Nirvana (band)

This article is about the American grunge band. For the religious concept, see Nirvana.

Nirvana was an American grunge rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987. Nirvana went through a succession of drummers, the longest-lasting being Dave Grohl, who joined the band in 1990. Despite releasing only three full-length studio albums in their seven-year career, Nirvana has come to be regarded as one of the most influential and important rock bands of the modern era.

Song lyrics

All songs written by Kurt Cobain, except where noted.

Bleach (1989)

"Blew"

If you wouldn't mind I would like to blew
If you wouldn't mind I would like to lose
If you wouldn't care I would like to leave
If you wouldn't mind I would like to breathe

"About a Girl"

I do wonder why I'm here

Don't pin a note to me
I do promise to agree
I do live in constant fear
I do wonder why I'm here

"Paper Cuts"

I see others just like me
Why do they not try to escape?

"Swap Meet"

She loves him more than he will ever know
He loves her more than he will ever show

"Mr. Moustache"

Yes I eat cow I am not proud

Yes I eat cow I am not proud.

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" (1991 single)

"Even in His Youth"

If I die before I wake
Hope I don't come back a slave

Nevermind (1991)

Nature is a whore

Come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be

We could plant a house, we could build a tree; I don't even care, we could have all three

I think she wants some water to put out the blow torch

Never met a wise man; if so, it's a woman

Just because you're paranoid don't mean they're not after you

"Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Written by Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic.

It's fun to lose and to pretend
I'm worst at what I do best
With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
Yeah!
And I forget just why I taste
Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard, it was hard to find
Oh well, whatever, nevermind

"In Bloom"

He's the one who likes
All the pretty songs, and he
Likes to sing along, and he
Likes to shoot his gun, but he
Knows not what it means
Knows not what it means when I say "ahh!"
We can have some more
Nature is a whore
Bruises on the fruit
Tender age in bloom

"Come as You Are"

Come
As you are
As you were
As I want you to be
As a friend
As a friend
As an old enemy
Take your time
Hurry up
The choice is yours, don't be late
Take a rest
As a friend
As a old memory
Well, I swear that I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun

"Breed"

Even if you have, even if you need
I don't mean to stare, we don't have to breed
We could plant a house, we could build a tree
I don't even care, we could have all three

"Lithium"

I'm so happy 'cause today I found my friends
They're in my head
I'm so ugly, but that's okay 'cause so are you
We've broke our mirrors
Sunday morning is everyday for all I care
And I'm not scared
Light my candles in a daze 'cause I've found God

"Polly"

Polly wants a cracker
Think I should get off of her first
I think she wants some water
To put out the blow torch

"Territorial Pissings"

Never met a wise man
If so, it's a woman
Just because you're paranoid
Don't mean they're not after you

"Drain You"

One baby to another says, "I'm lucky to've met you
"I don't care what you think unless it is about me
"It is now my duty to completely drain you
"I travel through a tube and end up in your infection"

"Stay Away"

Rather be dead than cool

"On a Plain"

Somewhere I have heard this before…in a dream my memory has stored…

I love myself better than you
I know it's wrong, so what should I do?
It's safe to say, "Don't quote me on that"
Somewhere I have heard this before
In a dream my memory has stored
It is now time
To make it unclear
To write off lines
That don't make sense

"Something in the Way"

Underneath the bridge, the tarp has sprung a leak, and the animals I've trapped have all become my pets, and I'm living off of grass and the drippings from the ceiling, it's okay to eat fish 'cause they don't have any feelings

Underneath the bridge
The tarp has sprung a leak
And the animals I've trapped
Have all become my pets
And I'm living off of grass
And the drippings from the ceiling
B'it's okay to eat fish
'Cause they don't have any feelings

"Puss/Oh, the Guilt" (1993 split single)

She borrows time to self-invent

"Oh, the Guilt"

She likes the time
She owns the time
She borrows time to self-invent

Heart-Shaped Box (1993 single)

"Marigold"

Written by Dave Grohl.

All in all, the clock is slow

In Utero (1993)

Teenage angst has paid off well

I think I'm dumb, or maybe just happy

Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld so I can sigh eternally

"Serve the Servants"

Teenage angst has paid off well
Now I'm bored and old
Self-appointed judges judge
More than they have sold
If she floats than she is not
A witch like we had thought
I tried hard to have a father
But instead I had a dad
I just want you to know that I
Don't hate you anymore
There is nothing I could say
That I haven't thought before

"Heart-Shaped Box"

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I was drawn into your magnet tar pit trap
I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn back
Hey
Wait
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

"Rape Me"

Rape me
Rape me, my friend
Rape me
Rape me again

"Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle"

She'll come back as fire, to burn all the liars, and leave a blanket of ash on the ground
I miss the comfort in being sad

"Dumb"

I'm not like them
But I can pretend
The sun is gone
But I have a light
The day is done
But I'm having fun
I think I'm dumb
Or maybe just happy
My heart is broke
But I have some glue
Help me inhale
And mend it with you
We'll float around
And hang out on clouds
Then we'll come down
And have a hangover

"Very Ape"

I take pride as the king of illiterature
If you ever need anything, please don't
Hesitate to ask someone else first
I'm too busy acting like I'm not naïve
I've seen it all
I was here first

"Milk It"

I am my own parasite
I don't need a host to live
We feed off of each other
We can share our endorphins
Look on the bright side is suicide
Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
Obituary birthday
Your scent is still here in my place of recovery

"Pennyroyal Tea"

Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
Distill the life that's inside of me
Sit and drink Pennyroyal tea
I'm anemic royalty
Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld
So I can sigh eternally

"Radio Friendly Unit Shifter"

Afterbirth of a nation
Bi-polar opposites attract

"All Apologies"

What else should I be?
All apologies
What else should I say?
Everyone is gay
What else could I write?
I don't have the right
What else should I be?
All apologies
I wish I was like you
Easily amused
Find my nest of salt
Everything's my fault
I'll take all the blame
Aqua seafoam shame
Sunburn with freezerburn
Choking on the ashes of her enemy
All in all is we all are

The Beavis and Butt-head Experience (1993)

"I Hate Myself and Want to Die"

In the someday, what's that sound?
Broken heart and broken bones
Think of how a castrated horse feels
One more quirky clichéd phrase
You're the one I wanna refill

Nirvana (2002)

"You Know You're Right"

I will never bother you
I will never promise to
I will never follow you
I will never bother you
Never speak a word again
I will crawl away for good
I will move away from here
You won't be afraid of fear