Hole in My Soul
Encyclopedia
"Hole in My Soul" is a song performed by American
hard rock
band Aerosmith
. It was written by Steven Tyler
, Joe Perry
, and professional songwriter Desmond Child
. It was released as the second major single from Nine Lives
in 1997
.
, #4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
chart, #29 in the United Kingdom
, and #4 in Latvia.
's more emotional ones. It is also lengthy, running just over six minutes. The lyrics focus on a heartbroken man who feels very sad and emotionally damaged ("I got dust for tears and I'm all tapped out") by a failed relationship ("tell me how it feels to be the one who turns the knife inside of me") and feels that there's a void in his life that cannot be filled ("there's a hole in my soul that's been killing me forever").
has been known to substitute some lines with racier lyrics. On a live version of the song from the A Little South of Sanity
album, Steven Tyler sings "I fuck with my boots on cause you fuck with my head" instead of the studio version lyrics "I sleep with my boots on, but you're still in my head."
The band played the song heavily on their lengthy Nine Lives Tour
from 1997–1999, but has almost never played it since.
y high school
student, often picked on, who is unsuccessful in finding the right girl. He uses his scientific genius
to build a cloning
machine and creates a beautiful girl, but she meets someone else at a party. He creates another who he also loses. A classmate discovers his machine and stops him from creating another girl for himself, and he realizes the girl for him had been there all along. The video features early appearances by Eva Mendes
, Alexandra Holden
, Branden Williams, and Seann William Scott
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
. It was written by Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
, Joe Perry
Joe Perry (musician)
Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
, and professional songwriter Desmond Child
Desmond Child
Desmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...
. It was released as the second major single from Nine Lives
Nine Lives (Aerosmith album)
-Bonus track :-Bonus tracks :-Bonus tracks :-Bonus tracks :-Artwork:...
in 1997
1997 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
.
Chart positions
The song reached #51 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, #4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart, #29 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and #4 in Latvia.
Lyrical interpretation
The song is a ballad, one of AerosmithAerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
's more emotional ones. It is also lengthy, running just over six minutes. The lyrics focus on a heartbroken man who feels very sad and emotionally damaged ("I got dust for tears and I'm all tapped out") by a failed relationship ("tell me how it feels to be the one who turns the knife inside of me") and feels that there's a void in his life that cannot be filled ("there's a hole in my soul that's been killing me forever").
In concert
In concert, Steven TylerSteven Tyler
Steven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
has been known to substitute some lines with racier lyrics. On a live version of the song from the A Little South of Sanity
A Little South of Sanity
-Personnel:*Tom Hamilton – bass*Joey Kramer – drums, percussion*Joe Perry – guitar, backing vocals, talkbox on "Sweet Emotion", pedal steel guitar on "Rag Doll"*Steven Tyler – lead vocals, percussion*Brad Whitford – guitar...
album, Steven Tyler sings "I fuck with my boots on cause you fuck with my head" instead of the studio version lyrics "I sleep with my boots on, but you're still in my head."
The band played the song heavily on their lengthy Nine Lives Tour
Nine lives tour
The Nine Lives Tour was a tour headlined by Aerosmith which ran for over 2 years and saw the band playing shows in North America, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Portugal. The tour...
from 1997–1999, but has almost never played it since.
Video
Directed by Brit Andy Morahan, the video featured a nerdNerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
y high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
student, often picked on, who is unsuccessful in finding the right girl. He uses his scientific genius
Genius
Genius is something or someone embodying exceptional intellectual ability, creativity, or originality, typically to a degree that is associated with the achievement of unprecedented insight....
to build a cloning
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
machine and creates a beautiful girl, but she meets someone else at a party. He creates another who he also loses. A classmate discovers his machine and stops him from creating another girl for himself, and he realizes the girl for him had been there all along. The video features early appearances by Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes is an American actress.She began acting in the late 1990s, and after a series of minor roles and performances in several smaller films such as Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror and Urban Legends: Final Cut , she broke into the mainstream, appearing in leading roles in Hollywood...
, Alexandra Holden
Alexandra Holden
-Life and career:Holden was born in Northfield, Minnesota, the daughter of Kristi and Barry Holden. She played film roles in Drop Dead Gorgeous as Mary Johanson and in Sugar & Spice as Fern Rogers. She also starred in the low budget slasher film Wishcraft.Holden has also had roles in TV and music...
, Branden Williams, and Seann William Scott
Seann William Scott
Seann William Scott is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Steve Stifler in the American Pie film series...
.