The Hell Song
"The Hell Song" | ||||
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Single by Sum 41 | ||||
from the album Does This Look Infected? | ||||
Released | February 18, 2003 | |||
Recorded | 2002 | |||
Studio | Avatar Studios, New York City, New York and Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario | |||
Genre | Pop punk[1] | |||
Length | 3:18 | |||
Label | Aquarius (Canada) Island (United States) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Greig Nori, Deryck Whibley | |||
Producer(s) | Greig Nori | |||
Sum 41 singles chronology | ||||
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"The Hell Song" is a song by Canadian rock band Sum 41. The song was released in February 2003 as the second single of the band's album Does This Look Infected?. "The Hell Song" was released to radio on February 18, 2003.[2] The song was featured in the films American Wedding and Punk's Not Dead and in the video game Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home.
"The Hell Song" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on May 29, 2015.[3]
Background
Deryck Whibley, the lead vocalist of Sum 41, wrote "The Hell Song" after learning that one of his friends had contracted HIV.[4] He said, "That song just came out in, like, half an hour when I just found out," Whibley said. "I wasn't even meaning to write about it, but for some reason that just came out right away".[5]
Music video
The music video was of a concert with dolls and action figures, with Sum 41's faces on those "performing" in front of a Lite-Brite screen. They were joined with other action figures such as those of Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ozzy Osbourne with his family, Marilyn Manson, Korn, Metallica, Eddie the Head, Gene Simmons, Spice Girls, Angus Young, Jesus Christ, Alice Cooper, Destiny's Child, George W. Bush and Ludacris. The dolls' obscene finger gestures and nudity are comically censored, which parodies real life. The video was directed by Marc Klasfeld.
The music video was nominated for Best Breakthrough Video & Best Direction at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, losing both awards to Coldplay's "The Scientist".
Track listing
UK release
- The Hell Song (album version)
- The Hell Song (radio edit)
US release
- The Hell Song (No-spit Intro)
- The Hell Song (Spit Intro)
Part 1
- "The Hell Song"
- "Over My Head (Better Off Dead)" (demo)
- "My Direction" (demo)
- "The Hell Song" (video)
Part 2
- "The Hell Song" (live)
- "Still Waiting" (live)
- "Rhthyms" (live)
- "The Hell Song" (live) (video)
All live tracks (on this CD) from Sound, London.
7"
A :
- "The Hell Song"
B :
- "Still Waiting" (Live from Sound, London)
Charts
Chart (2003–04) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[6] | 76 |
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[7] | 9 |
Italy (FIMI)[8] | 37 |
UK Singles (OCC)[9] | 35 |
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[10] | 4 |
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[11] | 13 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[3] | Gold† | 500,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
† Since May 2013 RIAA certifications for digital singles include on-demand audio and/or video song streams in addition to downloads.[12]
References
- ^ "All Messed Up: A Look Back At Sum 41's 'Does This Look Infected?'". The Carouser. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015.
- ^ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
- ^ a b "American single certifications – Sum 41 – The Hell Song". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Sum 41 Sober Up On Does This Look Infected?". MTV.
- ^ Whitmire, Margo (2002). "Sum 41 Spreads 'Infected'". Billboard. 114 (48). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 11. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Sum 41 – The Hell Song". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Sum 41 – The Hell Song" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
- ^ "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: P". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
- ^ "Sum 41 Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
- ^ "RIAA Adds Digital Streams To Historic Gold & Platinum Awards". Recording Industry Association of America. May 9, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
External links
- 2003 singles
- 2002 songs
- Songs about HIV/AIDS
- Music videos directed by Marc Klasfeld
- Sum 41 songs
- Songs written by Greig Nori
- Songs written by Deryck Whibley
- Cultural depictions of pop musicians
- Cultural depictions of rock musicians
- Cultural depictions of hip hop musicians
- Cultural depictions of Jesus
- Punk song stubs
- 2000s single stubs