Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me

"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 in 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°.

"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"
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
Studio
GenreAlternative rock, glam rock
Length4:47
LabelIsland, Atlantic
Composer(s)U2
Lyricist(s)Bono
Producer(s)
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.)

History

"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" has its origins in the sessions for the band's 1993 album, Zooropa.[1] Bono described it as being about "being in a rock band" and "being a star".[1] 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.[2] 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 94 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.

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.[3] It also received a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Original Song, where it lost to "Walk Into the Wind" from Showgirls.

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]

Music video

The animated music video to the song (interspersed with clips from the film) was directed by Kevin Godley and Maurice Linnane.[6] 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.[7]

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" 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

Charts and certifications

See also

References
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  3. Associated Press (5 January 1996). "Grammy Nominations". Los Angeles Daily News.
  4. Wood, Mikael (17 May 2018). "Shout-out to the '90s". Los Angeles Times. pp. E1–E2. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  5. "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. PR Newswire. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  6. "U2 - "Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me"". mvdbase.com. 1995-06-01. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
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