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Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me

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"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"
File:Hmtmkmkm.jpg
Single by U2
from the album Batman Forever: Original Music from the Motion Picture
B-side
  • "Theme from Batman Forever"
  • "Tell Me Now"
Released5 June 1995 (1995-06-05)[1]
Studio
  • The Factory (Dublin)
  • Windmill Lane (Dublin)
  • Wild Bunch (London)
  • Olympic (London)
Genre
Length4:47
Label
Composer(s)U2
Lyricist(s)Bono
Producer(s)
  • Nellee Hooper
  • Bono
  • The Edge
U2 singles chronology
"Stay (Faraway, So Close!)"
(1993) 		"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"
(1995) 		"Miss Sarajevo"
(1995)
Alternative Cover
Gift bag release cover (U.S.)
Gift bag release cover (U.S.)

"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It was released as a single from the Batman Forever soundtrack album on 5 June 1995. A number-one single in their home country of Ireland, as well as in seven other countries, it reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, number sixteen on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. The song received Grammy Award nominations for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song. The song is included on the compilation album The Best of 1990–2000 and the live album From the Ground Up: Edge's Picks from U2360°.

History[]

"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" has its origins in the sessions for the band's 1993 album, Zooropa.[2] Bono described it as being about "being in a rock band" and "being a star".[2] The song's title comes from a play on the classic song "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" and it is actually visible (along with the titles of other unfinished tracks) on the album cover of Zooropa, written in purple text.

U2's involvement with the soundtrack began when director Joel Schumacher attempted to create a cameo role for Bono as MacPhisto in Batman Forever, in which the character was intended to appear at a party scene. Although both tried to make the scene happen, they came to agree it was not suitable for the film.[3] Instead, the band offered "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" as a contribution to the soundtrack.

The song was played live on every show of the PopMart Tour as part of the encore and appeared at all 93 of the tour's concerts. It was not played again until the 2010 leg of the U2 360° Tour, opening the second encore. From there, it remained a permanent part of the encore until the end of the tour in 2011.

During U2's 2018 Experience + Innocence Tour, a new "Gotham Experience Remix" of the song was played during a brief intermission in the concerts. Remixed by St Francis Hotel, the track contains vocals by Gavin Friday and Arcade Fire's Régine Chassagne.[4][5] In November 2018, the remix was released on a limited edition 12-inch vinyl single for Black Friday Record Store Day, with a remaster of the original song on the reverse side.[5]

Critical reception[]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "In the week Superman suffered dearly from his broken wings, his rival Batman enjoys his best tribute since Prince's attempt. Atypical U2 with strings and handclaps, The The and T-Rex blend."[6] British magazine Music Week gave "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" a 4/5 score in a review, adding, "U2 fans are in for a treat with the first release from the Batman Forever soundtrack, a swirling rock affair with orchestral overtones."[7]

Accolades[]

It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, losing to "Colors of the Wind" for Pocahontas. It also received Grammy Award nominations for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song.[8] It also received a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Original Song, where it lost to "Walk Into the Wind" from Showgirls.

Music video[]

The animated music video to the song (interspersed with clips from the film) was directed by Kevin Godley and Maurice Linnane.[9] It features the band performing in Gotham City, with Bono battling between two of his alter-egos from the Zoo TV Tour: "The Fly" and "MacPhisto." The band also chases the Batwing, using a yellow supercar and their guitars as flamethrowers. The animated sequence also features characters dressed as the Riddler, Dr Chase and Dick Grayson, in scenes similar to those in the movie.

At one brief point of the video, a neon sign can be seen that reads "Mister Pussey's". In another scene, U2 are seen walking down the street when Bono is run over by a car (driven by Elvis) while reading a copy of C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters. The next scene shows Bono in the hospital flatlining and about to die, when a bolt of red lightning strikes his heart monitor turning his skin white, his shirt red, and causing his fingernails to grow, thus transforming him into MacPhisto. He makes his appearance, terrifying the doctors and the other band members. The video ends with an orchestra of Batmen playing the outro on strings, then a shot from above of MacPhisto repeatedly transforming into Batman and MacPhisto alternately.

Author Višnja Cogan said the video "crystallises and concludes the Zoo TV period and the changes that occurred" for the band during that time.[10]

Formats and track listings[]

The song featured singles with three different track listings. Note that the B-sides on the first two singles are non-U2 songs.

7-inch vinyl, cassette, and CD release
No.TitleLength
1."Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"4:47
2."Themes from Batman Forever" (by Elliot Goldenthal)3:39
CD maxi (UK, German, and Japan release)
No.TitleLength
1."Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"4:47
2."Themes from Batman Forever" (by Elliot Goldenthal)3:39
3."Tell Me Now" (by Mazzy Star)4:17
CD (US release)
No.TitleLength
1."Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"4:47

There was also a single-track CD distributed in the U.S as part of a Batman Forever gift bag, along with a collectible comic book, trading card, and pogs.

Personnel[]

  • Bono – vocals
  • The Edge – guitar, string arrangement
  • Adam Clayton – bass guitar
  • Larry Mullen Jr. – drums
  • Marius de Vries – keyboards, programming
  • Craig Armstrong – string arrangement

Charts and certifications[]

See also[]

  • List of cover versions of U2 songs – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
  • List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1990s
  • List of RPM number-one alternative rock singles of 1995
  • List of number-one singles of 1995 (Ireland)
  • List of number-one singles in 1995 (New Zealand)
  • List of number-one hits in Norway
  • List of number-one mainstream rock hits (United States)
  • Number one modern rock hits of 1995

References[]

  1. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week: 35. 3 June 1995. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-06-03.pdf. Retrieved 29 June 2021. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 * Fallon, BP (1994). U2, Faraway So Close. London: Virgin Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-86369-885-9. 
  3. ↑ "Bono's Movie Debut Stays Out Of Reach". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Tribune Media Services: section Showtime, p. 14. 16 December 1994. http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1994-12-16/entertainment/9412140581_1_joel-schumacher-batman-strange-days. 
  4. ↑ Wood, Mikael (17 May 2018). "Shout-out to the '90s". Los Angeles Times: pp. E1–E2. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-u2-forum-review-20180516-story.html. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "UMe Celebrates Record Store Day Black Friday 2018 With Exclusive Limited Edition Vinyl Releases Spanning Giants Of Rock, Pop, Reggae, Jazz And Beyond" (Press release). Universal Music Enterprises. 20 November 2018. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ume-celebrates-record-store-day-black-friday-2018-with-exclusive-limited-edition-vinyl-releases-spanning-giants-of-rock-pop-reggae-jazz-and-beyond-300753523.html. 
  6. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music & Media: 10. 24 June 1995. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-06-24.pdf. Retrieved 18 May 2021. 
  7. ↑ "Reviews: Singles". Music Week: 38. 27 May 1995. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-05-27.pdf. Retrieved 9 May 2021. 
  8. ↑ "Grammy Nominations". Los Angeles Daily News. Associated Press. 5 January 1996. 
  9. ↑ "U2 - "Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me"". mvdbase.com. 1995-06-01. Retrieved 2011-01-02. {{cite web}}:
  10. ↑ Cogan, Višnja (2006). U2: An Irish Phenomenon. Collins Press. pp. 192–193. 
  11. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  12. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  13. ↑ "Ultratop.be – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  14. ↑ "Ultratop.be – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  15. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8522." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  16. ↑ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9007." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  17. ↑ "Top 10 Sales in Europe". Music & Media 12 (29): 14. 22 July 1995. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-07-22.pdf. Retrieved 2 February 2020. 
  18. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media 12 (27): 12. 8 July 1995. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-07-08.pdf. Retrieved 2 February 2020. 
  19. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005) (in fi). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3. 
  20. ↑ "Top National Sellers". Music & Media 12 (27): 14. 8 July 1995. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-07-08.pdf. Retrieved 29 October 2019. 
  21. ↑ "Lescharts.com – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (in French). Les classement single.
  22. ↑ "Musicline.de – U2 Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  23. ↑ "Top National Sellers". Music & Media 12 (36): 19. 9 September 1995. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-09-09.pdf. Retrieved 16 February 2020. 
  24. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (25.6. '95 – 1.7. '95)" (in is). Dagblaðið Vísir: p. 26. 24 June 1995. https://timarit.is/page/2729520#page/n25/mode/2up. 
  25. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". Irish Singles Chart.
  26. ↑ "Top National Sellers". Music & Media 12 (26): 18. 1 July 1995. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-07-01.pdf. Retrieved 26 November 2019. 
  27. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 27, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
  28. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  29. ↑ "Charts.nz – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". Top 40 Singles.
  30. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". VG-lista.
  31. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  32. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". Singles Top 100.
  33. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". Swiss Singles Chart.
  34. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  35. ↑ "U2 Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  36. ↑ "U2 Chart History (Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  37. ↑ "U2 Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  38. ↑ "U2 Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 "1995 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved 29 October 2019. {{cite web}}:
  40. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1995" . Retrieved 30 May 2020. {{cite web}}:
  41. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1995" . Ultratop. Retrieved 18 April 2010. {{cite web}}:
  42. ↑ "Rapports annuels 1995" . Ultratop. Retrieved 18 April 2010. {{cite web}}:
  43. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM (Library and Archives Canada). http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.2840&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.2840.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.2840. Retrieved 11 May 2018. 
  44. ↑ "RPM Top 50 Alternative Tracks of 1995". RPM (Library and Archives Canada). http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9212&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9212.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9212. Retrieved 11 May 2018. 
  45. ↑ "1995 in Review – Year End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. 23 December 1995. p. 14. Retrieved 2 February 2020. {{cite web}}:
  46. ↑ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1995" . SNEP. Retrieved 29 June 2021. {{cite web}}:
  47. ↑ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1995" . GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 2 February 2020. {{cite web}}:
  48. ↑ "Árslistinn 1995" (in is). Dagblaðið Vísir: p. 16. 2 January 1996. https://timarit.is/page/2935413?iabr=on#page/n15/mode/2up. 
  49. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1995". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 November 2021. {{cite web}}:
  50. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1995" . Retrieved 11 May 2018. {{cite web}}:
  51. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1995". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 December 2017. {{cite web}}:
  52. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 1995" . Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 30 May 2020. {{cite web}}:
  53. ↑ "Swiss Year-End Charts 1995" . Retrieved 30 May 2020. {{cite web}}:
  54. ↑ "Top 100 Singles 1995". Music Week: 9. 13 January 1996. 
  55. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1995". Archived from the original on 15 August 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2010. {{cite web}}:
  56. ↑ "French certifications of 1995, silver status" . Disqueenfrance. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2018. {{cite web}}:
  57. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. {{cite web}}:
  58. ↑ "British single certifications – U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". British Phonographic Industry. {{cite web}}: Enter Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Click Go
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Batman music
Soundtracks Films Batman (score) • Batman (soundtrack) • Batman Returns • Batman Forever (soundtrack) • Batman Forever (score) • Batman & Robin • Batman Begins • The Dark Knight • The Dark Knight Rises • Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Video games Batman: Arkham City • Batman: Arkham Origins
Songs TV series "Batman Theme" • "Batusi"
Batman "Batdance" • "Partyman" • "The Arms of Orion" • "Scandalous!" • "The Future"
Batman Returns "Face to Face"
Batman Forever "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" • "Kiss from a Rose" • "The Riddler" • "Where Are You Now?"
Batman & Robin "The End Is the Beginning Is the End" • "Look into My Eyes" • "Gotham City" • "Foolish Games" • "Moaner" • "Lazy Eye"

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