I never liked Nirvana. I thought (still do) that Kurt Cobain was a pathetic excuse for a musician and songwriter, not to mention a drugged-out loser. Bad singing, stupid lyrics, mostly unmemorable music. So when he achieved Rock Apotheosis by the cowardly act of blowing off his head, I was unaffected by the wailing about the “tragedy.” Plus he unleashed Courtney Love upon the world, which is right up there with war crimes, in my book.
For Nirvana, parody (by Weird Al and others) was, I thought, a fitting tribute. The latest one I’ve seen is the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain with their rendition of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” I commend it because you can now actually understand the lyrics. Which doesn’t make them any less stupid or incomprehensible.
(Via that Paul Music guy. Again. Jeez, someone show this guy how to set up a blog of his own.)
I hated Nirvana in the beginning, but recently I came to like that song. A great guitar solo and a good melody, which I started to appreciate only after I heard the jazz piano arrangement by The Bad Plus (available in iTunes).
So Tom, tell us how you really feelÖ
Blog? Who has the time?
I like Nirvana well enough, but I may be more fond of Richard Cheese’s version of Nirvana’s “Rape Me.” If you don’t know Richard Cheese, think Bill Murray doing his lounge singer from SNL.
Have you heard Paul Anka’s version, on his album “Rock Swings”? It’s awesome.
Stupid and incomrehensible, huh? I guess that means it went way over your head. That’s what we call poetry. If things are made too obvious they get stale. Shall we write all lyrics in lamens, so that even Tom can figure them out. While we’re at it let’s attack Bob Dylan. Try and tell me what any of those songs are about asshole. And that is what makes those songs so beautiful. You’ll never, ever know. That’s the kind of music that makes you think for youself. It means something different to everyone that gets it. And you obviously don’t get it. Try listening to some childrens songs. I think those lyrics would be easier on you.
Hey Airk, thanks for playing, but I’m afraid that you’ve lost this round. Read the lyrics to “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” They’re moronic:
Well, he got the stupid part right. Cobain wrote poetry as well as my ass chews gum.
Pal, I’m a professional writer, and have been for more than twenty years. I can tell the difference between good stuff that I don’t like and crap that some desperate junkie loser scrawled down in the studio on a deadline. I don’t like James Joyce’s work, but I recognize it as literature.
And by the way, just about any of Bob Dylan’s turds have more talent than Kurt Cobain ever mustered in his entire lame excuse for a life. Take my advice, and don’t go there. Any serious comparison you attempt between the two will surely just embarrass you further.