This post is titled by author Anonymous. Many fans are disappointed in the new Nirvana song, saying it is unfinished, a rough demo, etc. It’s not as catchy as “Lithium” and it probably won’t have such a cool video as “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” From a simple point of view of whether or not the song will be a #1 hit, it is unlikely (but possible). Ten years ago nobody thought Nirvana would have a hit either.

To a casual alternative rock fan or casual Nirvana fan, the song is pretty good, it’s got a cool bass line, its kinda catchy. The song is pretty much that until you remember one fact…

This song was recorded by a man only a couple of months before he shot himself in the head.

Kurt Cobain was always the angst-ridden “leader of a generation.” A lot of Nirvana’s music is about depressing subjects and things, usually in general terms. This song, however, couldn’t be any more specific to Kurt’s life. I’ll show you the lyrics of the song according to my interpretation (these are generally correct, fans can argue over the little details) in a second. As you read them, keep in mind these are from not only someone who would attempt to kill himself 2 weeks later (before finally getting the job done 2 months later), but a troubled man who was fighting heroine addiction for years, depression for all his life and was married to Courtney Love of all people (but he loved her and I guess that's more important... For him that is and I symphatise for him even more.. I can relate to this), who at the time was rumored to have been cheating on him. The lyrics are as follows:

I would never bother you
I would never promise to
I will never follow you
I will never bother you

Never say a word again
I would crawl away for good
I would move away from here
You won't be afraid of fear
No thought was put into this and
Always knew it would come to this

Things have never been so swell
And I have never failed to fail
Pain (x 3)
You know you're right (x3)

I'm so warm and calm inside
I no longer have to hide
There's talk about someone else
Stinging soup begins to melt
Nothing really bothers her
She just wants to love herself

I would move away from here
You won't be afraid of fear
No thought was put into this
Always knew it would come like this
Things have never been so swell
I have never failed to fail

Pain (x5)
You know you're right (x 17)

Lyrically, it is almost a suicide note put into a song. Kurt promises he will never follow us or bother us or say a word again and then crawl away for good. He’ll move away forever. He always knew it would come to this. Then in typical Cobain sarcasm he says that things have never been so swell. The most chilling line foreshadowing things to come might be “I have never failed to fail.”

Some have argued that it is not “failed to fail,” but “failed to feel” which then connects into the end of the chorus which is literally Kurt screaming “pain.” The third verse seems to deal with his heroine addiction and then talks on somebody we could assume is Courtney Love. The stinging soup line could refer to cooking up heroin, so is the warm and calm inside. “There’s talk about someone else” is pretty self-explanatory as are the other lines about the woman.

The chorus then repeats with the same promises to leave and such from the start. The line of “no thought was put into this” can be debated, but to me personally it comes off as sounding that whatever Kurt is doing, he is not using any logical thought at all – only pure emotion. The song ends with screams of “pain” and a noisy jam with Kurt repeating, “you know you’re right” until the song ends.

It is highly likely that I am simply reading too much into these lyrics. Without knowing that the author was about to kill himself, the song has a smaller impact, but you still have to wonder why nobody around Kurt did anything to help him after hearing this. Cobain was notorious for writing songs from the perspective of other people beside himself, often confusing critics and fans alike. He was also known for just writing random lyrics down and then laughing later on when people analyzed them and made up some overall meaning to the song. Even if this interpretation of “You Know You’re Right” is correct, its entirely possible the song is from the perspective of another suicidal heroine addict with a cheating woman. I’m sure Kurt knew several people like that.

The downside of the song is that it leaves a feeling of emptiness. It's like the song is incomplete... only a demo. Plus, it's a reminder of how music sucks now. If Nirvana came up with a song like that in 1994, why are bands still sounding the same in 2002? Damn, imitators. Especially that bloody Puddle Of Mudd... sure Nirvana are and always will be the patron saints of Alternative Rock and "Teen Spirit" is STILL the flagship of Alternative Rock AND "NeverMind" is a reference point for othe angst riddled bands.. BUT COME ON!!!

“You Know You’re Right” is not another Teen Spirit and I doubt we will see it on eMpTyV much. To Nirvana fans and fans of Kurt Cobain the person, it could be a deep insight in the thoughts of a man who no longer wanted to make music or be alive. It might just be the saddest song ever written or it could be a bunch of bullshit Kurt wrote and he is laughing at us over it right this second.

Posted by Anonymous at 12:56:00 AM

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