The band had a revolving line-up of bassists and drummers, their most prolific being drummer Patty Schemel, and bassists Kristen Pfaff (d. 1994) and Melissa Auf der Maur. In 2002 the group disbanded to pursue other projects. Eight years later in 2010, Hole was reformed by Love with new members, despite Erlandson's claim that the reformation breached a mutual contract he had with Love. The reformed band released the album Nobody's Daughter, which had originally been conceived as Love's second solo album. In 2013, Love retired the Hole name, releasing new material and touring as a solo artist.
Hole has been noted for being one of the most commercially successful female-fronted rock bands of all time, selling over three million records in the United States alone and having a far-reaching influence on contemporary female artists. Music and feminist scholars have also recognized the band as the most high-profile musical group of the 1990s to discuss gender issues in their songs, due to Love's aggressive and violent lyrical content, which often addressed themes of body image, abuse, and sexual exploitation.
Hole went on to become the most commercially successful female-fronted grunge band in history, selling over 3 million records in the United States between 1991 and 2010. In spite of Love's often polarizing reputation in the media, Hole received consistent critical praise for their output, and was often noted for the predominant feminist commentary found in Love's lyrics, which scholars have credited as "articulating a third-wave feminist consciousness". Love's subversive onstage persona and public image coincided with the band's songs, which expressed "pain, sorrow, and anger, but [an] underlying message of survival, particularly survival in the face of overwhelming circumstances." Music journalist Maria Raha expressed a similar sentiment in regard to the band's significance to third-wave feminism, stating, "Whether you love Courtney [Love] or hate her, Hole was the highest-profile female-fronted band of the '90s to openly and directly sing about feminism."
While Rolling Stone compared the effect of Love's marriage to Kurt Cobain on the band to that of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, they noted that "Love's confrontational stage presence, as well as her gut-wrenching vocals and powerful punk-pop songcraft, made her an alternative-rock star in her own right." Author Nick Wise made a similar comparison in discussion of the band's public image, stating, "Not since Yoko Ono's marriage to John Lennon has a woman's personal life and exploits within the rock arena been so analyzed and dissected." The band has been cited as a major influence on several contemporary artists, including indie singer songwriter Scout Niblett, Brody Dalle of the Distillers and Spinnerette, Sky Ferreira, Lana Del Rey, Tove Lo, Tegan and Sara, and the British rock band Nine Black Alps. The band ranked at #77 of VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists.
Dicknail
Hole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come over here
Got something for you
Dicknail
She liked it
You know she liked it
Well, she was asking for it
Dicknail
I said, I said stop
I did what you said
I did what you want
I was a good girl
I was a good girl
I was a good girl
I said, I said, I said, I said NO!
Hey, Daddy
One thing's for certain, baby
You have my guarantee
You won't forget me
I said, I said stop
I did what you said
I did what you want
I was a good girl
I was a good girl
I was a good girl
I said, I said, I said, I said NO!
Do you remember Christmas morning?
You know it's real because
Well, here comes Santa Claus
She liked it
You know she liked it
Fat claw on your sack
Fall on, on your sack
Claw, claw, claw, claw
The lyrics to Hole's song Dicknail are undoubtedly controversial, as they seem to suggest a possible abusive or violent situation between a father and a daughter. The song starts with the daughter calling her father and telling him she has something for him – a “dicknail”. Immediately, the father is portrayed as an aggressor, as he takes pleasure in the situation, claiming that “she was asking for it”. The daughter then tries to object, stating that she said “no”, but it's implied that she wasn't listened to.
The second verse repeats the same structure, the daughter trying to be obedient and “good”, while the father seems to ignore her protests. The last lines to the song are particularly disturbing, as they suggest that the father may have used violence on the daughter, referring to Christmas morning and using the metaphor of Santa Claus as a “fat claw” that falls “on your sack”.
The song is often interpreted as a commentary on the pervasive rape culture in our society and how victims of sexual abuse are often ignored or not taken seriously. Courtney Love, the lead singer of Hole and writer of the song, has been vocal about her own experiences with sexual abuse and has said that the song reflects a common situation in the music industry, where young women are exploited by older men in positions of power.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, Daddy
The singer is calling out to their father-figure.
Come over here
The singer is requesting for the father-figure to approach them.
Got something for you
The singer has something to give to the father-figure.
Dicknail
This is either the object that the artist is giving the father-figure or a derogatory term that reflects their attitude towards him.
She liked it
The artist is suggesting that someone (possibly the father-figure) has acted inappropriately towards someone else and the victim appeared to enjoy it.
You know she liked it
The singer is reinforcing their belief that the victim enjoyed the inappropriate behavior.
Well, she was asking for it
The singer is implying that the victim's behavior warranted the inappropriate behavior of the other person.
I said, I said stop
The artist is telling someone to stop their inappropriate behavior.
I did what you said
The artist had complied with the demands of the person who was acting inappropriately.
I did what you want
The artist had fulfilled the desires of the person who was acting inappropriately.
I was a good girl
The singer had behaved obediently and did not deserve to be treated inappropriately.
I said, I said, I said, I said NO!
The artist had refused to participate in the inappropriate behavior and had said 'no'.
One thing's for certain, baby
The singer is addressing the father-figure again.
You have my guarantee
The singer is offering an assurance to the father-figure.
You won't forget me
The singer believes that they will make a lasting impression on the father-figure.
Do you remember Christmas morning?
The artist is asking the father-figure if they remember a particular event on Christmas morning.
You know it's real because
The artist is suggesting that an event or memory was genuine or true.
Well, here comes Santa Claus
This line may be sarcastic as the image of Santa Claus may represent something negative or unwelcoming.
Fat claw on your sack
This image is grotesque and unpleasant, suggesting physical harm or discomfort.
Fall on, on your sack
This line may suggest the artist is urging something unpleasant or violent to happen to the father-figure.
Claw, claw, claw, claw
This repetition of 'claw' reinforces the violent and aggressive tone of the song.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Courtney M Love, Eric T. Erlandson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
EvieTV
Early Hole was fuckin' excellent. Courtney was best when she spat pure rage.
Dids the cat
@Jason Methystine Agreed. She’ll never get the praise or credit that she deserves because they think Cobain did it all for her. Worst thing she ever did to herself was marry that man
Jason Methystine
before she/Hole was/were decimated by the Kurt association
Lea Sardo
Early Hole is so heavy and unapologetic. Incredible
Dids the cat
Yep. I like Live Through This but Pretty On The Inside and earlier releases are absolute perfection for me
Christopher Surber
Hole is another one of my favorite 90's punk bands...raw and ruthless
Hungover
God their songs give me literal CHILLS.
[diamond]
This is one of my favs by them
Tree-hugger Sans-cœur
Then you have to watch the live version at club lingerie... it’s insane!
Ash Amazon
I think I like the live version better but this one is amazing too. Love Hole.