232,194 plays (58,345 listeners)
“Awful” is the third and final single by Hole from their album Celebrity Skin. The lyrics explore how the media and modern pop culture corrupt young girls and how they should rebel. There is, allegedly, a brief allusion to Gavin Rossdale on the lyrics, who once had a fling with Courtney Love.
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.
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.
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Albums featuring this track
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Celebrity Skin
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Awful
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Celebrity Skin (Live)
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Shouts
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leidyd wrote:
me3
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x_satania_x wrote:
love it
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amberleister333 wrote:
awful says it all...give me some shit from pretty on the inside
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twothirtythree wrote:
anything but. [2]
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aircod1 wrote:
damn what a catchy great song. swing low, cherry cherry make it awful
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NeonxRain wrote:
i love love love love love courtney love =D
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deadgrandma wrote:
Perfect song, up there with Belle and Sebastian's finest
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eveliom wrote:
you used to be so hot. What happened Court?
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diogoxara wrote:
hated it at first, but now it has grown on me
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redx00xstar wrote:
one of my favorites from Celebrity Skin <3
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nyotek wrote:
i love it...
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ericstahl wrote:
Billy C wrote all the songs on this album...
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DEJFEN wrote:
G8!
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pannaprocent wrote:
it's great ! . I listing it first time , and i love it ! < 3
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SasuSaku17 wrote:
yeah, sound awfull
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xveganrox wrote:
better than anything her bo wrote <3
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YurisMusicBox wrote:
love it too! :$ Not that im proud.
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jenicafalls wrote:
seriously underated song. i remember melody maker said it sounded like belinda carlisle haha
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betsie wrote:
luv this song! awesome!!!!!!!!!!!
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Laris_e wrote:
8D
Hole
Awful
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Recent Activity
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KlLLSW1TCH added Awful to their Loved Tracks. 4 hours ago
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mistermister200 added Awful to mistermister200’s library. yesterday evening
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mistermister200 added Awful to the playlist 1. yesterday evening
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denahey, benbeckham, FullMetalTony and 18 other people loved Hole – Awful. yesterday evening
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mrshopkins73 added Awful to mrshopkins73’s library. Saturday evening
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mrshopkins73 added Awful to the playlist. Saturday evening
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talon3, vacaa, IIIIGUNSLINGER and 8 other people loved Hole – Awful. Saturday evening
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godteri tagged Awful with ‘rock’. Thursday evening
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eddypoo, brettmobile1 and adders71 loved Hole – Awful. Thursday evening
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sophiemabelle shared Awful with lapauline. Thursday afternoon
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