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The Hell Song

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"The Hell Song"
Single by Sum 41
from the album Does This Look Infected?
ReleasedFebruary 18, 2003
Recorded2002
StudioAvatar Studios, New York City, New York and Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario
GenrePop punk[1]
Length3:18
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Greig Nori
Sum 41 singles chronology
"Still Waiting"
(2002) 		"The Hell Song"
(2003) 		"Over My Head (Better Off Dead)"
(2003)

"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

  1. The Hell Song (album version)
  2. The Hell Song (radio edit)

US release

  1. The Hell Song (No-spit Intro)
  2. The Hell Song (Spit Intro)

Part 1

  1. "The Hell Song"
  2. "Over My Head (Better Off Dead)" (demo)
  3. "My Direction" (demo)
  4. "The Hell Song" (video)

Part 2

  1. "The Hell Song" (live)
  2. "Still Waiting" (live)
  3. "Rhythms" (live)
  4. "The Hell Song" (live) (video)

All live tracks (on this CD) from Sound, London.

7"

A :

  1. "The Hell Song"

B :

  1. "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
Scotland (OCC)[9] 35
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 35
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[11] 4
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[12] 13

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[3] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "All Messed Up: A Look Back At Sum 41's 'Does This Look Infected?'". The Carouser. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015.
  2. ^ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "American single certifications – Sum 41 – The Hell Song". Recording Industry Association of America.
  4. ^ "Sum 41 Sober Up On Does This Look Infected?". MTV.
  5. ^ Whitmire, Margo (2002). "Sum 41 Spreads 'Infected'". Billboard. 114 (48). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 11. ISSN 0006-2510.
  6. ^ "Sum 41 – The Hell Song". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  7. ^ "Sum 41 – The Hell Song" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  8. ^ "Sum 41 – The Hell song". Top Digital Download. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  9. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  10. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  11. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  12. ^ "Sum 41 Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2019.


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