Celebrity Skin (song)

From SPCodex, The Smashing Pumpkins wiki
"Celebrity Skin"
Single by Hole
Side project of Billy Corgan
ReleasedAugust 31, 1998
RecordedApril 1997–February 1998
StudioConway Recording Studios
Length2:42
Songwriter(s)Courtney Love, Billy Corgan, Eric Erlandson

"Celebrity Skin" is the debut single of Hole's album of the same name. The song was co-written by Courtney Love, Billy Corgan, and guitarist Eric Erlandson. It is Hole's most commercially successful single, being the only one to reach number one on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. According to Love, Corgan wrote only the song's main guitar riff.[1]

Courtney Love sang the song with The Smashing Pumpkins at the 30th Anniversary Show in New Jersey. During banter before and after the performance, Love praises Corgan for him insisting that she pursue the song, calling him a career-maker, screaming "BILLY'S ALWAYS RIGHT!".

Videos[edit | edit source]

Courtney Love performing "Celebrity Skin" with The Smashing Pumpkins at the 30th Anniversary Show, August 2, 2018 in New Jersey
Official video

Lyrics[edit | edit source]

oh, make me over
i'm all i want to be
a walking study
in demonology

hey, so glad you could make it
yeah, now you really made it
hey, so glad you could make it now

oh, look at my face
my name is might have been
my name is never was
my name's forgotten

hey, so glad you could make it
yeah, now you really made it
hey, there's only us left now

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
they aren't sluts like you
beautiful garbage beautiful dresses
can you stand up or will you
just fall down

you better watch out
what you wish for
it better be worth it
so much to die for

hey, so glad you could make it
yeah, now you really made it
hey, there's only us left now

when i wake up in my makeup
have you ever felt so used up as this?
it's all so sugarless
hooker/waitress/model/actress
oh, just go nameless
honeysuckle, she's full of poison
she obliterated everything she kissed
now she's fading
somewhere in hollywood
i'm glad i came here
with your pound of flesh

you want a part of me
well, i'm not selling cheap
no, i'm not selling cheap

Track listings[edit | edit source]

All tracks are written by Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, and Billy Corgan except where noted..

UK CD single / EU limited edition CD
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Celebrity Skin" 2:47
2."Best Sunday Dress"Love, Erlandson, Kat Bjelland4:26
3."Dying" (original demo) 3:08
UK 7-inch single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Celebrity Skin" 2:47
2."Best Sunday Dress"Love, Erlandson, Bjelland4:26
US promotional CD
No.TitleLength
1."Celebrity Skin"2:47

Releases[edit | edit source]

Released Label Catalog ID Format Country External sites
August 31, 1998 Geffen GFSTD 22345 CD UK Discogs MusicBrainz [1]
September 1998 Geffen GFS 22345 7" vinyl UK Discogs [2]
1998 Geffen PRO-CD-1194 CD (promo) US Discogs [3]

Charts[edit | edit source]

Certifications[edit | edit source]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] Silver 200,000double-dagger

double-daggersales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Availability

TitleType
Celebrity SkinStudio

Tour stats

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Courtney Love". Behind the Music. June 22, 2010. VH1.
  2. "Australian-charts.com – Hole – Celebrity Skin". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  3. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 7080." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  4. "Lescharts.com – Hole – Celebrity Skin" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  5. "Charts.nz – Hole – Celebrity Skin". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  6. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  7. "Swedishcharts.com – Hole – Celebrity Skin". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  9. "Hole Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  10. "Hole Chart History (Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  11. "RPM's Top 50 Alternative Tracks of '98". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  12. "British single certifications – Hole – Celebrity Skin". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 11, 2020.

External links[edit | edit source]