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.
Whose Porno You Burn
Hole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Over my dead body, baby, that's where they'll be
Forget the knots around your neck
You say you remember, baby, you forget
Hey hey, this much is true
I never trusted you
Hey hey, this much is true
And I try just to forget
Never, I won't
Never, I won't
Never, ever, never
Saying things that you can't hear
My dumb mouth to your deaf ear
Gushing lump, a violent smear
My dumb mouth to your deaf ear
Hey hey, this much is true
I never twisted you
Hey hey, this much is true
Baby, I'd burn black for you
No, I won't go down to it
Never, I won't
Never, I won't
Never, I won't Never
Crawl right up the wall
Up the stairs and down your hall
Now you beg and you want me
Over my dead body, baby, that's where I'll be
And you laugh at my disease
While sugar runs from my arteries
Hey hey, this much is true
I never bothered you
Hey hey, this much is true
Baby, I'd burn black for you
And I try just to forget
Never, I won't
Never, I won't
Never, I won't
Never
Starts out like magic, some sick religion
That ain't no vulture, that's a fucking pigeon
She's got vultures in her hair
And blood and feathers, they are everywhere
You want retreat, filthy and deep
A dead moon, a drunken seed
Baby, there is a room full of death and whores and truth
And I am waiting in that room
And I am sorry I did that for you
It's all whores, it's all pain
It's all disease, man, it's all the same
My little Judas, my little twin
Where you start, that's where I begin
She said, "I want it NOW!"
The lyrics to Hole's song Whose Porno You Burn are provocative and confrontational, with a strong sense of anger and betrayal. In the first verse, the singer is addressing someone who wants the keys to something, but the singer is refusing to give them up, even in death. The second half of the verse seems to suggest that the other person is forgetting something important, possibly related to their past actions. The refrain of "Hey hey, this much is true / I never trusted you" emphasizes the lack of trust and a sense of defiance.
In the second verse, the singer talks about saying things that the other person can't hear and feeling frustrated by their deafness. The repetition of "never, I won't" reinforces the sense of stubbornness and refusal to back down. The final verse introduces a new element, with the singer begging and laughing at the same time, and a mention of disease and sugar running from arteries. The repetition of the refrain, "hey hey, this much is true / I never bothered you," seems almost sarcastic or bitter.
Overall, the lyrics to Whose Porno You Burn seem to be about a toxic romantic or sexual relationship, with a lot of resentment and anger simmering just below the surface. The imagery of death and disease adds to the sense of decay and rot that permeates the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Now you complain and say you want the keys
You are now complaining about not having control over the situation and demanding the authority to do so.
Over my dead body, baby, that's where they'll be
I will never give you the keys and will resist your efforts to control me or the situation.
Forget the knots around your neck
Stop worrying about the issues that are causing difficulties in our relationship.
You say you remember, baby, you forget
You claim to have retained the memory of our past experiences together, but you are constantly acting like you forgot.
Hey hey, this much is true
This statement is valid and accurate.
I never trusted you
I did not believe or have faith in your intentions or actions.
Now I'd burn black for you
I am willing to undergo great pain and suffering for you.
And I try just to forget
Despite my efforts, I cannot ignore or dismiss what has occurred.
Saying things that you can't hear
Expressing thoughts or emotions that you are unable or unwilling to listen and respond to.
My dumb mouth to your deaf ear
My attempts to communicate are ineffective because you refuse to listen.
Gushing lump, a violent smear
My words and actions are inelegant and messy, leading to further complications in our relationship.
I never twisted you
I did not attempt or succeed in manipulating you.
Baby, I'd burn black for you
I am willing to undergo extreme hardship or pain for you.
No, I won't go down to it
I am refusing to participate in a situation that I find unacceptable or reprehensible.
Crawl right up the wall
Navigating the situation is difficult and almost impossible.
Now you beg and you want me
You are now seeking my help even though you were previously resistant to my efforts.
And you laugh at my disease
You find enjoyment or amusement in my suffering or hardship.
While sugar runs from my arteries
I am facing severe physical difficulties, and you are not taking them seriously.
Starts out like magic, some sick religion
The situation began with promise and hope, but it has since transformed into something dark and corrupt.
That ain't no vulture, that's a fucking pigeon
What we initially thought was a dangerous and malicious entity turned out to be something rather benign and nonsensical.
She's got vultures in her hair
She is carrying a great deal of negativity and danger with her wherever she goes.
And blood and feathers, they are everywhere
The situation is deeply unpleasant, and the evidence of this is everywhere.
You want retreat, filthy and deep
You desire an escape that is bound to be unsatisfactory, uncomfortable or even hazardous.
A dead moon, a drunken seed
All that remains in this situation is death, decay and distress.
Baby, there is a room full of death and whores and truth
There is a place of stark reality, despair and corruption that we must confront.
And I am waiting in that room
I am willing and able to face this ugly reality with you.
And I am sorry I did that for you
I regret my involvement in this situation, which has caused pain and hardship for both of us.
It's all whores, it's all pain
Everything is rotten or corrupt, and it causes great suffering.
It's all disease, man, it's all the same
The variety of problems may differ but at the core, it is all broken and unhealthy.
My little Judas, my little twin
You serve as both a close companion but also a traitor with malicious intent.
Where you start, that's where I begin
My involvement begins with where you chose to involve me.
She said, "I want it NOW!"
There is a strong sense of urgency and demand in this situation, with no patience or willingness to wait for a resolution.
Contributed by Kaitlyn K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Cat_as_trophee
One of their hidden gems. Best outro in the world. Many of you will know what I mean. This is where Hole unleashes The Witchcraft".
@csspenab
I've heard the standard version of "Burn Black" but this track is amazing. I've been a Hole fan for 27 years and I've never heard this. It's so good and I'm so glad to find it.
@christianefelscherinow2585
Seriously one of their finest.
@gabrielprado2659
Yes
@bobomonster81
Patty's drumming is epic!!
@negativecreep5912
one of the most severely underrated bands of the early 90s
@vishkavishovski300
In my opinion, They were just as good as nirvana
@negativecreep5912
@@vishkavishovski300 not quite, but they were pretty good.
@vishkavishovski300
@@negativecreep5912 sorry, should’ve said in my opinion. Their first album in particular was wild
@ahsq12
And I'm waiting in that room, I'm waiting forever for you.