Song Meanings
Bleach - The band was in California, andthey
saw some people in a disease control campaign encouraging people tobleach their
used needles to sterilize them. The joke was that bleach wasgoing to become an
invaluable commodity. Produced:Jack
Endino Drums: Chad Channing (unless otherwise noted)
Blew - The whole song conveys themes of entrapment
Floyd the Barber - A song about a small town that goes bad, thetitle
is taken from a character on The Andy Griffith Show. Everyone turnsout to be a
mass-murderer. The song also shows Freudian castration fears- Drums:
Dale Crover
About A Girl - A song written for Kurt's girlfriend Tracy,
shethreatened to kick him out if he didn't get a job
School - A song about the incestous Seattle Scene. The bandsseem to
resemble high school cliques
Love Buzz - A cover song from the group Shocking Bluefrom the
Netherlands
Paper Cuts - Part of the lyrics are based on a true story ofa family
that Kurt was acquainted with, who locked their children in aroom. Other
lyrics have to deal with parents, and neglect. - Drums:Dale Crover
Negative Creep - the first person narrative from an antisocialperson
Scoff - A song that's directed towards the people who didn'tbelieve
in Kurt's musical aspirations
Swap Meet - A battle of the sexes put in the background of aSunday
swap meet
Mr. Moustache - Speaks out against the stereotypical male machoimage
Sifting - seems to take on authority figures with it's mentionof
preachers and teachers
Big Cheese - This song is written about Sub Pop man JonathanPoneman
and the pressures he put on the band
Downer - Kurt's attempt at a political song. - Drums:Dale
Crover
Nevermind - Not caring about anything,
a“whatever happens, happens” attitude. - Produced: Butch Vig Drums:Dave
Grohl
Smells Like Teen Spirit - An attack on the apathy of our
owngeneration
In Bloom - An attack on people who listen to certain music forthe
wrong reason. Imagine the macho, gun toting guy who sings along toNirvana, but
has no clue what he's singing about
Come As You Are - A song full of contradictions on how we actversus
how we think society thinks we should act
Breed - Growing up and being trapped by Middle Class America
Lithium - A first person narrative of a nervous breakdown, oran
update of the Marxist description of religion as 'Opiate of the masses'.An ode
to disconnection
Polly - Based on the actual kidnapping of a 14 year old girland her
torture
Territorial Pissings - Multi-themed song that attacks macho men
Drain You - A song about (plainly and simply) love. Highly
medicaltheme
Lounge Act - A song about having a certain vision and being
smotheredby a relationship
Stay Away - An attack on any conformist clique
On A Plain - Many small lines of poetry having multi themes
Something in the Way - A song about Kurt's experiences livingunder a
bridge when he was kicked out of home
Endless, Nameless - Previously called “The Noise Jam.” An
experimentalsong created when one of the takes on Lithium (Territorial
Pissings accordingto Guitar World) went bad
Incesticide - The killing of incestous people
Dive - Produced: Butch Vig Drums: Chad Channing
Sliver - A semi-biographical song about being deserted by
yourparents - Produced: Jack Endino Drums: Dan Peters
Stain - Produced: Steve Fisk Drums: Chad Channing
Been A Son - Song about a girl whose parents wanted a boy - Produced:Miti
Adhikari Drums: Dave Grohl
Turnaround - Cover of a Devo song - Produced:
DaleGriffin Drums: Dave Grohl
Molly's Lips - Cover of a Vaselines song - Produced:Dale
Griffin Drums: Dave Grohl
Son of a Gun - Cover of a Vaselines song - Produced:Dale
Griffin Drums: Dave Grohl
(New Wave) Polly - Faster recording of Nevermind's
“Polly”- Produced: Miti Adhikari Drums: Dave Grohl
Beeswax - Seems to be about sexuality and confusion. Also speaksof
the objectification of women in society - Produced: Jack EndinoDrums:
Chad Channing
Downer - see Bleach - Produced: Jack Endino Drums:Dale
Crover
Mexican Seafood - Some people seem to believe this is about ayeast
infection. Mostly likely another one of Kurt's songs where he justthrows a
bunch of lyrics together - Produced: Jack Endino Drums:Chad
Channing
Hairspray Queen - Produced: Jack Endino Drums:Chad
Channing
Aero Zeppelin - Produced: Jack Endino Drums:
ChadChanning
Big Long Now - Produced: Jack Endino Drums:
ChadChanning
Aneurysm - Possibly about shooting heroin - Produced:Miti
Adhikari Drums: Dave Grohl
In Utero - Literally means “in or of
theuterus,” it's their most underdeveloped studio effort, making it
somewhatlike a fetus still being in the womb. - Produced: Steve Albini Drums:Dave
Grohl
Serve the Servants - An autobiographical song about the wholeNirvana
experience, the 'witch hunt' on Courtney Love, and a sarcasticresponse to the
emphasis placed on the divorce of Kurt's parents
Scentless Apprentice - Based on the novel “Perfume” by
PatrickSuskind, about a perfume maker who kills virgins for their scent
Heart-Shaped Box - Themes of co-dependancy and many other themes
Rape me - In Kurt's words, the song is a sort of poetic justice.A
guy rapes a girl, he ends up in jail, and is raped there
Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle - A song aboutthe
story of Frances Farmer, who was declared insane and lobotomized
Dumb - Ignorance is bliss. There is a certain care-free
happinessinvolved in being dumb. Drug related themes dominate the song
Very Ape - An attack on the stereotypical macho man
Milk It - A song about co-dependancy, it heavily carries themedical
theme
Pennyroyal Tea - A song about making a tough decision and
thedifficult choices around it and the guilt following it. Pennyroyal Teais an
abortive substance
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter - According to Kurt this song isa
throwaway. A bunch of random poetry lines thrown together. The titleis a
reference to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and it's slick, radio-friendlysound
tourette's - This song has no meaning at all. Kurt just screamedalot.
Based on tourette's syndrome, which causes one to shout out obscenitiesat any
time
All Apologies - Contrary to popular belief, this song is notabout
Francis and Courtney. He wrote it for them, but none of the lyricsreally apply
Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip [Import version]-
More or less, a poem to words. This is an improv-style song
B-Sides, Rarities, & Compilation Tracks
Even in His Youth [Smells Like Teen Spirit single] - Those whowhere
born to the burgoise, and never saw their way out of it, and howKurt is glad
he wasn't one of them
Verse Chorus Verse [No Alternative CD] - About weeklings whocling to
people with powerful ideas, even though they nay be sucking themselvesinto
something that is less than possitive. Could also possibly be aimedat the
church
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