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Rating:
Album released between two tragedies, the suicide of Kurt Cobain and the overdose death of bassist Kristen Pfaff, Live Through This is by far the best work from Hole and a truly remarkable album, among the best put to record in Seattle (forever blessed, the Bologna of the U.S.A.).
A predominantly female quartet led by Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love, which included Eric Erlandson on guitar (the only male), Kristen Pfaff on bass, and Patty Schemel on drums.
The album is perfectly balanced between punk fury and melodic ballad, with tracks in perfect Seattle sound where the anger seems to calm for a moment only to suddenly and swiftly reignite, with Courtney Love always charmingly raucous as the leading star, with her voice capable of lashing out and captivating at the same time.
Songs like “Violet,” “Miss World,” “Doll Parts,” and “Softer Softest” are classics and could serve as examples of what grunge was, but the rest of the lineup is also captivating and engaging, never a drop in tone, never the urge to skip a track.
Legend has it that behind this album is the handiwork of the late Cobain (Gutless is a Nirvana outtake, I’m ready to bet on that) whether true or not at this point matters little, even if for an album of such beauty the doubt arises spontaneously. Is Mrs. Love capable of producing such tormented and anguished music?! Seeing (or rather listening to) the before and after would suggest not. Certainly, if not, the interpretation of another’s score is applause-worthy.
A great slice of uterine rock, that when listened to in times of Evanescence and Avril Lavigne, makes us long for our adolescence and the good old '90s that once were.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Softer, Softest (03:29)
I tell you everything
I hope that you won't tell on me
I'd give you anything
I know that you won't tell on me
Pee girl gets the belt
It only makes me cry
And all your milk is sour
And I can only cry
And I can only cower
And I can only cry
You have all the power
I've got a blister from
Touching everything I see
The abyss opens up
It steals everything from me
Pee girl gets the belt
The old milk makes me mind
Your milk is so sick
Your milk has a dye
Your milk has a dick
Your milk has a dye
Your milk has a dick
Burn the witch
The witch is dead
Burn the witch
Just bring me back her head
The pee girl gets the belt
Your milk makes me melt
Your milk is so mean
Your milk turns to mine
Your milk turns to cream
Your milk turns to cry
Your milk turns to cream
Your milk turns to cry
Your milk turns to cream
Your milk turns to cry
Your milk turns to cream
03 Miss World (03:06)
I am the girl you know can't look you in the eye
I am the girl you know so sick I cannot try
I am the one you want can't look you in the eye
I am the girl you know I lie, and lie, and lie
I'm miss world, somebody kill me
Kill me pills, no one cares my friends
My friend
I'm miss world, watch me break and watch me burn
No one is listening my friends, yeah
I make my bed I lie in it
I make my bed I die in it
I make my bed I lie in it
I make my bed I die in it
Cute girls watch when I eat ether
Suck me under, maybe forever my friends, yeah
I make my bed I lie in it
I make my bed I die in it
I make my bed I lie in it
I make my bed I cry in it
I make my bed I lie in it
I make my bed I cry in it
I make my bed I die in it
I make my bed I cry in it
My friend
I am the girl you know can't look you in the eye
04 Teenage Whore (02:45)
When I was a teenage whore
My mother asked me, she said, "Baby, what for?
I give you plenty, why do you want more?
Baby, why are you a teenage whore?"
I said, "I feel so alone and I, I wish I could die"
I've seen the things you put me through and I, I wish I could die
When I was a teenage whore
The rain came down like it never did before
I paid good money not to be ignored
Then why am I a teenage whore?
I've seen your repulsion and it looks real good on you
Denying what...what what you put me through
...of my house...get out of my house!
Get out of my house...get out of my house!
When I was a teenage whore
My mother asked me, she said, "Baby, what for?
I give you plenty, why do you want more?
Baby, why are you a teenage whore?"
I've seen your repulsion and it looks real good on you
I don't want to live what you had...you have put me through
I wanted that shirt and I, I wanted those pants
It's all the lying put me through and I
I never...whoa!
05 Hungry Like the Wolf (01:55)
Down in the city, night is alive
Steam in the subway, earth is afire
Do do do do do do
Woman you want me, give me a sign
You check my breathing
I'm just a moment behind
Do do do do do do
In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt I'm after you
Smell like I sound
Lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like a wolf
Night is alive
Earth is afire
Yeah, I'm on the hunt I'm after you
Smell like I sound
Lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like a wolf
(Band trails off)
COURTNEY: My hot chord got lost. Chad...forget it, it's, it's over. Oh, this
is so spontaneous.
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By ashanti
Live Through This is the quintessential pop-grunge product, more so than the lauded Nevermind.
More than unabashed utilitarianism, it is an act of love, of fidelity, until the end, beyond death.
