The Hell Song
2003 single by Sum 41
title: "The Hell Song" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2002-songs", "2003-singles", "aquarius-records-(canada)-singles", "island-records-singles", "mercury-records-singles", "music-videos-directed-by-marc-klasfeld", "songs-about-hiv/aids", "songs-written-by-deryck-whibley", "songs-written-by-greig-nori", "sum-41-songs", "cultural-depictions-of-george-w.-bush", "cultural-depictions-of-ozzy-osbourne", "depictions-of-jesus-in-music"] description: "2003 single by Sum 41" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hell_Song" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 2003 single by Sum 41 ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | The Hell Song |
| cover | Thehellsong.jpg |
| type | single |
| artist | Sum 41 |
| album | Does This Look Infected? |
| released | |
| genre | Pop punk |
| length | 3:18 |
| producer | Greig Nori |
| prev_title | Still Waiting |
| prev_year | 2002 |
| next_title | Over My Head (Better Off Dead) |
| next_year | 2003 |
| :: |
| name = The Hell Song | cover = Thehellsong.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Sum 41 | album = Does This Look Infected? | released = | recorded = | studio =
- Avatar (New York, New York)
- Metalworks (Mississauga, Ontario) | genre = Pop punk | length = 3:18 | label =
- Aquarius
- Island
- Mercury | writer =
- Greig Nori
- Deryck Whibley | producer = Greig Nori | prev_title = Still Waiting | prev_year = 2002 | next_title = Over My Head (Better Off Dead) | next_year = 2003
"The Hell Song" is a song by Canadian rock band Sum 41. The song was released on February 10, 2003, as the second single of the band's album Does This Look Infected?. "The Hell Song" became a top-40 hit in Ireland, Italy, and the United Kingdom. On May 29, 2015, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Background
Deryck Whibley, the lead vocalist of Sum 41, wrote "The Hell Song" after learning that one of his friends had contracted HIV. 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". According to former drummer Steve Jocz, as of 2024, the subject of the song was still in good health.
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 with the band's name on it. 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 video ends when police dolls arrive to break up the concert, and the band avoids arrest by taking off in a helicopter (which is then comically hurled out of a window and falls to the ground, accompanied by laughter). 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 listings
UK CD1
- "The Hell Song" (explicit version)
- "Over My Head (Better Off Dead)" (demo)
- "My Direction" (demo)
- "The Hell Song" (CD-ROM video)
UK CD2
- "The Hell Song" (live)
- "Still Waiting" (live)
- "Rhythms" (live)
- "The Hell Song" (live CD-ROM video)
UK 7-inch single :A. "The Hell Song" (album version—explicit) – 3:18 :B. "Still Waiting" (live from Sound, London) – 2:44 European CD single
- "The Hell Song"
- "Over My Head" (demo)
Australian CD single
- "The Hell Song"
- "Over My Head" (demo)
- "My Direction" (demo)
- "WW7 Pts 1 & 2" (performed by "Pain for Pleasure")
Charts
Weekly charts
::data[format=table] | Chart (2003) | Peak position | Canada (Billboard) | |---|---|---| | 122 | | | ::
Year-end charts
::data[format=table]
| Chart (2003) | Position | US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) |
|---|---|---|
| 58 | ||
| :: |
Certifications
Release history
::data[format=table title="Release dates and formats for "The Hell Song""]
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). | United Kingdom | United States | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 10, 2003 | Mercury | ||||||
| February 17, 2003 | Island | ||||||
| April 7, 2003 | Contemporary hit radio | ||||||
| April 14, 2003 | CD | ||||||
| :: |
References
References
- "All Messed Up: A Look Back At Sum 41's 'Does This Look Infected?'". The Carouser.
- "Sum 41 Sober Up On Does This Look Infected?". [[MTV]].
- Whitmire, Margo. (November 30, 2002). "Sum 41 Spreads 'Infected'".
- (June 28, 2024). "Was "Hell Song" the ORIGINAL Hawk Tuah?".
- (2003). "The Hell Song". [[Mercury Records]].
- (2003). "The Hell Song". Mercury Records.
- (2003). "The Hell Song". Mercury Records.
- (2003). "The Hell Song". [[Island Def Jam Music Group]].
- (2003). "The Hell Song". [[Island Records]].
- "Singles : Top 50". [[Broadcast Data Systems]].
- (December 19, 2003). "The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Modern Rock Songs".
- (February 8, 2003). "New Releases – For Week Starting 10 February 2003: Singles".
- (February 14, 2003). "Going for Adds".
- "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock".
- (April 4, 2003). "Going for Adds".
- (April 14, 2003). "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 14th April 2003". [[Australian Recording Industry Association.
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