And the sky was made of amethyst
And all the stars were just like little fish
You should learn when to go
You should learn how to say no

Might last a day, yeah
Mine is forever
Might last a day, yeah
Mine is forever

When they get what they want, and they never want it again
And they get what they want, and they never want it again
Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to
Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to

And the sky was all violet
I want it again, but violent, more violent
Yeah, I'm the one with no soul
One above and one below

Might last a day, yeah
Mine is forever
Might last a day, yeah
Mine is forever

When they get what they want, and they never want it again
When they get what they want, and they never want it again
Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to
Go on, take everything, take everything, I dare you to

I told you from the start just how this would end
When I get what I want, then I never want it again
Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to
Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to
It's my lie, you're mine, you're mine

Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to
Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to
Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to
Go on, take everything, take everything
Take everything, take everything


Lyrics submitted by ShiverForMe, edited by airevolt1, scottdoesntknow628

Violet Lyrics as written by Eric T. Erlandson Courtney M Love

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Violet song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

117 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +12
    My Interpretation

    I think people are trying way too hard to force a specific real life meaning onto this song and missing some specific references.

    "You should learn when to go, You should learn how to say "no" Common accusations levelled at rape survivors is that they didn't leave the situation where they got attacked before it was "too late" and also that they didn't tell the guy no in "the right way."

    "When they get what they want, They never want it again" This is an old wives adage that basically boils down to making sure that you never give your husband/boyfriend everything he wants in bed or else he won't have any use/interest in you afterwards.

    "And the sky was all violet I want it again, but violent, more violence Well, I'm the one with no soul" Here I feel that the singer is saying that she enjoys violent sex but is deemed to be wrong and possibly psychologically scarred for it.

    I think this song is about female sexuality and the lack of responsibility the a woman is seemingly allowed to have over her own sexual experience. The shouted repetition of take everything is the singer both demanding control by giving implicit permission and acknowledging that she'll never be "equal" in the relationship.

    Sorry for all the tl;dr but I've always been emotionally moved by this song. To the point where I had to remove it from my playlist because it makes me too angry.

    brideoflisteron May 18, 2011   Link
  • +9
    General Comment

    I dont think this song is about Kurt or written by Kurt. Their are demo versions of Violet circulating dating as early as 1991.

    vilvodkaon August 09, 2009   Link
  • +7
    General Comment

    Goddamn, I fucking love this song, and (as well as half the people on this thing) i think it's almost

    completely about the first man she was married to (i

    cant remember his name, it wasn't Billly Corgan, was

    it?) . I read on a HOLE site that he

    once said to her in a letter after they broke up "Now

    that you have what you want, will you ever want it

    again Courtney?" I'm not sure what he was talking

    about but its a pretty powerful thing to say to

    someone anyway. yeah, this was the first HOLE song

    I ever heard, when i was like nine or something, and

    i was really shaken when i first heard it! her voice is just

    filled with classic Courtney howling fury, and to this

    day it still makes me want to trash my room whenever i hear it.

    broken_faceon December 29, 2004   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    Courtney Love wrote this song directed at Billy Corgan.

    plastic tiaraon August 01, 2002   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    I think the person in the song was hurt once and is still hurt, (ie mine is forever) but she seems to be trying to protect herself against being hurt again by pretending she doesn't care, (ie take everything, i want you to) Nirvana is my favorite band, but this is a Hole song so STOP talking about how Courtney is "a murdering bitch," because she's not and that has nothing to do with the song. :)

    anemicroyalty615on September 25, 2008   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    people are way too obsessed with Kurt Cobain. This is why I hate Nirvana fans. We can't even comment on Hole without some retard jumping in talking about the same idiotic bullshit about how Courtney killed Kurt and anything to do with making out Kurt to be the poor saintly victim and Courtney the villain. And the only thing they can tell me is what Tom Grant told them and that is not a legitimate source for me. Maybe they are just jealous because Courtney got to be close to Kurt and they will never get the chance. ha ha. But Kurt hated most of his fans while he was alive the poor guy would hate to see what his fans are like today. The most dumb romanticizing morons who hate on his wife for no good reasons other than silly typical sexist shit that they've read.

    With that said-Courtney rocks and she is to me one of the greatest lyricists. There is a reason your precious Kurt loved her, they were two brilliant tortured minds with a lot of depth and soul and besides Courtney IS rock & roll Kurt called her the coolest girl in the world.

    cutebabydollon August 07, 2006   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    It seems that Labelle is the only one to catch the critical irony in the song- that after being used by this man (or these men), she ends up using them - "I told you from the start Just how this would end. When I get what I want, I never want it again. "

    And thanks to sxepunkette for mentioning the brilliant use of changes in dynamics (loud vs soft.)

    MamboManon March 07, 2012   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Ouch man ouch. That's all I can say. I would hate to be one the recieving line of this lil song.

    ChrissyTinaon January 20, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Yep, this is about Billy Corgan, just as Fuck You (An Ode To No One) is about Courtney.

    Songmeaningsuseron September 01, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I love this song...i think this was the first song by Hole i ever heard actually. And i think Courtney's voice is amazing. I can relate to this because 'when i get what i want, i never want it again', and the way she screams 'Take everything, i want you to' just sends shivers down my spine! Very cool song. I'll always love 'Violet'. The first verse is by far my favourite. The way the stars and the sky are described is so pretty.

    Licion October 13, 2004   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.