THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

623-Hole-Celebrity Skin.

1998-Number 19 single.

Best Bit-At 0.59. Ignore all of that 1990’s media fake news, you were force fed by the tabloids. The real musical ‘Girl Power’ wasn’t all that Spice hype, it was ladies like this.

Courtney Love was born Courtney Michelle Harrison, on July 9th, 1964, in San Francisco, California, United States, she is a singer, musician, songwriter, and an actress, and has appeared in seven films between 1986-2002. Courtney Love is best known for being the co-founder, and lead vocalist of the ‘Alternative Rock’ group ‘Hole,’ and also for being the widow of Kurt Cobain, (1967-1994) (see also best songs 788 and 9) the frontman for ‘Nirvana,’ whom she married in 1992. Together they had one child, Frances Bean Cobain, who was born on August 18th, 1992, and currently controls the publicity rights to her father’s name and image.

‘Hole’ who were an ‘Alternative Rock,’ ‘Grunge,’ ‘Punk Rock,’ and ‘Noise Rock’ group, were formed in 1989, in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, by Courtney Love, (lead vocals, and rhythm guitar) and Eric Erlandson, (lead guitar) after he had responded to an advertisement placed by Courtney Love in ‘Recycler,’ a local classified ad paper. The advertisement read,’I want to start a band. My influences are ‘Big Black,’ ‘Sonic Youth,’ and ‘Fleetwood Mac.” Love and Erlandson began to write together, and were soon joined by Mike Geisbrecht, (rhythm guitar,) Lisa Roberts, bass) and Caroline Rue, (drums) in total there have been 15 different members come and go, with Courtney Love being the groups one constant during their active years of 1989-2002, and then 2009-2012. Of the naming of the band, Courtney Love has said that the name was partly inspired by a quote from ‘Euripides’ (Greek Writer-480-406 BC) that read, ‘There is a hole that pierces right through me.’ Love has also acknowledged the ‘obvious’ genital reference in the band’s name, alluding to the vagina.

The discography of ‘Hole’ includes four studio Albums released between 1991-2010, and 16 singles released between 1990-2010, there is also one official compilation Album, and one live Album available. In America they have never had a top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100, but nine of their songs have reached the Billboard ‘Alternative Airplay’ top 40, with ‘Celebrity Skin’ making the Number 1 spot. In the UK, five of their singles have reached the top 40, with ‘Doll Parts,’ from 1994, peaking the highest at Number 16. Courtney Love has also released one solo studio Album, ‘America’s Sweetheart,’ in 2004, which made Number 53 on Billboard, and Number 56 in the UK.

‘Celebrity Skin’ was the first single released by Hole from their third studio Album of the same name, from September 1998, the song was co-written by Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, and Billy Corgan of the ‘Smashing Pumpkins,’ (see also best songs 374) with the production being by Michael Beinhorn (see also best songs 614.) ‘Celebrity Skin’ represented a departure from the bands first two Albums, which were more aggressive in melody, and less lyrically restrained, It is said that Courtney Love was in need of inspiration at that time, and so brought in Billy Corgan, who wrote this songs main guitar riff, as well as co-writing four tracks on the Album.

The lyrics to ‘Celebrity Skin’ were written by Courtney Love, as were all the lyrics on the Album. The song tells of the futility of celebrity, and fame, and is anti Hollywood. The lyrics contain literary references, the line,’Oh look at my face/my name is might have been,’ is directly lifted from the opening verse of Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s (1828-1882) poem ‘A Superscription,’ (1869) and the phrase ‘Pound of flesh,’ originates from William Shakespeare’s (1564-1616) ‘The Merchant of Venice’ (1598.) A line from the song, ‘Beautiful Garbage,’ inspired the ‘Alternative Rock’ group ‘Garbage’ to call their third studio Album in 2001, ‘Beautiful Garbage.’ Eric Erlandson has said,’Courtney writes what she feels, and this is obviously one of her observations of Hollywood. We used this great hollow city as inspiration for the Album.’

‘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.’