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.
Jennifer's Body
Hole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, I know it enough to believe it
And I know it, I can't see it
But I know it enough to believe it
To better you, to better me
My better half has bitten me
To better you, to better me
The pieces of Jennifer's body
Found pieces of Jennifer's body
Found pieces of Jennifer's body
Just relax, just relax, just go to sleep
Just relax, just relax, just go to sleep
You're hungry, but I'm starving
He cuts you down from the tree
He keeps you in a box by the bed
Alive, but just barely
He said, I'm your lover, I'm your friend
I'm pure," and he hit me again
With a bullet, number one
Kill the family, save the son himself, himself
The pieces of Jennifer's body
Found pieces of Jennifer's body
Found pieces of Jennifer's body
Just relax, just relax, just go to sleep
Just relax, just relax, just go to sleep
Now she's mine
The song "Jennifer's Body" by Hole is a dark, haunting portrayal of abuse, power, and control. The opening lyrics, "And I know it, I can't feel it, Well, I know it enough to believe it, And I know it, I can't see it, But I know it enough to believe it," set the tone for the rest of the song. It is about feeling trapped in a cycle of abuse but not being able to escape because of both the physical and emotional hold the abuser has over the victim. The line, "To better you, to better me, My better half has bitten me," suggests the abuser has manipulated the victim into thinking that the abuse is for their own good.
The chorus "The pieces of Jennifer's body, Found pieces of Jennifer's body," references the real-life story of a woman named Jennifer who was murdered and dismembered by her friend. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the gruesome circumstances surrounding her death. The line "Just relax, just relax, just go to sleep" further emphasizes the perpetrator's sadistic nature and the victim's powerlessness.
The last section of the song switches to the first-person point of view of the abuser, revealing the twisted thoughts and ideology behind their actions. The line "He said, I'm your lover, I'm your friend, I'm pure," showcases how abusers often manipulate their victims into thinking that their actions are out of love and care for them, when in reality, it's all about control. The final line "Now she's mine" shows how the abuser has taken complete ownership of the victim's body and soul.
Overall, "Jennifer's Body" is a chilling portrayal of abuse, murder, and control. It sheds light on the horrors of domestic violence and the twisted mindset of abusers.
Line by Line Meaning
And I know it, I can't feel it
I have a strong belief in something that I am not able to physically sense.
Well, I know it enough to believe it
Despite not being able to see or feel something, I still strongly believe it to be true.
And I know it, I can't see it
I have a strong belief in something that is not visible to me.
But I know it enough to believe it
Despite not being able to see something, I have a strong belief in its existence.
To better you, to better me
I strive to improve both myself and those around me through my actions.
My better half has bitten me
Someone I was in a close relationship with has caused me harm.
Sleeping with my enemy myself, myself
I am in a situation where I must coexist with someone who is working against me, potentially even myself.
The pieces of Jennifer's body
Parts of Jennifer's physical form have been discovered/dissected.
Found pieces of Jennifer's body
Pieces of Jennifer's physical form have been located/discovered.
Just relax, just relax, just go to sleep
A calming, potentially threatening statement meant to put someone at ease in order to harm them.
You're hungry, but I'm starving
You may feel a level of need, but I am in a much worse situation.
He cuts you down from the tree
Someone has interfered with your life and pulled you down from a place of safety or stability.
He keeps you in a box by the bed
Someone is trapping you in a space where they can easily control and monitor you.
Alive, but just barely
You are physically present in the world, but barely hanging on or surviving.
He said, I'm your lover, I'm your friend
The person who is harming me is attempting to justify their actions by claiming a close relationship.
I'm pure," and he hit me again
The person attempting to justify their harmful behavior is also contrasting themselves with notions of purity or goodness while continuing to cause harm.
With a bullet, number one
A reference to ranking or competition, indicating that the harm being caused is purposeful and even planned.
Kill the family, save the son himself, himself
A sinister statement about causing harm to others in order to benefit oneself, regardless of the devastation it may cause to those surrounding them.
Now she's mine
The singer has taken control or is asserting power over Jennifer.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Eric T Erlandson, Courtney M. Love
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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