobody’s Daughter’; this album contains some tracks from the never released album ‘How Dirty Girls Get Clean’.
In late 2012, Love announced per a Twitter account that "Hole is dead", and confirmed she would return to performing as a solo artist under her own name. She also referred to an upcoming single she recorded, produced by James Iha. On December 29, 2012, Love performed an acoustic show in New York, and performed at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013. Love has booked a tour of the east coast beginning in June 2013.
[2] Courtney Love is also the name of a band with Lois Maffeo and Pat Maley (Yoyo Recordings Founder). There are multiple explanations for the name, but this was before Love herself became famous. The duo would release three well-regarded 7” singles on K Records and a few compilation tracks, but no albums. They disbanded on 1991.
singles and EPs:
* Uncrushworthy 7” EP, 1990, K Records
* Highlights 7” EP, 1991, K Records
* Hey! Antoinette 7” EP, 1991, Feel Good All Over
compilations:
* “Don’t Mix The Colors”, Kill Rock Stars, 1991, Kill Rock Stars
* “Spray”, Throw: The Yoyo Studio Compilation, 1992, Yoyo Recordings
* “Baseball Bat”, One Last Kiss, 1992, Spinart
* “Motorcycle Boy”, International Pop Underground Convention, 1995, K Records
Mono
Courtney Love Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah
We had everything vinyl and mono
And we looked the other way
Man we were so dumb
Is the the part in the book that you wrote
Where I gotta come and save the day
Did you miss me
Did you miss me
Yeah yeah yeah
Well they say that rock is dead
They're probably right
99 girls in the pit
Did it have to come to this
Oh god you owe me one more song
So I can prove to you that I am so much better than him
Oh god please listen fast
Here comes the crash
We're gonna rise above
We gotta smash it up
You won't abandon us again
Hey
Give us brilliant boys we want to fuck man
Full of ecstasy hard drugs and bad luck
Yeah yeah yeah
Turn the lights back on
It burns so hard
But you won't burn long
Three chords in your pocket tonight
Are you you the one
With the spark to bring my punk rock back
I don't think so
Oh god I want to hear you say
I want to hear you say your sorry again
Oh god you owe me one more song
So I can prove to you that I am so much better than him
Oh god I'd give you anything to hear you say that I was right and you were wrong
Oh god before I leave this life
No and eight-ball isn't love
A hookers never gonna come
Just give it back to me
Blow out all of the lights to night
Yeah
2 million miles down the PCH
And now he's gone
I slashed his tires
I bled his brakes
It had to be done
Their hand job lives were just too cruel
Yeah mercy was done
We drown them all in their swimming pools
Run away run away run away yeah
Oh god I want to hear you say
I want to hear you say that you were wrong again
Oh god I want to hear you say
I want to hear you say that I am so much better than him
Oh god you owe us one more song
Just get out of my life
And see the world as it really is
Is this just a sad slide show
Can't make a hooker come
An eight ball isn't love
I need one thing that's divine
Let me hear it tonight
Let me hear it tonight
I gotta hear it tonight
You gotta let me here the one lost chord tonight
The song "Mono" by Courtney Love opens with a nostalgic reference to the time where they had everything on vinyl and mono, but they turned a blind eye to the situation. Following this, the song shifts to express the frustration of not being heard and wanting someone to apologize while highlighting the state of the rock genre as dead. The song also portrays the idea of not being happy with the world as it is, feeling the need to make a change and prove oneself. This frustration is displayed in the line "Oh god you owe me one more song so I can prove to you that I am so much better than him."
As the song progresses, Courtney Love talks about driving two million miles down the PCH, but now that "he's gone," she has slashed his tires and bled his brakes. The song then reaches an emphatic plea, where she wants to hear someone apologize for being wrong, as she does the chorus and then ends with the phrase, "Let me hear the one lost chord tonight."
The song Mono by Courtney Love was released in 1998, as part of their album Celebrity Skin, which received much critical acclaim. The song was produced by Michael Beinhorn, and it reached number 18 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey
Introduction to the song.
Yeah
Affirmative response to someone/something.
We had everything vinyl and mono
We had all the old music formats like vinyl and mono (monophonic) systems, perhaps suggesting a nostalgic love for them.
And we looked the other way
We ignored certain negative aspects or problems in our lives, perhaps due to our love/obsession with music.
Man we were so dumb
An admittance of past stupidity.
Is this the part in the book that you wrote
Is this the point in the story (our lives) that you envisioned and wrote about?
Where I gotta come and save the day
Do I have to be the hero that saves us from this situation?
Did you miss me
Asking if the other person missed the artist's presence or contributions.
Well they say that rock is dead
A commonly expressed idea or belief that rock music is no longer popular or relevant.
They're probably right
Agreement with the previous statement that rock is no longer popular/relevant.
99 girls in the pit
A reference to a rock concert or event with an energetic, enthusiastic crowd of 99 females in the mosh pit section.
Did it have to come to this
A rhetorical question expressing disappointment or frustration with the current situation or outcome.
Oh god you owe me one more song
Asking for another song from the other person or a higher power, perhaps as a form of validation or retribution.
So I can prove to you that I am so much better than him
So I can prove to you that I am superior (in music, talent, or other ways) to someone else.
Oh god please listen fast
Asking for swift attention or response from a higher power or the other person.
Here comes the crash
A sense of impending doom or disaster.
We're gonna rise above
An expression of hope or determination to overcome difficulties or challenges.
We gotta smash it up
We need to break the mold or challenge the status quo.
You won't abandon us again
A plea for reassurance or commitment from the other person to stay loyal.
Give us brilliant boys we want to fuck man
Asking for attractive, talented men to have sex with (potentially in a provocative or rebellious tone).
Full of ecstasy hard drugs and bad luck
Desiring excitement or thrill in life, even if it comes with risks or negative consequences.
Turn the lights back on
A request to restore light or clarity/understanding to a situation or discussion.
It burns so hard
Something is causing intense pain, discomfort, or strong emotions.
But you won't burn long
The artist is resilient and will not succumb to negative effects for long.
Three chords in your pocket tonight
A reference to the simplicity of some rock songs and how they can still have powerful impact with basic elements.
Are you the one
Are you the person who can make a difference or change?
With the spark to bring my punk rock back
Someone who can reignite or revitalize the punk rock culture, which may have lost its vigor or appeal over time.
I don't think so
A skeptical or doubtful response to the previous question/statement.
Oh god I want to hear you say
Asking for validation, acknowledgement, or apology from a higher power or the other person.
I want to hear you say your sorry again
Asking the other person to apologize again (possibly for past mistakes or wrongs).
Oh god I'd give you anything to hear you say that I was right and you were wrong
Willingness to do anything for affirmation or validation of one's decisions or opinions.
No and eight-ball isn't love
Rejecting the idea that destructive habits or vices (such as drug use) can represent love or fulfillment.
A hookers never gonna come
Not relying on a prostitute or external sources for happiness or satisfaction.
Just give it back to me
Returning or regaining something that was taken away or lost (could be related to a former lover, musical inspiration, or other things).
Blow out all of the lights to night
A metaphorical request to end something, change course, or start anew.
2 million miles down the PCH
A reference to the Pacific Coast Highway in California, signifying a long journey or trip.
And now he's gone
A statement of relief or acceptance after someone has left or ended a relationship.
I slashed his tires
Potentially destructive or even violent behavior towards someone who has wronged the singer.
I bled his brakes
Further actions taken to harm or damage someone's property or well-being.
It had to be done
A justification or rationalization for the previous actions.
Their hand job lives were just too cruel
A criticism of ordinary or unfulfilling lives and jobs that don't offer excitement or creative expression.
Yeah mercy was done
Giving up on being merciful, showing compassion, or seeking forgiveness.
We drown them all in their swimming pools
An exaggerated or metaphorical expression of defeating or overpowering enemies or antagonists.
Run away run away run away yeah
Encouraging someone to escape or flee from a difficult or oppressive situation.
Oh god I want to hear you say
Repeat of a previous line, asking for validation or acknowledgement.
That you were wrong again
Asking for the other person to admit fault or apologize again.
Oh god I want to hear you say
Repeat of a previous line, asking for validation or acknowledgement.
That I am so much better than him
Claiming superiority over someone else.
Oh god you owe us one more song
A more forceful demand for another song or performance, framing it as something that is owed to the singer/fans.
Just get out of my life
A request for someone to leave the singer's life or existence entirely (could be related to a former lover, friend, or other acquaintance).
And see the world as it really is
Encouraging the other person to gain perspective or clarity on reality.
Is this just a sad slide show
Questioning the quality or authenticity of a certain experience or reality.
Can't make a hooker come
Asserting that external sources or influences cannot create happiness or fulfillment on their own.
An eight ball isn't love
A repeat of a previous line, rejecting the idea that drugs or destructive habits can fulfill a person's needs or desires for love.
I need one thing that's divine
Expressing a desire for something that is pure or sacred, in contrast to more worldly pleasures.
Let me hear it tonight
An urgent or desperate request to experience or achieve something desired.
I gotta hear it tonight
A repeat of a previous line, emphasizing the immediacy and importance of the request/desire.
You gotta let me hear the one lost chord tonight
Request to experience or hear something that is rare or missing, perhaps related to music or inspiration.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Courtney M. Love, Linda Perry, Laurence Gregory Schemel, Patricia Theresa Schemel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind