Track Listing

1. Violet
2. Miss World
3. Plump
4. Asking For It
5. Jennifer's Body
6. Doll Parts
7. Credit In The Straight World
8. Softer, Softest
9. She Walks On Me
10. I Think That I Would Die
11. Gutless
12. Rock Star

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21028 in Music
• Released on: 1999-03-20
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds
• Running time: 38 minutes

CD Description
LIVE THROUGH THIS would have been an important record even without the heartbreaking overtones surrounding Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain and their daughter Frances Bean. In light of those events, however, there is a poignant resonance to Hole's songs that amplifies, and in some cases transcends their original meaning.
With her husky growl and simmering sing-song delivery, Courtney Love at times suggests a female Johnny Rotten. Sugar and spice and all things nice she is not, if a song like "Doll Parts" is any indication ("Someday you will ache like I ache"). She sounds like someone who was denied a real childhood, and life's experiences seemed to have curdled inside of her. The soft-hard-soft-hard program of each song reflects a conflict between her suppressed feminine yearnings and her own world-weary, tough-gal persona.
Love's bitter, over-the-top emotional recollections give LIVE THROUGH THIS much of its bite, while Hole's refined, kick-assarrangements tend to humanise, and occasionally soften Love's wellsprings of resentment. In contrast to the relentless punk rock of PRETTY ON THE INSIDE, LIVE THROUGH THIS is a more polished alternative production, although tunes like "Gutless" are pure Sex Pistols rant and raveup ("All my friends are embryonic, all my friends are dead and gone/All my friends are microscopic, all my friends wake up alone...Sleep with me wake up alive...I don't really miss God, but I sure miss Santa Claus").
Her sensuality and sexual ambivalence are front and centre on LIVE THROUGH THIS. "You should learn how to say no", she yowls on "Violet". ("When they get what they want, they never want it again...Go on take everything, take everything, I want you to". Not exactly "The Chapel Of Love".) Every inch the failed romantic and social outcast, on songs like "Asking For It" and "Rock Star" Love compulsively peels away at her own skin until a throbbing void of bitterness is all that remains. Look away if you can't take the truth or fathom the enigmatic lyrics, but you won't be able to ignore LIVE THROUGH THIS.

Customer Reviews

A Catalogue Of Emotions.
'Live Through This' is the best album Hole released. Not as raw as 'Pretty On The Inside' nor as polished as 'Celebrity Skin' but still raw and polished enough. It starts with 'Violet', which sums up Hole completely.Rage, Cynisism, screechy guitars and lyrics screamed in your face with incredible amounts of energy and passion. Next comes Miss World, a simply breathtaking song.Miss World was the first hole song i heard on Holes website 2 years ago, and i instantly fell in love with it.Trust me, you'll be singing along to 'I made my bed ill lie in it!' in no time!'Plump' follows, a venom filled hit back at those who dared to questionCourtney's abilities as a wife and mother and lines like 'I dont do thedishes, i throw 'em in the crib!' are screamed with bitter sarcasm.'AskingFor It' is a beautifully crafted song, as is 'Jennifers Body'.'Dollparts'is arguably the second best song on the album, with its haunting lyricsand acoustic guitar. Track 7, 'Credit In The Straight World' is a cover (ithink) and seems out of place on this cd, as it lacks the passion of theother tracks. But 'Softer, Softest' makes up for it, a classic anthem ofself loathing and despair.'She Walks On Me' reverts to the gritty sound of'Pretty On The Inside', but still fits comfortably amongst the othersongs. 'I Think That I Would Die' was co-written by the wonderful KatBjelland (Babes In Toyland/Katastrophy Wife) and seems another hit back atthose who question Miss Love's maternal skills, with lyrics like 'Where ismy baby?Who took my baby?' climaxing with 'its..not..yours..F***YOU!'.'Gutless' is the 11th track, a funny, well written song. Last of allis 'Rockstar' which is actually a song called 'Olympia' (the other versionwas banned). 'Olympia' is about cynisism of the riot grrl movement. Itsone of my lesser favourites on the CD, but is still a good song. I'veranted lots about Courtney, so ill mention the other members too. EricErlandson plays his guitar beautifully, and Schemel's drumming poundsthrough your skull.Its a shame that Kristen died when she did, althoughAuf Der Maur was a good replacement. This album simply IS hole. Cynics whostill insist that Kurt wrote it should listen to 'Pretty On The Inside'and 'Celebrity Skin' (written before she met Kurt, and after his suicide)which are proof Holes talent at writing songs. Quite simply - Kurt couldntwrtie music like that.It's girl music. By girls, for girls. Thats not to saythat males wont enjoy it too, but this is the album that will get girlsthrough their teens.And thats speaking from experience.So even if you hateCourtney, buy this album. It'll show her talent, and maybe have the powerto change your mind. As you can tell, im very passionate about this CD.Itwas, and still remains the best album ive ever heard.

The best album I own
I bought this album after falling in love with the song Miss World, which was getting a lot of play in clubs during the early 90s. I'd liked 'My Beautiful Son' when it was released but I just thought that Hole were a one-off Grrrl band until I bought Live Through This.

I was impressed with the quality of the lyrics - there isn't a single cheesy moment on the album, unlike most if you analyse them lyrically - and the way their poignancy was enhanced through the violence or melody of the music. It's one of those albums that gives you a new favourite track each week, though for me the highlights will always be 'Violet', 'Ask For It', and 'I Think That I Would Die'. Harsh guitars sit in contrast with pretty harmonies, mirroring the two voices of Courtney Love.

There have been many rumours that these songs were written by Kurt Cobain etc etc - well, who cares? They're great pieces of music and deserve to be listened to because they've moving and exciting. The lyrics are definitely not Cobain's, either, they are far too tender and explore their themes from a much more female and empathic point of view than Cobain ever did.

Kickass!!
I own all of hole's albums and singles and i have to say that of all of them 'Live through this' has to be my favourite. The songs were written in that period not long before Kurt Cobain's suicide and alot of the lyrics are inspiring yet also straight from Courtney's struggling soul. Although i think 'Celebrity Skin' is also an awesome album, i think it was alot more poppy and the majority of the songs on it were co-written by Billy Corgan and honestly i think Courtney's lyrics are good enough without his influence. Basically just buy this album cos it kicks all ass! oh and my favourite song on the album has to be 'Miss World' or 'Violet'. :P