‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ – Nirvana
Since its release in 1991, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” has been recognized as a generational masterpiece. The only problem is that no one, not even Kurt Cobain, appears to know what it’s all about. The title was inspired by bandmate Kathleen Hanna, who scribbled “Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit” on Cobain’s wall. Cobain, unaware that Teen Spirit was a deodorant brand, decided to utilize the term while writing “the ultimate pop song.” Cobain stated in Michael Azerrad’s Nirvana history, Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, that he meant to “describe what I felt about my surroundings, my generation, and people my age.” In the same book, he contradicted himself, saying the song was “making fun of the idea of having a revolution.” Drummer and eventual Foo Fighters leader Dave Grohl has stated that the lyrics have no actual meaning.
‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ Nirvana
