Described as "funny" but also "kind of sad" by the writer herself, Courtney Love has proclaimed that this is one of her most loved songs. Writing the lyrics offered her a backwards glimpse at the angry, determined youth she once was but with the sobering experience of her adult years. The words were written before the music and were initially more than 2 pages long. At the time they included "we are always on the list, we have always wanted this / finally we're popular, finally we're pretty!" Courtney condensed the tome into the current format to give the song a more suitable length.
The opening riff which carries throughout the song and the rhythm were written by bassist Melissa Auf der Maur and drummer Patty Schemel, who were roommates at the time. Although credited for authorship, Patty left during recording sessions due to personal issues, and as such does not drum on the track, something Courtney laments. While Courtney has revealed only that she wishes Patty's great rhythm was still on the track, Hole guitarist Eric Erlandson implied that Celebrity Skin producer Michael Beinhorn drove Schemel to a nervous breakdown.
Awful
Hole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make it awful
It's your life it's your party it's so awful
Let's start a fire
Let's have a riot! Yeah it's awful
It was punk
Yeah it was perfect now it's awful
They know how to break all the girls
And they rob the souls of the girls like you
And they break the hearts of the girls
Swing low cherry cherry
Yeah it's awful
He's drunk he tastes
Like candy he's so beautiful
He's so deep like dirty water
God, he's awful
You're lost, oh, where's your daddy it's so
awful
And they royalty rate all the girls like you
And they sell it out to the girls like you
To incorporate little girls
Hey, run away with the light
Run away it's divine
Let's run away, yeah, tonight and
We'll steal the light of the world
Swing low, sweet cherry, yeah, it's awful
You're ripe for the picking, it's so awful
You've got your youth
Don't waste your money
Yeah it's awful
I was punk!
Now I'm just stupid!
I'm so awful
Oh, just shut up you're only 16
If the world is so wrong
Yeah you can break them all
With one song
If the world is so wrong yeah you can take it
all
With one song
Swing low sweet cherry
Make it awful
They bought it all, just build a new one,
Make it beautiful yeah
The lyrics to "Awful" by Hole are layered with meaning, despite the simple and repetitive refrain of "Swing low, sweet cherry." The song's opening lines indicate a desire to make things "awful." Perhaps the singer is fed up with their mundane life and wants to cause chaos, or maybe they want to confront their problems head-on. Regardless, an undercurrent of frustration and anger is present throughout the song. The following lines suggest that the world is unfair to young women, with lines like "They know how to break all the girls like you/And they rob the souls of the girls like you/And they break the hearts of the girls."
The song goes on to describe a beautiful but destructive person, who is "so deep like dirty water." The singer seems drawn to this person despite their flaws, perhaps because they embody the chaos the singer seeks. There are references to royalty rates and selling out, suggesting that the music industry takes advantage of young artists. The chorus returns with more invitations to make things "awful," and the song's final lines suggest that even if everything falls apart, it's possible to "just build a new one/make it beautiful."
Overall, "Awful" presents a complex mix of anger, frustration, and desire for change. It touches on themes of youth, feminism, and the music industry. At its core, the song seems to be a call for rebellion against the status quo.
Line by Line Meaning
Swing low sweet cherry
Let's go down to the depressing place.
Make it awful
Make it bad, make it hard to watch, make it tough.
It's your life it's your party it's so awful
You're in control of this horrible mess, so revel in it, enjoy the pain.
Let's start a fire
Let's add more chaos and destruction to the world around us.
Let's have a riot! Yeah it's awful
Let's gather and destroy things, bring violence, and continue to revel in misery.
It was punk
Our previous actions were rebellious and edgy.
Yeah it was perfect now it's awful
What used to be great is now terrible.
They know how to break all the girls like you
People in power know how to manipulate and hurt those who are vulnerable like you.
And they rob the souls of the girls like you
They will take your spirit and crush it for their own gain.
And they break the hearts of the girls
They will destroy you emotionally.
Swing low cherry cherry
Let's go down to the depressing place again.
Yeah it's awful
Life is just so hard to bear.
He's drunk he tastes
The man is definitely intoxicated and his breath stinks.
Like candy he's so beautiful
Despite his disgusting appearance, he's very attractive.
He's so deep like dirty water
He may seem complex and unknowable, but he's actually dark and gross.
God, he's awful
Ugh, he's just the worst.
You're lost, oh, where's your daddy it's so awful
You're alone and scared, and it's terrible that nobody is here to protect you.
And they royalty rate all the girls like you
Those in power put a price on your body and your worth.
And they sell it out to the girls like you
They exploit your vulnerabilities and insecurities for their own gain.
To incorporate little girls
They train you to fit into their narrow view of what a woman should be.
Hey, run away with the light
Let's escape and find something better.
Run away it's divine
Leaving this mess behind will feel amazing and life-changing.
Let's run away, yeah, tonight
Let's leave now, let's not wait for another moment.
And we'll steal the light of the world
Let's take back some control, let's become powerful and change the world.
Swing low, sweet cherry, yeah, it's awful
Let's head down to that dark place one more time, it's just so bad.
You're ripe for the picking, it's so awful
You're easy to exploit, and it's just really sad.
You've got your youth
You're still young and have potential.
Don't waste your money
Don't squander your resources on things that don't matter.
Yeah it's awful
Life just feels so terrible sometimes.
I was punk!
I used to be rebellious and countercultural.
Now I'm just stupid!
Now I'm just pathetic and lost.
I'm so awful
I'm just as bad as everything else going on.
Oh, just shut up you're only 16
You're too young to understand the world, naive and inexperienced.
If the world is so wrong
Since everything else is such a mess.
Yeah you can break them all
You can be just as powerful as those in authority.
With one song
With the right message and passion, you can inspire people and make a difference.
Swing low sweet cherry
One more depressing trip down there.
Make it awful
Let's keep up the misery and pain.
They bought it all, just build a new one,
They've destroyed everything, but we can create a new world.
Make it beautiful yeah
Let's strive for something better, let's make a world worth living in.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ERIC T ERLANDSON, COURTNEY M. LOVE, MELISSA AUF DER MAUR, SCHEMEL PATTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Pumkinghead
on Malibu
quiero ir a malibu