Hole – Asking For It

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Send "Asking For It" Ringtone to Cell

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?
If she was asking for it,
Did she ask you twice?

Every time that I stare into the sun
Angel dust and my dress just comes undone
And every time that I stare into the sun
Be a model or just look like one

Wild eyed rotgut, do me in
Do you think you can make me do it again?

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

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

Was she asking for it?
Was she asking nice?
If she was asking 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?

Send "Asking For It" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by ShiverForMe, edited by scottdoesntknow628

Track duration: 03:29


Asking For It song meanings
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38 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment:That song is about being raped and that is a fact. But I get something else. I think that it shows how hard is to be a woman - you can see it when we are talking about raped girl. Only a guy can say that ``she shouldn`t wear a dress and should put her underwear on. No, honey. She had right to put a dress and dive into the crowds. They had no right to put fingers inside her body and make her feel like stupid wh*re.
    And - when I read comments below any Hole lyrics I see at least one person who claims that Courtney killed Kurt and then 10 or more people who say that it is stupid. Hey! Thinking that she actually did it doesn`t make you stupid. It is not very good to think that she killed guy who commited a suicide. But... lets be serious. Who believes that she killed anybody? I don`t.
    Flag eulaliaon October 25, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Is it irony that Kurt didn't "live through this?" Or did she not expect him to?
    Courtney could produce such eloquent- yet direct poetry. "Fuck you!"
    Flagged MamboManon March 09, 2012   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:As other commentators have said, this was written about Courtney having her clothes torn off of her by the crowd after she stage-dove. It's happened multiple times to her I believe. What's more important though is the way she presents the song's content; like a lot of good art, she's asking a question and not thrusting an answer at you. It's another example of how strong she is as a lyricist. She may be limited as a musician, but songs like this are proof of her strength with words. The lyrics are implicit enough to make a statement, but she's begging for answer from the people who are listening to her story here. If a woman dives into an audience in a dress, more than likely that dress is coming off, and she's asking you what that says about us as people and as a society as a whole. She's not saying it's right or wrong or "it should be THIS way, not that way". She's pointing to something intangible inside of us that makes us do these things. Is it right? Is it wrong? Should she expect that? If she should, why? If she shouldn't, why not? Is it nature? Was she really asking for it? Notice that by the end of the song she still hasn't given us an answer because I don't know if she herself has one, but she's certainly making sure that we think about it. People don't give Love enough credit as an artist and this song alone shows what a firm grasp she has on cultural concepts and on language in general.
    Flag scottdoesntknow628on January 14, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Love this song, and it looks like these lyrics were interpreted from the MTV Unplugged session (?), because the album version doesn't tack on those last few verses. Nonetheless, I think there is one lyric mistake: I'm 99% positive that "Wild eye gut rot, do me in" is actually "Wild-eyed rocker, do me in", because, first off, "wild eye gut rot" makes absolutely no sense and doesn't seem to flow in the song's context, and secondly, "wild-eyed rocker" would make A LOT more sense considering the song is about being molested by a bunch of crazy guys in a mosh pit.
    Flag scottdoesntknow628on May 03, 2011   Link
  • +6
    General Comment:Was she asking for it?
    Was she asking nice?
    If she was asking for it?
    Did she ask you twice?

    I always assumed the chorus had something to do with certain men, and how whenever they hear about a woman getting raped or sexually abused they automatically think she was "asking for it" through the way she dressed and/or the way she acted.

    Just my opinion.
    Flag NeverXMindon October 07, 2010   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +1
    General Comment:its about how women supposedly have to prove their purity and innocence after being raped. if they arent completely virginally pure then they were just asking for it by being a slut. not every line in the song makes that much sense to me with that interpretation but i think courtneys said thats what its about. kurt actually sings on this song, you can hear him in the background on the "if you live through this" part but ive heard another version where his voice is a lot higher in the mix and its easier to hear. awesome song and its cool that kurt had a part in it
    Flag Furthest1on November 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hole were on tour with Mudhoney in London and Courtney dove into the audience. She had her dress ripped off and was manhandled by the audience; it was quite a shocking sight to witness. She was later photographed smiling whilst in tatters (or nude I don't recall) thus giving the impression she was fine with what happened a.k.a. she consented/asked for it because she wore a dress. "Asking For It" details that experience of hers.




    Flag rollingstonedmagazineon July 05, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment:You people are so, so fucking stupid.

    Do you know Courtney?
    Did you know Kurt?
    Were you even over the age of 10 when he died!?
    If the answer to any of these questions is no, then what the fuck do you think gives you the right to accuse Courtney of killing Kurt?
    You don't know shit about the situation, all you know is what you've read in the magazines and internet and seen on the tv, and what other (idiotic) people have told you. Why do you just belive what your told? You don't know any of this stuff first hand, yet you feel you somehow have the authority to speculate over what happened.
    The bottom line is, get your facts straight before you start jumping in and talking shit about people you dont know anything about. Once you know what your talking about, and know what happned, feel free to come back and argue.


    Though, unfortunalty, the only way to find out what happened would be to resurrect Kurt. Somehow, I dont think thats going to happen. Dear oh dear.


    And I think we should focus on the music, instead of calling Counrtney an asshole. She was a great musician, and so was Kurt.




    End of.
    Flag Lullabye.on September 02, 2008   Link
  • -5
    General Comment:I USED TO THINK IT WAS ABOUT A COUPLE WHO HAD A HARD TIME AND WOULD DIE FOR EACH OTHER. COURTNEY'S AN ASSHOLE.
    Flag dark_eyez_666on February 19, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:"How disgusting that a man (Courtney had a sex change, there is viable proof) claimed to be married to this icon, after they (the COG cult) murdered him in 1990. Geffen (and his boyfriend Pitt, who was snogging Love too) helped "it" steal Cobain's songs and record them with her group. It is a mockery of talent and goodness. Courtney Love, your life is in ruins and soon you will be dead. As will everyone involved in the sacrafice of Kurt Cobain."

    I lol'd. I like Hole better than Nirvana. Their fans are less retarded.

    but anyway, it's not a bad song.
    Flag sonic_creepon January 01, 2008   Link

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