Turpentine (Hole song)
Encyclopedia
"Turpentine" is a song by American
alternative rock
band Hole
, written collectively by frontman/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love
and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson
. The song, one of the band's first compositions, remained unreleased for seven years before being released on the band's second EP
, The First Session
in August 1997. Although not as well-known as other Hole songs, "Turpentine" is a notable song for the band as it is often cited as "the first Hole song."
and the lyrics written by Courtney Love
. The song is known to have been written as early as November 1989 as Hole performed the song during their third live show in Huntington Beach, California
on November 11, 1989. However, some of the lyrics of the song seem to have been written by Love earlier with the line "my water breaks like turpentine" appearing in a poem written by Love in the mid-late 1980s which also features lines that would later appear in "Loaded", a track on Hole's debut album, Pretty on the Inside
(1991).
The first and only known studio version of the song was recorded on March 17, 1990 during Hole's first studio session at Rudy's Rising Star, a "tiny ... basement studio" in Los Angeles, California
after Sympathy for the Record Industry
's president, Long Gone John, gave the band a budget of $500 to record their first single, "Retard Girl
."
, noise rock
and no wave
music. The song's chord progression shifts throughout the song with the verse riff being composed with four chord progression
. The pre-chorus uses a two chord progression which is widely used in punk music and further progressions baring resemblance to no wave music. In the studio version of the song, the guitars are tuned down and throughout the entirety of the song use distortion
and the drums are also emphasised in the song. The song follows an A-B-C-A musical form
.
." However, there are also several allusions to themes such as alienation and self-image, both of which are significant themes in lyrics on Pretty on the Inside and also Live Through This
(1994). One of the main lyrics of the song ("my water breaks like turpentine") was also later featured as a lyric on "20 Years in the Dakota," a song recorded in 1992 and released on the "Beautiful Son
" single and similarly, a large proportion of the lyrics were featured, alongside the lyrics to "Burn Black," on "Amen," an outtake from Nobody's Daughter
(2010).
Technical personnel
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
, written collectively by frontman/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson
Eric Erlandson
Eric Erlandson is an American musician known as the co-founder, former songwriter and lead guitarist of alternative rock band Hole.-Early life and career:...
. The song, one of the band's first compositions, remained unreleased for seven years before being released on the band's second EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, The First Session
The First Session
The First Session is an EP by American alternative rock band Hole, released on August 26, 1997 on Sympathy for the Record Industry. The EP features the entire recording of the band's first ever studio session on March 17, 1990 and also a twenty-page booklet focusing on the band's early career prior...
in August 1997. Although not as well-known as other Hole songs, "Turpentine" is a notable song for the band as it is often cited as "the first Hole song."
Origin and recording
"Turpentine" was reputedely the first song written for Hole, with the music composed Eric ErlandsonEric Erlandson
Eric Erlandson is an American musician known as the co-founder, former songwriter and lead guitarist of alternative rock band Hole.-Early life and career:...
and the lyrics written by Courtney Love
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
. The song is known to have been written as early as November 1989 as Hole performed the song during their third live show in Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
on November 11, 1989. However, some of the lyrics of the song seem to have been written by Love earlier with the line "my water breaks like turpentine" appearing in a poem written by Love in the mid-late 1980s which also features lines that would later appear in "Loaded", a track on Hole's debut album, Pretty on the Inside
Pretty on the Inside
Pretty on the Inside is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Hole. Released August 23, 1991 on Caroline Records, it was Hole's first major label release after their formation in 1989 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
(1991).
The first and only known studio version of the song was recorded on March 17, 1990 during Hole's first studio session at Rudy's Rising Star, a "tiny ... basement studio" in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
after Sympathy for the Record Industry
Sympathy for the Record Industry
Sympathy for the Record Industry is a mainly independent garage rock and punk label formed in 1988 by record industry anti-mogul Long Gone John...
's president, Long Gone John, gave the band a budget of $500 to record their first single, "Retard Girl
Retard Girl
"Retard Girl" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love. The song was released as the band's debut single in April 1990 on 7" vinyl by Sympathy for the Record Industry. The single was produced by Love's then-husband, James Moreland,...
."
Music
The musical content of "Turpentine" is highly-influenced by punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
and no wave
No Wave
No Wave was a short-lived but influential underground music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City. The term No Wave is in part satirical word play rejecting the commercial elements of the then-popular New Wave genre...
music. The song's chord progression shifts throughout the song with the verse riff being composed with four chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
. The pre-chorus uses a two chord progression which is widely used in punk music and further progressions baring resemblance to no wave music. In the studio version of the song, the guitars are tuned down and throughout the entirety of the song use distortion
Distortion
A distortion is the alteration of the original shape of an object, image, sound, waveform or other form of information or representation. Distortion is usually unwanted, and often many methods are employed to minimize it in practice...
and the drums are also emphasised in the song. The song follows an A-B-C-A musical form
Musical form
The term musical form refers to the overall structure or plan of a piece of music, and it describes the layout of a composition as divided into sections...
.
Lyrics
"Turpentine" is typical of Love's writing standards at the time, using sardonic and cryptic imagery as well as the frequent usage of derogatory terms. The song, however, also uses religious imagery, most obvious in the line "I know all you devils by your Christian names" and "bless my body / bless my soul." One interpretation of the song's lyrics refers to it as Love's "mockery on ... ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
." However, there are also several allusions to themes such as alienation and self-image, both of which are significant themes in lyrics on Pretty on the Inside and also Live Through This
Live Through This
Live Through This is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Hole. It was released by Geffen Records on April 12, 1994, just four days after frontwoman Courtney Love's husband, Kurt Cobain, was found dead in their home....
(1994). One of the main lyrics of the song ("my water breaks like turpentine") was also later featured as a lyric on "20 Years in the Dakota," a song recorded in 1992 and released on the "Beautiful Son
Beautiful Son
"Beautiful Son" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written collectively by frontwoman Courtney Love, lead guitarist Eric Erlandson and drummer Patty Schemel. The song was released as the band's fourth single in April 1993 on the European label City Slang...
" single and similarly, a large proportion of the lyrics were featured, alongside the lyrics to "Burn Black," on "Amen," an outtake from Nobody's Daughter
Nobody's Daughter
Nobody's Daughter is the fourth studio album by alternative rock band Hole, released worldwide on April 27, 2010 through Mercury Records. The album was originally conceived by Hole frontwoman Courtney Love as a solo project titled How Dirty Girls Get Clean, following her poorly-received solo debut...
(2010).
Musicians and personnel
Hole- Courtney LoveCourtney LoveCourtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
- lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Eric ErlandsonEric ErlandsonEric Erlandson is an American musician known as the co-founder, former songwriter and lead guitarist of alternative rock band Hole.-Early life and career:...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - Jill EmeryJill EmeryJill Emery is an American artist and former musician based in Los Angeles, California. Best known as the bassist for the alternative rock band Hole from 1990 until 1992, Emery left the band after the subsequent tour for the band's debut album, Pretty on the Inside and was replaced by Kristen Pfaff...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Caroline Rue - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion
Technical personnel
- James Moreland - producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Eric Erlandson - additional producer
- John Vestman - mastering