Song Meanings


Bleach


Blew-- The whole song conveys themes of entrapment.

Floyd The Barber-- A song about a small town that goes bad, the title is taken from a character on The Andy Griffith Show. Everyone turns out to be a mass-murderer. The song also shows Freudian castration fears.

About A Girl--A song written for Kurt's girlfriend Tracy, she threatened to kick him out if he didn't get a job.

School--A song about the incestous Seattle Scene.

Paper Cuts-- Part of the lyrics are based on a true story of a family that Kurt was acquainted with, who locked their children
in a room. Other lyrics have to deal with parents, and neglect.

Negative Creep--the first person narrative from an antisocial person.

Scoff--A song that's directed towards the people who didn't believe in Kurt's musical aspirations.

Swap Meet--A battle of the sexes put in the background of a Sunday swap meet.

Mr. Moustache--Speaks out against the stereotypical male macho image.

Sifting--seems to take on authority figures with it's mention of preachers and teachers.

Big Cheese--This song is written about Sub Pop man Jonathan Poneman and the pressures he put on the band.

Downer--Kurt's attempt at a political song.


Nevermind


Smells Like Teen Spirit--An attack on the apathy of our own generation.

In Bloom--An attack on people who listen to certain music for the wrong reason. When someone listens to music but has no idea what it is about.

Come As You Are--A song full of contradictions on how we act versus 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, or an 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 girl and her torture.

Territorial Pissings--Multi-themed song that attacks macho men.

Drain You--A song about (plainly and simply) love. Highly medical theme.

Lounge Act--A song about having a certain vision and being smothered by 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 living under a bridge when he was kicked out of his house.


Incesticide


Sliver--A semi-biographical song about being deserted by your parents.

Been A Son--A song about a girl whose parents wanted a boy.

Aneurysm--Possibly about shooting heroin.


In Utero


Serve the Servants--An autobiographical song about the whole Nirvana experience, the 'witch hunt', on Courtney Love, and a sarcastic response to the emphasis placed on the divorce of Kurt's parents.

Scentless Apprentice--Based on the novel “Perfume” by Patrick Suskind.

Heart-Shaped Box--Themes of co-dependancy and many other themes.

Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle--A song about the story of Frances Farmer, who was declared insane and lobotomized.

Dumb--Ignorance is bliss. There is a certain care-free happiness involved 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 the medical theme.

Pennyroyal Tea--A song about making a tough decision and the difficult choices around it and the guilt following it. Pennyroyal Tea is an abortive substance.

Radio Friendly Unit Shifter--According to Kurt this song is a throwaway. A bunch of random poetry lines thrown together. The title is a reference to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and it's slick, radio-friendly sound.

tourette's--This song has no meaning at all. Kurt just screamed alot. Based on tourette's syndrome, which causes one to shout out obscenities at any time.

All Apologies--Contrary to popular belief, this song is not about Frances and Courtney. He wrote it for them, but none of the lyrics really apply.