| "What the Hell Have I" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Promotional single byAlice in Chains | ||||
| from the albumLast Action Hero: Music from the Original Motion Picture | ||||
| Released | June 7, 1993[1] | |||
| Recorded | April 1993 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:58 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jerry Cantrell | |||
| Producer(s) | Andy Wallace, Alice in Chains | |||
| Alice in Chains singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "What the Hell Have I" onYouTube | ||||
"What the Hell Have I" is a song by the Americanrock bandAlice in Chains. It was originally featured on thesoundtrack to the 1993John McTiernan filmLast Action Hero starringArnold Schwarzenegger. The song was released as a single and peaked at No. 19 on theBillboardMainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was included on the compilation albumNothing Safe: Best of the Box (1999). A remixed version of the song was included on the compilation albumsMusic Bank (1999) andThe Essential Alice in Chains (2006).
The song was originally written for their breakthrough albumDirt, but was shelved at the time and used later for theLast Action Hero soundtrack.[2] Contrary to popular belief, Jerry Cantrell did not use a traditionalsitar during the recording session, although he did attempt to play one, but was unsure how. While experimenting with sounds, he adopted aguitar-sitar into the session to achieve the sound of the openingriff.[2]
In theliner notes of 1999'sMusic Bank box set collection, guitaristJerry Cantrell said of the song:
This and "A Little Bitter" were mixed byAndy Wallace becauseToby [Wright] had a previous commitment, and they always bothered me because they were too "tinny" compared to our other stuff. So I was happy to see Toby finish his work off with the remixes [onMusic Bank]. That's not to disrespect Andy, it's just that he wasn't there when they were being created. Toby's like a brother, he knows all our shit, all our personalities and we don't trust anybody unless we've got something on them.[3]
"What the Hell Have I" was released to radio stations on June 7, 1993 in support of Alice in Chains' appearance on the 1993Lollapalooza tour.[1] The single peaked at No. 19 on theBillboardMainstream Rock Tracks chart.[4]
Allmusic's Jason Birchmeier said that the song is "on a par with those featured on the band's recent (and magnificent)Dirt album."[5] Ned Raggett of Allmusic said that the song "isn't bad at all but on the flipside has little immediate surprise to offer to it."[6]
Themusic video for "What the Hell Have I" was released in 1993 and was directed byRocky Schenck, who had previously directed the "We Die Young" and "Them Bones" music videos for the band, and who would later direct the music video for "Grind". In the music video, singerLayne Staley's face is projected on him with different expressions, while guitaristJerry Cantrell is seen with the same contact lenses with a smiley face that was worn by Mr. Benedict (played byCharles Dance) inLast Action Hero. The video is available on the home video releaseMusic Bank: The Videos.
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USMainstream Rock Tracks[4] | 19 |
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