This article is about the American grunge band. For the religious concept, see Nirvana.
With the lights out, it's less dangerous

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
  • And 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, b'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
Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
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

  Band     Nirvana  
  Members     Singer     Kurt Cobain  
  Guitarists     Kurt Cobain · Jason Everman · Pat Smear  
  Bassist     Krist Novoselic  
  Drummers     Aaron Burckhard · Dale Crover · Dave Foster · Chad Channing · Dan Peters · Dave Grohl  
  Studio albums     Bleach · Nevermind · In Utero  
  Extended plays     Blew · Hormoaning  
  Compilation albums     Incesticide · Nirvana · Sliver: The Best of the Box · Icon  
  Live albums     MTV Unplugged in New York · From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah · Live at Reading  
  Box sets     Singles · With the Lights Out · Nevermind: The Singles  
  Singles     "Love Buzz" · "Sliver" · "Smells Like Teen Spirit" · "Come As You Are" · "Lithium" · "In Bloom" · "Heart-Shaped Box" · "All Apologies"/"Rape Me" · "Pennyroyal Tea" · "About A
  Girl
" · "You Know You're Right"  
  Promotional singles     "On A Plain" · "All Apologies" (Unplugged) · "The Man Who Sold The World" (Unplugged) · "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (Unplugged) · "Lake Of Fire" · "Aneurysm" (live) · "Drain You" (live)  
  Split singles     "Candy/Molly's Lips" · "Here She Comes Now/Venus in Furs" · "Puss/Oh, The Guilt"  
  Other songs     "Do Re Mi" · "Dumb" · "I Hate Myself And Want To Die" · "Marigold" · "Negative Creep" · "Old Age" · "Polly" · "Sappy" · "Something In The Way"  
  Videos     Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! · MTV Unplugged in New York · Live at Reading · Live at the Paramount · Live and Loud  
  Books     Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana · Heavier Than Heaven · Journals · Letters to Kurt  
  Films and documentaries     1991: The Year Punk Broke · Teen Spirit: The Tribute to Kurt Cobain · Hype! · Kurt & Courtney · Last Days · Kurt Cobain: About a Son · Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck ·
  Soaked in Bleach  
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