Like Kurt , the drummer is also very talented he is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, for which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter.

Straight into the face, still so good after 30 years. RIP Kurt!!

This was the first mainstream "Grunge" hit. There were definitely other artists pre-dating this on the Grunge scene, and many great songs, but this is what sparked the shift from metal to grunge in popular culture during the early 90s. Grunge is an interesting sound. It's more blues than rock compositionally, but it uses a more minimal rock instrumentation with heavy distortion on everything, and usually a faster beat, and often very surreal lyrics laced with heavy allegory. Where blues is usually quite literal in the lyrics, grunge is all metaphor, and a lot more gritty (hence the name). A shocking number (probably more than half) of early Grunge musicians actually cite a TV show's theme song as one of their major inspirations. The classic "Peter Gunn" theme. The show, a late 1950s detective show only ran for two seasons, but was syndicated in reruns where it gained popularity, mostly for the theme, composed by Henry Mancini (who got two Grammy nominations for it). It has one of the most shredding Bass riffs ever. It's one of the first things they learned to play when they got into music, and it's instantly catchy. That song would be a great review. It's not rock or grunge (closer to jazz), but it inspired so many people in those genres, it's a worthy inclusion, and an essential part of any proper rock education. Link: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pd-jgNdpzrKdhXk.html

The drummer for Nirvana is a very young musical genius Dave Grohl. He is the lead singer of the Foo Fighters

Kind of blows my mind that there are still people out there who haven't heard Nirvana's music yet lol

Nirvana where did you sleep last night unplugged version

Living in Seattle, I was fortunate enough to see Nirvana, as well as a couple of other grunge bands in their infancy, (Alice In Chains, Mother Love Bone/aka, Pearl Jam, Screaming Trees) in small night clubs in downtown Seattle in the early 90's. One could feel the change of conventual rock n' roll blasting from those small stages, as grunge laid down the blue print for that change. The shows were intimate and the energy was palpable. I am still blown away by this song. It was the new anthem for Gen X'ers, and it spread across its musical landscape like a clarion call. You guys should check out their MTV unplugged show. Kurt Cobain really gave a great performance vocally. Keep up your great reactions, guys.

Kurt joined club 27

This Song Is a Masterpiece! I Remember When This Track Came Out In Early 1990's It Blew Up! RIP Kurt Cobain

In 1990 and 1991 "grunge" or the "Seattle sound" took the world by surprise. It was very sharp left turn out of the 80s, big greed, big hair, and big ego sounds. It brought on a revival of "hippie chicks", bell bottoms, and concerts becoming "festivals". Nirvana, Peal Jam, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden were at the front of the movement. Other bands outside Seattle brought their own style like Smashing Pumpkins, from Chicago, and Jane's addiction, Stone Temple pilots from LA.

The tempo doesn’t speed up and slow down. It’s steady throughout the song. What changes is the dynamics - soft and louder and softer - and the tone.

Nirvana never fade away 2023

The Weird Al cover of this is a must listen to as well. Smells like Nirvana

I was a teenager when Nirvana and this song hit Denmark. At that time, with no internet, youtube or Spotify, the only way to see this music video was on MTV (a total different channel then). We used to skip school, just to sit home together and wait for this video to come on - then we ran and jumped like mad around the house! 🤣🤣🤣 Good times!

Prominent artist at the time? He was the voice of a whole generation!

Rick Beato has made a video about „What makes this song great“ (and there are also others who have done this). Kurt Cobain was an ingenious melody writer. The melody of the verse has many intricate and „interesting“ notes, that are upper extensions of the underlying chords that make the song so standing out, haunting and many other things.

Early 90s MTV was killer!

Ya'll have to do the Weird Al version, Smells Like Nirvana. Hilarious video. My second favorite of his after Amish Paradise.

You say Cobain’s voice is unique at the next level. That was one thing I noticed about the grunge genre in general: the unique quality of the vocalists of the major grunge bands ….each unique but also each was a fantastic singer; Eddie Vedder, Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell, Layne Staley. Hope you delve deeper into this genre.

Teenage angst. The official #1 Rock song of all time, from the greatest grunge band ever. Thanks for your reaction.

I was 18 YO when this was released. The impact of this song was massive, you could not believe.

This song is an anthem for all a generation ! I remember when it came it was a hurrycane !!!!

The amount of sound they brought with only two guitars and the drums is beyond epic. If you haven’t yet reacted to their MTV Unplugged show, it’s a must see. The entire set is on video but listen to the last song and definitely do a reaction when you do. It’s called “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” and is absolutely phenomenal.

This video was a milestone in my life. I came home from school and flipped through the channels (literally) heard and saw this video and dropped to my knees. Nothing like this was out there!❤

The MTV unplugged concert was epic back in the days.

Hi guys. Love your reactions. Nirvana was one of the bands that got me in to the heavier side of rock and metal. Love and peace from South Africa

This is one of those times when I think the video really matches the song. I love at about the 10:00 minute mark of your video when you see Kurt slowly starting to rev up heading into the explosion of the final chorus. You almost can't help but head bang as the pep rally from hell goes off in the background.

One of the best songs ever.

Those were the days!! Of its time and a creative song. Great intro and analysis. I could see that you enjoyed that! For me, it brought back memories of a period of my life that was full on. Great reaction. Stay safe.

Do we understand it? No. Is it fire? Yes

Also, so funny how most people forget about the dollar on the hook in the pic on the album. Metaphors about desire/manipulation seem prevalent in their songs.

The unclear lyrics of this song are legend. (see Weird Al’s interpretation: „What is this song all about? Can’t figure any lyrics out…!“) And „teen spirit“ was a cheap teen perfume back in the nineties.

Fun fact: all the "students" in this video are fans who attended a nirvana show a few nights earlier and answered a flyer posted by the band needing extras for the video shoot. Fun fact #2: kurt was actually homeless when they recorded this album. He returned to his apartment after recording this album to find all his belongings in boxes on the street....evicted for not paying the rent.

I love that song, one of my grunge area while I was 20... Even if I'm still, and remain, a great fan of prog rock from the 70's UK bands... Keep your love safe... Love from France 🇫🇷😘

Nirvana, the group, put the death knell into the 80s hair/glam band coffin.

The vocals sometimes are described as marble mouth vocals, due to the difficulty in understanding the lyrics in parts. Weird Al made a parody of the song called "Smells Like Nirvana" Check it out for a good laugh, not for a react. Check out Foo Fighters - Everlong (Dave Grohl is the drummer here and is on vocals for the Foo Fighters)

There's 2 songs that made me feel that something is changing from the first time i heard the songs. Nirvana teen spirit and Guns and roses Paradise city. They really made a big impact, change musically

Great reaction Sam and Phil! I was never much of grunge fan, but I do like this song.

LOVE THE REACTION !

After being married for eight years and out of the loop, let’s call it, after a couple of months I ran into some long-haired guys in a warehouse I was a truck driver. I told him my situation, and I asked him what music is cool these days and he mentioned grunge out of Seattle. Then he put on smells like teen Spirit, and just hearing those cords I was hooked became a major Nirvana fan probably within six months my 10 year old son and I were playing every Nirvana song on our guitars major fans. Love you Guys keep up the great work.

Regarding when you talked about the lyrics. The lyrics "A mulatto, an albino, A mosquito, my libido" is not really supposed to mean anything really. I mean if you find a specific meaning for yourself in that then great. But Kurt was someone who up until later in Nirvana's career didn't really try to put any themes into his music. He knew that putting a specific meaning into his lyrics could mess with the artistic and abstract feeling people would experience when they listen to their music. In that way he was actually very forward thinking even in his young years. But ofc there are a few songs that have certain references to actual things that happend or artistic influences that are refered to in their songs. For example the song Polly or Scentless Apprentice. But songs like that are very few in their catalog. Most of Nirvana's music is mean't to be intepret any way you want to.

AN ABSOLUTE ALL TIME CLASSIC

Love the "Scarlet Letter" on the Cheerleaders Uniform

I turned 20 when this album hit. IT WAS AMAZING 😻

Love your reactions

Now you have to do Weird Al's parody of this, called Smells Like Nirvana. Al used all the same people in his video. When Al asked Kurt about doing a parody of this song, Kurt asked if it was about food ( Weird Al doest a lot of "food" songs), Al said told him it was about how no one could understand his lyrics. Kurt was like, oh okay.

The best thing about Nirvana is that they gave us Dave Grohl.

You guys are awesome - thank you!!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nirvana is next level really enjoyed your reaction, should definitely continue on the Nirvana journey unplugged is also worth a watch

Kurt was murdered, even famous forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht who did the Cobain case (also JFK and lots of other celeb deaths) said pretty much directly in American Spyfox KZfaq channel interview that it was a murder based on just the amount of heroin in his blood. It would have made him instantly go unconscious while shooting it, as the amount was way beyond the highest amount that anyone has ever survived. And there are massive amounts of evidence that it was planned murder. American Spyfox channel has great series on it. Not that it matters for this reaction, but I think it's worth telling the truth and hopefully someday get some justice for him. It was absolute shock for the countless millions of gen X'ers who loved Kurt and thought him like sort of messianic figure. I was in high school during that time, and I still remember that many of the tough guys cried during the day like babies, and they held memorandum the next two years on that day when it happened.They already knew he was murdered back then. At the time I was just casual fan, only couple years since that I really had the maturity to fall in love with them.

Great reaction as always

still one of the all time great rockers! ♥

I always loved how during the guitar solo he's fiddling with the tuners and and doing some weird stuff with the guitar despite the fact that the solo is just as simple melody that matches the vocal melody he sang during the verses and there's nothing exotic going on as far as techniques go, and he was just making fun of the 80's rock guitar virtuosos who loved to show off their superhuman guitar skills during their solos.

Like a glorious slap to the face, every time. Long live Nirvana.

Takes me back to early mornings driving to work thru the english countryside with the lads. Fond memories of the UK indeed 👍👍🤘🤘 ...an Aussie 🇦🇺

2, 1993, in Universal City, Calif. Teenage angst pays off well, as Nirvana's Kurt Cobain sang. But a lawsuit from a man who appeared as a naked baby on the band's landmark Nevermind album still isn't paying off: a federal judge has once again dismissed the lawsuit. Sep 5, 2022

I was in 12th grade when this came out. Anthem. Even the kids in Special/Handicapped Class knew every word of this song at my school!!! This song totally broke the mold of rock n roll was, and opened the door for so many other bands to get noticed, and many more to be inspired and become. We screamed this at the top of our lungs quite often. I'd gone to army basic training the summer before, and this song was soooo freeing. Plz check out Cam Cole. When he sings Away, it takes me to another place. I don't worry tho, cos he always brings me home at the end!!! If you like the blues, you will love Cam Cole!!!

Hi! To respond to your statement about the beat getting faster/harder and then lower/slower, this was something Dave Grohl mentioned in an interview about Kurt's affinity towards those types of songs and that it was on purpose. Dave talks abut how he learned a lot from Kurt about writing songs.

This reminds me of come together by the beatles you can't quite capture the lyrics, but the song and music just draws you in

This song is considered to be by many the greatest Heavy Metal track of all time.

Classic ❤

Dave is beating the breaks off of those drums

sweet 90's!!!!

The second gig in my life was Nirvana in a tiny church when they toured the UK, just before Nevermind was released. It was incredible. The first gig that I went to was Desmond Decker in the same location.

We all missed the dollars for the ding-a-lings in the 90s.

This was SO big when I was in high school, takes me back to school dances moshing and then hearing radioheads “Creep” and getting a slow dance in: lol such a great time to be a kid

Now this is from my part of the country. Some other songs you should check out are: Man in the Box - Alice in Chains Jeremy - Pearl Jam Outshined - Soundgarden Through the Fire and Flames - Dragonforce (epic guitars)

And after this, you have to do Weird Al Yankovic‘s parody of it called „Smells like Nirvana“!

This song changed things. I was a teenager in Seattle at that point. Bands were exploding everywhere and my friends and I were underage and sneaking into clubs. We did drugs and also fake drugs. Great times. I’d do it all over again.

Ok you two... Now you have to do "Weird Al - Smells Like Nirvana"!!!! ... It's Hilarious!

Iconic. Signaled a major shift in rock music.

Check out the drum cover, then a 8 or 9 year old Yoyoka did with this song. Amazing.

Ok, guys! Now, try Smells Like Nirvana by Weird Al Yankovic!

Great reaction Phil and Sam. Nirvana is indeed a very unique band, one of my favorites from the 90’s… I remember when this hit the “radio” back in the day… song will never get old for me!!!! You should check out “In Bloom”, another banger!!!! Alice In Chains is another Seattle band you must dive into…. I was rocking along with you guys !!

The drummer for Nirvana was Dave Grohl the lead singer of Foo Fighters.

Nirvana's signature sound was borne of 3 things: Sounds Dynamics - Nirvana's songs could start with a low key sound, then suddenly explode with power, then flip it again back to low key. Lots of groups could do it, but the swing with Nirvana bordered on violent. Power - Nirvana put EVERYTHING into their sound. As a 3 piece group, they could fill ANY space with sound. Kurt's voice - His voice was just so unique and so emotional. From tentative and soft to violent sonic maelstrom. Butch Vig, the producer producer of the Nevermind album, told an interviewer that Kurt could only do about 6-8 tapings on some of their louder songs before Kurt's voice was completely shot.

j'adore

Those lyrics are correct. They refer to people who are outsiders to the popular culture of the time. As others have commented, grunge was a counter-culture to the 80's high-glam, big-ego rock of the 80s. Cobain wasn't interested in being popular or being famous or bragging about wealth. He just wanted to play music and have a good time with like-minded people, rather than being in with the 'popular crowd'. This is primarily what those lyrics are referring to.

There is a version of this song done by 1000 people you NEED to see it even if you don't want to react to it but its incredible❤❤❤

Kurt wrote random lyrics for this song. He said that it didn't have much meaning. He came up with the title because an ex-girlfriend wrote " Kurt smells like teen spirit " on a wall. It was a deodorant.

This Mulatto will always love Kurt forever! Hello hello hello..How Low! lol

RIP Kurt!!! We miss you!!

If you check out Weird Al's "Smells like Nirvana" after this you wil laugh your skulls off!

“Teen spirit of going camping”😂wtf 😂

Just this past year the baby on the album cover sued-as his image was used without his permission-I believe he lost.

Nirvana has ALOT of great songs. Esp off first album. I know your looking for maybe new ACDC songs. Well every song off of BACK IN BLACK is awesome. But ACDC can be really bluesy too. Check out RIDE ON. Bonn Scott did that one. And DOWN PAYMENT BLUES is a huge BANGER. Love you guys!! Huge fan From Montan-A lol

Dave Grohl, the drummer, check out his band Foo Fighters with the song "The Pretender". Killer video! Killer song! Its a win/win for ya Phil & Sam.

His opening minute monologue was accurate.

He's the one, who likes all our pretty songs........

Its funny. When that album came out i dont remember a single person, either media or in oerson, who bothered noting that the baby was naked. If course the baby was naked. Who puts one in a pool with a diaper on? The lyrics are recounting an encounter, or multiple encounters, with shallow young ladies awkwardly but somewhat aggressively trying to hang out and converse with the band. Groupies, in other words. You should watch the Weird Al spoof of this song, Smells Like Nirvana. It's pretty damn funny. Cobain fully supported him doing it, lived the result, and told him to feel free to cover any of their songs.

Kurt Cobain was once a janitor in a school so he wanted the position to be acknowledged

You will love nirvana so many great songs come as you are Polly Heart shaped box To name a few 👍

Regarding the cover: The baby was supposed to represent an innocent Nirvana going for the money by signing a major label record deal, sort of a self-deprecating joke on some criticism they had gotten from the indie community about them "selling out"...The picture was of the child of one of the photographer's friends, and I think the parents were paid a small, one-time fee of a few hundred dollars for rights to the photograph. The record company did initially balk at the visibility of the penis, but let it go after Cobain offered to have all the albums released with a sticker over it that read: "If you're offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile." Years later, the now grown baby model sued the photographer, the surviving members of Nirvana, and the estate of Cobain, claiming that neither he nor his parents had ever consented to its use, and that even if they did, the picture violated child obscenity laws. The case has been dismissed a couple of times in court...

Teen Spirit was the name of the deodorant that Kurt's high school girlfriend wore. And yes, Sam, those are the correct lyrics!! Now for the best grunge, Alice In Chains and the great Layne Staley!

MFG aus Germany ( Kurt - LEGENDE)

Nirvana

Interestingly enough, that kid sued for damages from the album cover saying it was akin to sex abuse. He lost. It was dismissed. So he's not happy with the photo anymore , I guess.

RIP Brother...There are lots of awesome songs and bands in the universe of Rock & Metal which are not commercial...Please react to Abbath - Fenrir Hunts (Live, September 2015) (You'll be surprised)

Now you have to watch Weird Al’s parody of this song “ Smells Like Nirvana”.