Asking For It - Hole

Artist: Hole
Song: Asking For It
Year: 1994
Album: Live Through This

Timing is everything in the music business. This was an album that was blessed and cursed by the timing of the release. Live Through This was released just a few days after Courtney's husband, Kurt Cobain, was found dead on their property. It was a period that should have been wonderful for Courtney, but the whole process was surreal.

Live Through This was an oddly appropriate choice of album title. Everything on the album was under strict analysis because of the suicide of her husband. There are still some who believe that she had her husband murdered. They say that you can hear clues in the songs. All I hear is Kurt Cobain's influence, especially in "Asking For It".

There was wide speculation that Kurt wrote most of the album. While that's never been proven one way or the other, there have been tapes leaked that prove Kurt had a bigger role than previously thought. There is a version of "Asking For It" out there featuring Kurt and Courtney singing and playing together. When you hear this, it's apparent that Kurt was the main influence on this album.

Complicating things more, is the career trajectory of Hole. Hole was on top of the world in the mid nineties. A top album with great songs and the whole world watching. Courtney instead decided to focus on acting and drugs. She let the band slip away. By the follow up album, people were not as interested. The so called queen of grunge missed the grunge era. Was she asking for it? Maybe so.

Lyrics:
Every time that I sell myself to you
I feel a little bit cheaper than I need to
I will tear the petals off of you
Rose red, I will make you tell the truth

Was she asking for it?
Was she asking nice?
Did she ask you for it?
Did she ask you twice?

Every time that I stare into the sun
Angel dust and my dress just comes undone
Every time that I stare into the sun
Be a model or just look like one
Wild eye rot gut do me in
Do you think you can make me do it again?

Was she asking for it?
Was she asking nice?
Did she ask you for it?
Did she ask you twice?

If you live through this with me
I swear that I would die for you
And if you live through this with me
I swear that I would die for you

Was she asking for it?
Was she asking nice?
Did she ask you for it?
Did she ask you twice?

Was she asking for it?
Was she asking nice?
If she was asking for it
Did she ask you twice?