For My Sunday Song #465, we are talking a song from a band I never got into, however, I loved this song. That song is “Celebrity Skin” and the band is Hole. Fronted by Courtney Love, Hole was an alt rock/grunge band from the 90’s. The album, titled ‘Celebrity Skin’, was released on September 8, 1998 and the title track was released as a single on the same day. Back in a time where you didn’t have 5 singles out before the album even came out…the good old days. The song only went to #85 in the Hot 100, but went all the to #1 on the Alternative Rock Chart even going to Platinum status selling over 1 million copies.
The song was written by Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson and Smashing Pumpkins own Billy Corgan. The song was inspired by the year the band took off so Courtney could pursue her Hollywood acting career. It highlights the struggle of maintaining an image in the public eye. It talks about how superficial and hollow that image really is. One minute you are the talk of the town and the next you are yesterday’s news. It even takes a line from Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s poem, “A Superscription” which is “Oh, look at my face / My name is might-have-been”. Heck even the name of the song “Celebrity Skin” is taken from a porno magazine that shows pictures of naked celebrities.
Musically, that opening riff is killer and was contributed by Billy Corgan…and it sounds like something he’d play. The song itself is a slight change of direction for Hole as it is a lot more polished and even a little poppier, but the subject matter still reflects a darkness they are used to exploring. The crunchy guitars from Eric, the thumping bass from Melissa Auf der Maur and heavy drum beat from uncredited Deen Castronovo (Journey) really drive the song forward. Courtney’s vocals are great as she has a little grit to her voice giving it a needed edge for the darker tones, but the chorus she is silky smooth and giving a light & fluffy sound to accentuate the ridiculousness of the celebrity image. A short song as it is under 3 minutes, but it is powerful and effective and a nice kick in the teeth. With the big hooky chorus, I was all in. Still never got in to the band though.
Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. The image of being perfect is so overrated and ridiculous that songs like this need to be sung. I think that image is even more fragile now with the Instas and Snaps taking that image to a whole other level. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!
“Celebrity Skin”
Oh, make me over
I’m all I wanna be
A walking study
In demonology
Hey, so glad you could make it
Yeah, now you’ve really made it
Hey, so glad you could make it now
Oh, look at my face
My name is “Might-Have-Been”
My name is “Never Was”
My name’s forgotten
Hey, so glad you could make it
Yeah, now you’ve really made it
Hey, there’s only us left now
When I wake up in my makeup
It’s too early for that dress
Wilted and faded somewhere in Hollywood
I’m glad I came here with your pound of flesh
No second billing ’cause you’re a star now
Oh, Cinderella, they aren’t sluts like you
Beautiful garbage, beautiful dresses
Can you stand up or will you just fall down?
You better watch out
Oh, what you wish for
It better be worth it
So much to die for
Hey, so glad you could make it
Yeah, now you’ve really made it
Hey, there’s only us left now
When I wake up in my makeup
Have you ever felt so used up as this?
It’s all so sugarless, hooker, waitress
Model, actress, oh, just go nameless
Honeysuckle, she’s full of poison
She obliterated everything she kissed
Now she’s fading somewhere in Hollywood
I’m glad I came here with your pound of flesh
You want a part of me?
Well, I’m not selling cheap
No, I’m not selling cheap
Writer(s): William Patrick Corgan, Courtney Love, Eric T Erlandson
