Come As You Are

Album: Nevermind (1991)
Charted: 9 32
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  • Kurt Cobain has been posthumously honored in his hometown of Aberdeen, Washington, with "Kurt Cobain Days" declared in his memory, and also with this road sign on Highway 12, which was installed in 2005.

    Photo: Brandy Saturley via Flickr, CC 2.0

Comments: 171

  • Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganI can attest! It's 2023, and I'm a 16 year-old bisexual girl. I love bands like Nirvana, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Doors, Black Sabbath, Metallica, etc. These bands definitely have staying power, and I am proof of that. Most of the kids in my school listen to pop and hip-hop and techno (which has some good music too, don't get me wrong, but I'm a rocker at heart!). That being said, It was this song for the most part helped me realize that I could be "soaked in bleach", so to speak and be a true rocker without being into that whole drug scene, but also not to judge those who want to partake - live and let live, as John Lennon would say. Also to accept myself as bisexual and to come out to everyone, with also the support of my awesome family ("Coming Clean by Green Day also helped with that as Billie Joe Armstrong is Bi).

    Anyway, Kurt was a beautiful, talented person and I think we should just let all the conspiracy B.S. rest and just let the poor dude rock in peace.

    Laterz!
  • Dragon from GeorgiaI like playing the drums I got into Jimi Hendrix at 8. Saw him at the Atlanta pop fesy at 11. From Frank Zappa to Led Zeppelin and I heard the lyric from Frank reach s Nirvana tonight and if course apostrophe lp. Now I can't believe this got by me. Idk if you are speculating f herion use but I think it rocks and I must have got stoned and I missed it. Not now! Another one of many I missed at that era due to trying to be someone that another thought I should be. We know how that worked out. Peace.
  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcThe best Nirvana song ever recorded.
  • Qqs from PolandI definitely agree the usage of this song in For All Mankind season 2 closure is perfect. It seems to corresponds with two subplots (spoiler alert!): 1) one of the key people in NASA (Reagan's era, alternate timeline), a very reserved and shy woman, has just been invited to a (would-be) date by fellow scientist from the Soviet Union (who was also revealed to work for the KGB in order to recruit her, which she is not aware of); and as the music begins to play, she is considering it (not suspecting a trap!), while standing over JFK Eternal Flame in Arlington; 2) as music plays on, a shift into 10 years into the future is made (a usual thing between FAM seasons), as the camera gets into space and moves to Mars, showing in the very last scene first man walking on its surface in 1995 (implying that "invitation" in lyrics might alternatively correspond with a long-standing dream of certain characters of the show to one day finally set foot on Mars). A whole sequence is a masterpiece.
  • Evan from HawaiiThis song was used perfectly for the last shot of For All Mankind Season 2.
    This would be the most popular drama on TV, surpassing Breaking Bad levels of good if it wasn't made by and behind an AppleTv paywall. Get the trial and check it out!
    If you haven't seen it, it is an alternate timeline in which the Russians got to the moon first.
    The show is about space programs and what we would of done in that scenario and the inevitable space race from the point. Its focused exclusively on NASA/JPL administrators and astronauts. It doesn't have an over the top different timeline from ours ala Man In The Highcastle and in fact a lot of things still happened the same.
  • Shaunaquin from ArizonaI really like the use of this song in the Captain Marvel movie as it perfectly illustrates Danvers' realization that she doesn't need to keep proving herself worthy to compete in a "man's world." The "understory" of how she becomes a super hero illustrates what many women have had to do in order to be considered "as good as a man" in the world. She was always told "a girl can't do that" and she felt she always had to prove them wrong. You see the representation of this when she is with her mentor with the Kree, how she is told that her power was given to her by them and how they had the power to control it, suppress it, or take it away. She soon realizes this is not true and takes that control away from them when she allows herself to reach her full potential with out needing any one's permission. This is similar to what many women face today in "competing" in a "man's world." In the scene where this song is played she comes to realize that she has had the power inside her all along to be able to do with her life what she wanted. Not just the new found super hero power, but the power of just being herself and in the end, when her mentor insists that she continue proving herself to him, she tells him no, she has nothing that needs to be proved to any body about deciding how to live her own life.
  • Laure from GrasseThis song is about the girl in teen spirit she’s being sold drugged and gang raped he’s in love with her but he’s not touching her he doesn’t have a gun, memoria is the date rape drugs being used on her, bleach is used to preserve cut flowers as he wants her to be preserved.

    Teen spirit is the holy sprit and come Holy Spirit is a prayer/hymn he’s just saying come exactly as you are.
  • Sophia A. from Rockford (a.k.a The Bottom Pits Of Hell), IlCourtney Love murdered hum. He overdosed on heroine, and shot himself in the head with one of his toes, and the place was cleaned and his shoes were tied. Somebody should’ve probably been responsible for him being murdered!
  • Dan from Tahoma“Come as you are” what on Written on a plaque mounted at the abandoned hotel Kurt used to hang at. That is a FACT. He said it himself and the plaque has been photographed numerous times. You people read way too much into it and where did you get the road sign bs?.
  • Michael from LubbockI've always been a fan of trying to decipher song lyrics as a personal opinion, never to claim any valid truth or merit. I like to see the lyrics from the pov of who the writer may be referencing as opposed to it always being about the writer. In this case, from the pov of Jesus/God to either person and/or Lucifer or from Lucifer to Jesus/God and/or person. I know that's a stretch but anyone who is familiar/well versed in Kurt's artwork, writings, know that He had a strong connection with the "Jesus Complex" and referenced a lot to Jesus (Heart Shape Box lyrics and video for example). Here's my overly analytical opinion/theory/thought:
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    1. Come as you are,
    2. as you were
    3. As I want you to be
    4. As a friend, as a friend
    5. As an known enemy


    1. Come as you are presently as my adversary
    2. As you were in the past as my counterpart/beloved angel with rank. As my
    "Father" before "The Fall"
    3. As I myself choose to see you or would like to see you
    because it doesn't matter in the end. It's a perspective that is subjective and is
    neither right or wrong. I will accept you as long as you make the attempt to
    "come to me".
    4. As a believer/follower (human and/or Lucifer)
    5. As an old enemy (as an atheist or non believer/Lucifer)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    1. Take your time,
    2. hurry up
    3. The choice is yours,
    4. don't be late
    5. Take a rest
    6. as a friend,
    7. as an old memoria


    1. Old age, terminal/natural causes
    2. Self inflicted
    3. It's ultimately your decision
    4. "Meeting" me are not forced/rushed, however/whenever as long as it happens
    4. Final/Eternal rest (Death)
    5. As a believer/follower
    6. As a memory (perhaps someone who committed #2/didn't make it to "Heaven"
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Memoria, memoria
    Memoria, memoria

    As a memory (perhaps someone who committed #2/didn't make it to "Heaven"
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    1. Come doused in mud,
    2. soaked in bleach
    3. As I want you to be
    4. As a trend,
    5. as a friend
    6. As an old Memoria

    1. Come as a person of color/self professed sinner (not associating the two) or
    someone who deems themselves unworthy
    2. Come as a person of light skin/self proclaimed saint, martyr, do gooder or holy
    than thou, someone who believes they deserve to enter "Heaven" due to their
    good deeds and/or belief. Once again, not associating
    superiority/righteousness with any race. Normally, in movies/books light is
    associated with purity/good and black with evil and bad
    3. Come as I have wished you to be according to Scripture
    4. (Suicide) History has shown that this method of ceasing to exist has increased
    and in a sense become "popular or trendy". (Not condoning this personally)
    Religious fanatics have popularized the Afterlife and incorporated entering
    Heaven as the final resting place and therefore religion, in a sense, can be
    though of as trendy. Many "church goers" appear only on Sundays as a means
    to appear as God fearing and the other 6 days of the week, indulge in
    questionable behavior
    5. As a believer/follower
    6. As a memory (perhaps someone who committed #2/didn't make it to "Heaven"
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    And I swear that I don't have a gun
    No I don't have a gun
    No I don't have a gun


    Perhaps from the perspective of someone who is contemplating suicide and trying to convince God, themselves or a friend/family member that they are ok and considering the former option of self infliction. Maybe God/Lucifer sarcastically remarking that He/She/It is not a fear inducing God but an understanding Deity that holds no grudges or pressure into forcing you to believe. Same for anyone who follows the teachings of Lucifer. As if to say They are not the boogeyman if you will.
  • Graham from Astral Plane The good think about rock music from 60s-90s is the older bands are nearly always the ones people listen to years later sometimes decades later and many are not original fans some of the much more recent rock/pop etc probably wont be being listened to in 30-60years time by people of all ages to the older bands like Nirvana Doors pink floyd queen bananarama I just don't think westlife or Steps Amy Winehouse and many others will be being listened in 30-60s time in the same way older school bands are I can see Nirvana being listened to in another 20-40 years just like people still listen to 60s bands like The Doors Beatles Who Pink Floyd Rolling Stones etc.
  • Graham from Astral Plane I think Nirvana trend seemed in my time 2 have happened twice first when the new age indie and grunge fans were big late 80s and early 90s from about 1989-1993 the second time was early 2000s with the then younger skateboarders and a bit also BMXERS it was trendy 4 short while 4 many skateboarders/BMXERS/bladers etc to be listening 2 punk/indie/gothic/rock and heavy metal although sadly I personally think that was a mistake in skateboarding and extreme sports to make rock and metal music a trend thing it put others off skaters 4 a while I have been skating years long b4 Nirvana and hated being called a grunger or gothic skater when I was just an old cruiser it was worse in someways than the aren't u a bit old 4 skating or skating 4 kids it was a huge mistake in skateboarding to make punk/grunge/gothic/metal/thrashmetal etc into a trend thing it took individuality away from skating and individual music choices away from skating and all skaters were 4 a while all tarred with the same brush and called grungers/goths/punks/metalfreaks etc it spoilt Nirvana made it too trendy to like Nirvana/ the Ravers or Acidhouse fans used to bully skaters even if they weren't grunge fans etc these days individuality is better accepted more now skaters have individual tastes in music again.
  • Graham from Astral Plane Really Great band it is just me but watching Kurt Cobain play Guitar so well its interesting it looks like a manual or accoustic Guitar while the Doors used electric guitars both really geat bands both did tracks that should be open to interpretation on there meaning come as you are is good a modern hippy song I think I still have all his albums on vinal somewhere I bought them years ago long before downloads dont know what the American terminology for downloads is (its when you copy a song or film etc from an online music or video site youtube spotify etc) were available I remember when Nirvana were big and Kurt Cobain was still alive I was still @ college Come as you are ment be yourself be an individual while @ the same time being equal
  • Todd from Castle Rock WashingtonThe motto of Aberdeen Washington, Cobain's hometown... the sign as you come into town from the east end on Hwys 8/12 sign says welcome to Aberdeen "come as you are".
  • Soph from EnglandAs a dedicated fan I personally think people should appreciate the music that Kurt Cobain left behind rather than the reason for his death, all of the music was written before his death and so most likely has nothing to do with it. There are many conspiracies about his death but we may never know for sure, but what we do know is that Kurt was a genius and that the meaning of his lyrics were intended for our interpretation. He once said in an interview that he would like feedback from fans telling him what they made of his lyrics. This is what made Nirvana so influential, that their fans could relate to lyrics simply from what they made of them.
  • Kp from Gc, KsJust read his journal, you can buy it for like 30 bucks. It's all photo copies of his handwriting. You'll understand everything a lot better that way. You're sharing what you think it is not facts. Not to put anyone on blast by any means. To paraphrase what the lead singer of alice in chains once said... its music who cares what it means to me, each song can mean something else to a different person.
  • Nathanael from Ypsilanti, MiReread the lyrics to this song from the perspective of a deity to you (us), it will more complete sense. This is the story of the prodigal son. God is the source of all goodness, of all peace and all joy and yet we repel from that name in popular music, we won't have it so we would throw it under the label "Christian rock" or whatever and never hear from it again but the message is persistent because it is true. "Come as an old enemy", once living in denial but now letting in faith (through infinite forgiveness). "I swear I don't have a gun" tells us to not fear Him. By the way, Kurt was not a "Christian" but there is only One in actuality and that is source of this message. Check out On a Plain... "It is now now time to make it unclear, to write off lines that don't make sense... and one more special message to go and then I'm done and I can go home." The second special message he gave before he went home was, "All in All is All we are" (John 17:21-23). Gonna pass this one off as a conspiracy, too?
  • Anna from Seattle, WaThis song is open to many ways of interpretation. BTW, my viewpoint is from a person the same age as Kurt from the same area, so what my peers heard may differ from a 14 year olds or someone who wasn't born yet. When it was out and Kurt was alive, my female friends and I all liked the music but said it was "rude" cause we thought "don't have a gun" was the tired old male "trust me I won't cum inside you". I am older now (unlike poor Kurt) and I see other possibilities. Other meanings for gun besides sexual are drug related if you want to go there. When I was 15-17, the slang for slamming dope was "banging" it. Junkies go to "shooting galleries". Thats just another nasty take on the song. Its probably not those things only you can just play with the words that way. Even a person who is diagnosed with depression rarely concretely plans out a suicide for yeaars. I seriously doubt he was foretelling his death at that time. And he purchased the fire arm right after return to seattle, if memory serves...a member of another "Seattle band" was with him, I think. Thats why suicide clauses for life insurance are for certain lengths of time. It may be a vague "plan B" but thats not action. Also, many suicidal persons get high or drunk before or as part of (insurance..i.e. secondary method)the act or attempt when they do it because 1/they don't want to feel the fear at the moment before they go and 2/so they will be able to carry the act through once committed.
  • Megan from Stevenson, AlOnly one word to describe this song....Classic. Such talent! So sad that he's gone:'(
  • Sarah from Yuba City, CaWhen will you guys just understand that Kurt was a very distured and upset person? Courtney may have been a factor in his depression, and she is a lot of things, but i don't believe she is a killer. No way. Smells like misogyny.
  • Layton from Paris, TxI agree with Martha. To interpret the song as drug use is so stereotypical it makes me sick.
  • Martha from New York, NyYou make the song seam way more complicated then it really is. " come as you are" be who you want and don't care what others think. Don't think about the song so much, it's way to amazing for that.
  • Evy from Mars, ZimbabweWake up people?? Kurt loved his drums and his guitar and his moods of euphoric state .. Its was his nature and thie world would not change him!!!

    He played iwth music and it feels so good for i am also a musicin and what upsets him is this world of guns and wars and fakes and hypocrites'
    frankie goes to hoolywood was just a sexula song and kurt was different but his genius is beyond us...

    He did give you clues...The little baby in the pool being born is just that be free to be in this world wahat is sad is that they will teach you that the dollar is worth killing and judging and in the end youll loose your soul... He was happy with the sound the sounds people and yes a bit of a puzzle for you and in the end for i cant go on forever... He loved his little girls and no one that inttleliengent would turu his back on a child or his music.. Come littleperm and dont worry you maybe balck or white or rreatarded and just because i dont care about my hair or how i dress doesnt mean im going to shoot you,,,,and yes all those worlds you say everyday to me hurt so bad i think of suicide but i love you and trust you and know youll be there for me,,,but if your not i will kill myself...Well guess what? He had his family a great house his drums his guitar and friends here and there so get off it will ya... God is sex for its creation and what we do to tour generation s ,kinda like morrison trying to say higher or hendrix going out there ar janis iwith raw passion uncontroold wild and free like the little kid in the pool just being happy can be doso ddifficult in this habitats we have made.... Well hope this helps you for thru understanding can man truly be a happier beings.

    Love is all but it sucks if she,he not the one...Even then its not a easy quest...Live on while this planet still tolerates us1
  • Aaron from Detroit, Mi" this truly is an anthem for those who are not afraid to ejaculate abnormally."

    Uhhh yeah!! Wait-WTF?!
  • James from Annandale, NjThis song is pretty basic in terms of what it is about. This is about ejacualtion. You see many times people ejaculate differently and many people fear that they are not ejaculating correctly. Cobain counters this by saying it is okay to cum as you are, (it's supposed to be a pun) but this truly is an anthem for those who are not afraid to ejaculate abnormally.
  • Timmy from Mukilteo, Wafavorite nirvana song. R.I.P kurt cobain, one of the best and modt genius musicians of all time.
  • Kieran from Perth, AustraliaMy Favorite Nirvana song

    RIP Kurt
  • Alejandro from West Bloomfield, MiA "Memoria" is something that invokes a memory, so to come and make me remember.
  • Chris from Newcastle Upon Tyne, United KingdomThese comments have totally misinterpreted this song, 2 things:
    The gun, no reference to suicide, 3 years before, get a life people, it's him saying he won't hurt the person who comes as they are, point is, nobody will ever hurt you for being yourself.
    The whole song is about being yourself, the judgmental point is also rubbish, you should be judemental, it's about individuality, you should be yourself, as you are, it's against fake people, he who aren't 'as they are.'
  • Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnI never liked this song, too simple.
  • Steven from Park City, UtThe line "Load up on guns, bring your friends its fun to lose and to pretend" is in Smells Like Teen Spirit, not Come As You Are.
  • Ashley from Sandy, OrOMFG! I could argue until the sky turns black that Kurt did NOT kill himself!!! If you read the book "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" or "Love and Death" by Ian Halperin and Max Wallace- the evidence against Courtney is sickening. The two guys who wrote the book dedicated their lives to investigating what actually happened.
    I really resent the above statement regarding the gun thing. I have been a devoted fan of Kurt's and I feel that comment was really out of line...
    Get the facts before you state such B.S.
  • Angela from Centereach, NyI agree with Scott completely, I believe Courtney Love had something to do with it. I mean, look at the facts.

    1) There was not that much blood at the scene, and he supposedly shot himself.

    2) They found a handwriting practice sheet in Courtney Love's bag, and when they compared the handwriting to Kurt's suicide note, the handwriting was exactly the same.

    3) He was on heroin when he died, so why would he shoot himself while he's in his happy place?
  • Cynthia from Scranton, Pawell scott you are wrong because Kurt wrote About a Girl in the 80s for a girlfriend, not for his daughter. And i do not think his tragic death was suicide. he was definitely murdered, but i don't think it was Courtney Love. If you have read anything on her blog she often makes loving comments which are cleary directed to Kurt. I do not know who murdered Kurt Cobain but at least in his time on earth he gave us great songs like this.
  • Jim from Liverpool, United KingdomScott from Hamburg couldnt be more right. (about 3 below this) i mean, he turned down lullapalooza for Seven(francis) And even if Courtney didnt, he was killed. maybe even by Dave. think about all his fame now from then...
  • Landon from Winchester, OhAt first this song didn't mean that much to me, but around December 2008 when I was sitting with my dad at a truck stop, this song popped on the variety radio station. I knew it was Nirvana, so I sat down and listened to the lyrics. Perhaps more than the words themselves, the delivery sounds really cold and wet. With the chorus of a repeated "memory" and the line "No I don't have a gun", it literally made me get depressed thinking about the late Kurt Cobain. It doesn't matter if he was murdered or committed suicide, I'm was there alive listening to his music while he's buried in the ground, and this song is almost like he's coming back to the Earth to sing about it. Nirvana is a great rock band and its really sad that there won't be anything coming from them in the future.
  • Ben from How Am I Suppose To Know, UtIf Kurt Cobain killed himself, he must've done it because he didn't want his daughter to see him high and stuff all her life...just my opinion.
  • Hector from Houston, Txi agree with scott
  • Scott from Hamburg, Germany, TnKurt Cobain did not commit suicide... Courtney Love hired a hitman to do her dirty work... Kurt Donald Cobain could never leave his daughter Francis Bean Cobain he loved this girl with all his heart and read Kurts real "suicide note" he said he could never leave Francis and he did the song About A Girl to Francis that was his dedication
  • Bianca Jane Insane from Brisbane, AustraliaWHAT WERE THE WORDS HE MOUTHED AS HE LEANED INTO THE CAMERA AT THE END OF THIS FILM CLIP?

    I did a seance with him about 5 years ago and he kept asking "where is my legacy?" When we mentioned Frances he said "love has a shape."
  • Austin from Smallsville,new England, --The band Killing Joke tried to sue Nirvana for plagerising the main riff to come as you are which bares a strong resemblence to their song "Eighties". A member of the band said that they did not sue because Nirvana openly confessed to them that they did take the riff.
  • Skittles from Mauldin, ScThere are things that say that Kurt did not commit sucide. One day I want to help with the reopening of that case and use todays forensics to prove it.

    I know you are going to ask that I back that up ok here is what I see.

    1. He was said to be suicidal and put in a instution which he escaped from and responed by saying "I never said I was suicidal I don't know what the heck they where thinking man"!

    2.Many sing about subject like that but that doesn't mean they are suicidal.

    3.I believe that the songs he did were unknowingly his undoing. Someone could have killed him and set it up to look like a suicide and his songs gave that idea.

    4.His Marriage with Courtney Love was not healthy
    These are usually a red flag.

    5.The note he wrote may or may not have been written by him. Comparing handwriting is needed to further investigate.

    6.Several pathology experts have noted that a shotgun blast inside the mouth often results in less blood, unlike a shotgun blast to the head

    Need I say more (really its not a problem)

  • Jak from Rancho Cucamonga, CaPeople have way to much time on thier hands playing songs backwards to find " hidden messages" and stuff like that almost every band i liten to thier is a controversy on whether thier trying to hide something in thier song. Why dont people just listen and enjoy?
  • Rachel from Allen, Txi would just like to say to the people that say he commited suicide isnt all fair
  • Cam from Wichita, KsThank you sarah and Baldrick, that is is exactly what i thought when i heard the song too...and i think
    "Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach, as I want you to be"---means to come exactly whe way you are wheather it be doused in mud (or in other words "dirty"-like you may have been in trouble with the law or doing all kinds of bad stuff) or soaked in bleach--(what does bleach do...it "cleans" (so the "squeeky clean" law abiding person that has never gotten close to gettin in trouble)---come as you are...nobody and nothing else
  • Baldrick from Beograd, Yugoslaviayeah, Sarah, you're right - this song is about being yourself - ''come as you are''.
    as you were, or as I want you to be, as a friend or as a old enemy, take your time or hurry up - the choice is yours, be what you want, not what other people want you to be.
    ''I don't have a gun'' line means that he appreciates ''coming as you are'' - he doesn't have a gun, he won't hurt you. actually, I'm not sure is he talking exclusively about himself, or about everyone... I like to think it's the latter. :)
  • Sarah from Madison, WiOk this song is about being yourself and not changing because others want you to. Anyone who thinks this song has anything to do with Kurt's "suicide" is stupid and shouldn't be listening to Nirvana. Anyways you should know by now that Ms. Love was involved in his MURDER. This is the best song on Nevermind.
  • Truth from Mississauga, Canadayoy lied Kurt.you do have a gun
  • Jake from West Portsmouth, Ohall the songs are good,but in come as you are,what does the dog mean?
  • Jake from West Portsmouth, Ohecho,you are right!you tell em'.
  • Jake from West Portsmouth, Ohkuzma,shut up?alright?
  • Jake from West Portsmouth, Ohhey,keriah from naples fl,i think kurt was so cool!my favorite song was lake of fire.man,that was awesome!!!
  • John from Manila, OtherEquality
  • Erik from Brownwood , Txi think this song has more comments then any other song i have seen... but that kuzuma guy is wrong to call kurt cobain an half poet... he was a lyrical genius and one of the best songwriters ever lived. you shouldnt make fun of someone who dies.And for dont have a mind from pleasure town... you have no right telling somone they are stupid for voicing their opinion it is their right and also it is not in the comment guidelines to point out someone and slander them!
  • Don't Have A Mind from Pleasure TownHey, Kuzma(stupid name by the way) you can't say that about cobain cause youre an idiot.And as an idiot you should not be allowed to have an opinion.
  • Kuzma from Moscow, EuropeKurt Cobbain wasn`t a genius. He was a poor singer, a bad guitarist and half a poet but he was a natural born leader and a perfect punk. That what`s made Nirvana so important and popular. Nirvana was just another fashion victim and that had eventually made them just another sissy pop band. That depressed him, embittered him and hurt him like hell. While on the interview after being asked what was that he associated the music of Nirvana with: (hesitating)" With a squash of the lemon !!!" (squishes until the lemon juice runs down his hands). His friend Mike Stipe from REM wrote a song called Let Me In where he named Kurt "Mister Fisherman" - "... he gathered up his loved ones and he brought them all around to say goodbye, nice try". I really like it.
  • Echo from Normalville, MaNot to mention..."Don't be a sheep and follow the flock"-Cheap Trick
  • Echo from Normalville, MaBeautiful song--too bad all people care about is HOW he died...jeez louise. If you want to do what Kurt would've wanted, just leave him alone! Listen to the music. After all, this isn't all suposed to be dark depressing sad lonely...it's just three guys having a good time--creatively
  • Erin from Tulsa, Okin one of Cobain's interviews he mentions that most of his music is impersonal, and that its mostly about stuff theyve seen in the media and stuff like that. its on youtube, go see it. however as personal as this sounds (about his death or not) i think theres a tad more to it..
  • Micheal from Sunshine Coast, AustraliaStop making references to bloody suicide.

    Look at the facts

    It is simply not possible
  • Babylove from Chicago, IlI think he is talking about a friend who he hasnt met yet but he has imagined and he wants to meet......there is more to his true genius...
  • Babylove from Chicago, IlThere is actually nothing worse then finding out the true meaning of one of your favourite bands songs.....leave it open for interpretation...however i think alot of people generalise too much with the drugs and suicide....he was more than that....that is just being too black and white...
  • Ashfree from Fachigo Fake, CanadaThis song is alright
    ! But, why'd he shoot himself? And in the song he says.... "AND I SWEAR I DON'T HAVE A GUN..."
  • Morris from Manila, OtherThe beauty of Nirvana songs is they are ambiguous and even vague enough to be open to numerous interpretations. But let's do what Kurt did. Let's not be too judgmental. Let's be open minded. Let's accept the diversity of people (and consequently, ideas) in this world. Amen.
  • Eve from Melbourne, Australiai think that the kurt was talking to teenagers who were like himself, a little bit different and maybe outcasts and that he had nothing to hurt them and that he would accept them as they were. this song is an inspiration to me and is ay long live kurt cobain!
    - Eve, Melbourne AUS
  • Joanna from Kielcethere is also an instrumental version, by quasi-jazz(?)band Pink Freud - it's quite good
  • Joaquin from Ciudad Juarez, Mexicoi love this song and almost all nirvana stuff.

    saludos a juarez, al manotas, al pulmon, al botas, al pulga, al marrufo, el lentejuelas, el borrracho y el bashas, y el pito de parte de alonso.
  • Jonathon from Clermont, FlThis song is about being welcomed, no matter who you are or what you're like, and how it's not a trap. Kurt often felt betrayed by or unwelcome among friends and that inspired this song.
  • Joel from Seattle, WaLaura Love covered this song. The video can be seen on AOL. It is ironic about the gun line. Could just be a coincedence (sic).
  • Zoey from Irvine, Cai think that if kurt wrote this about scuicide, he wrote it because he thought about it, and then wanted people to come to him as themselves, and not treat him different even if he was thinking about killing himself. peace out
  • Andrew from Adelaide, Australiai think this is a awsome song and also very ironic considering he sings in the song '' i swear i don't have a gun'' where as his eventual suicide would be done by 12-gauge shot gun ... if any of you people facinated in kurt cobain would like more information on him go to www.findadeath.com although i wouldn't go there if you have a weak stomach and will chuck as soon as you see graphic pics of kurt after death e.g him in the autopsy room getting the bullet removed, and his foot that was seen next to a car after his death , its a great website . peace ppl
  • Silvana from Los Angeles, CaWell, since Joe said, the part " I swear that I dont have a gun " is a refrence to when he was talking to his friend, Krist Noveselic, maybe he was in need of Krist's help. And he was saying, come help me, I wont hurt you, " I dont have a gun" ?!....Just a thought....:0, but overall, I LOVE KURT COBAIN!!! and know he was one of the few greats..... God bless him!!!, God bless you all! as for the whole courtney love killing him thing..I believe that all the evidence points to her!, everything ive read, heard, etc. it all points to her! the thing I dont understand is WHY? so if some of you have an idea of why she might have done it....please enlighten me. Thanks. God bless.
  • Paul from New York, Nyto me this song is a sarcastic attack on hippies and religous people, as well as not being sure of who you are. sung in character like "in bloom" when you hold the lyrics up to "polly", about a rapist, or "lithium" about not knowing yourself and being emotionally unstable or most obviously, "stay away" you can see. also, in the video his hair is purple and his image is blurred and warped.
  • The Melissa from Bellport, Nyeveryone is over-analyzing this song to the point that it makes me sick, Kurt Cobain was a great writer, yes, but not all of his songs had a "true meaning"
  • Jon from Oakridge, OrI LOVE how Cobain wrote his songs so hard to interpret and sang his lyrics so foggy. There's so much speculation around so many songs. It's great to interpret them the way you hear them and hear others ideas about them.
  • Adam from South Milwaukee, WiThis song is about, changing, and not being hastled by him about it. I dont have a gun, people keep connecting it to his suicide. I think it means that You won't be harmed if You do what you like. Regardless what it may be.
  • Marko from Novi Sad, SerbiaIt's a great song with a lot of meanings.I think it's about friendship,when two best friends see each other after a long period of time.
  • Eric from Maastricht, NetherlandsJanis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison also died at age 27!
  • Jacob from Mabelvale, ArThe lines "Take your time, hurry up...the choice is yours dont be late"...i think that means that you can come to help him whenever you want...but dont be too late..i guess dont wait till he is dead...i think maybe somehow he new he was going to die...and maybe when he was going to die..why else would he give all of these hints..he obviously needed help before he died.
  • Grunge=dead from Nowhereville, Casexual feelings or w/e no...kurt cobain was a genius...although i have to hand it to you, when listening to the song and reading your meassge it did make sense, but i highly doubt that is the song meaning. It means come as you are, BE YOURSELF. In my opinon, the line, "No, I dont Have A Gun," is people can be deceived by their appearances, although kurt was a drug addict and he dressed grunge, hence the term grunge, he was a great person, an effing genius,despite his appearance, which was really him, (come as you are) he was being himself. Being a social outcast in a school that I personally don't belong to, and having few friends, I see where he is coming from, come as you are and be yourself. I also think that kurt, being a social outcast is looking back on his life, at his old memories, as said in another comment, are, sad memories.
    excellent song like every other nirvana
    if you are analyzing cobain's music, please dont just say that each and every one of his songs are about drugs and sex and negative things. he writes/sings about life, the hardships he has been through, of course some songs are about drugs but not all of them. Kurt gives you mutiple meanings to anaylze and decipher the song.
  • Kez from Sydney, AustraliaI'm with you Jacob....he did want someone, anyone to love and understand him since he was 8-9 yrs old. Sad that he didn't survive to find that...very sad :(
  • Bleach from Qld, AustraliaThe lines "COME DOUSED IN MUD, SOAKED IN BLEACH, AS I WANT YOU TO BE" is in reference of Nirvanas first album. Kurt is basically saying that he wants his fans to just be themselves - lost in the music. Hope that helps :o)
  • Jacob from Mabelvale, Arand also maybe the words "doused in mud, soaked in bleach" could mean that he doesnt care if theyre dirty or have a bad life (mud) or if they are clean and have a good life (bleach)
  • Jacob from Mabelvale, ArI think this song could mean that Kurt may need someone,to help him, love him, i dont know.But it sounds like he doesnt care who it is or what they look like.
  • Kez from Sydney, AustraliaOn the note I just wrote...what was found in his "wifes" handbag was a paper with her copying Kurts hand writing....this was after his death. It was questionable. There was another suspicious murder before Kurts death of a friend that knew too much...coincidental seeing as alcohol was found in his blood system and the guy didnt even drink. It's scarey to think these things and strange how the sites have been abolished from the net for people wanting to know more......the fact that he says numerous times...who knows what went on really in the Cobain house....he states and "I swear I dont have a gun"...was it a cry for help? Not so much is written and known as to the goings on so it just makes me wonder......we can only read what is written, sadly.
  • Kez from Sydney, AustraliaThe amount of heroine found in his blood would have killed him instantly....how could he have then, after injecting that quantity finished the last sentences of his letter then shot himself....yes...look it up....you have to know to believe....
  • Alex from Loveland, CoThis is one of my favourite Nirvana songs!!!!
  • Kurdt from Concord, NhAnyone lese find it funny that the word gun is used in the first three tracks on Nevermind?
  • Merel from Ede Gld, NetherlandsI don't really believe (or won't, whatever) the line "I swear that I don't have a gun" has got anything to do with Kurt comitting suicide. For those who didn't know yet, he also took a heroine overdose (or so I've read)... Make your own judgement. I've made mine.
  • Tom from Yarroweyah, AustraliaKurt Cobain was one of the greatest writers ever. He had tallent and expressed feelings and thoughts that were twisted but awesomly writin. His music strirs emotion on me and i dont think we shouldnt dwell on his mistakes or the things we disagree with, instead aprectiate the tallent her shared with us and in my opinion is the greatest artist ever, having the balls to express real life emotions even though they may hav been controversial!
  • Charlie from Bethersden, EnglandI never understood what this song meant until a few days ago when a friend (yes it was a guy) was talking to me and burst into tears. All of my friends had thought he was happy. "Memoria" refers to his bad memories, "doused in mud soaked in bleach" and "as a friend as a known enemy" refers to the fact he needed help right now, in any form. "and I swear I don't have a gun refers to the fact that we promised to save him and not to hurt him. I love you, Dom. I hope you're OK.
  • Donald from Festus, MoWell, i believe the song is simply inviting everyone to be themselves. I believe in alot of ways that is the meaning of grunge...or at least that is what Kurt believed in. He didnt approve of trends and racism. And those two are the main reasons to reject someone. Come As You Are seems to say "be yourself, dont get dressed up or whatnot, i wont reject you" and the rejection part may be refering to the gun reference. So hes says "I won't reject you". Well, that my theory. This "cum as you are theory" is interesting. I don't believe that is it but its possible. The suicide thoery doesnt have much to stand on really but, again, its possible.
  • Gage from Olive Branch, MsOk, I just watched the Nevermind Classic Albums Dvd a few hours ago and I got something totally different about the meaning of the song. It talks about how Kurt focused on the sound of words rather than correct definitions or grammatical use. At one point Krist says "I'm not commenting on what the song is about" and as soon as he is finished talking it cuts to a clip from the video of a sperm cell swimming. Most people know that "cum" is slang for "semen". The lyrics could be referencing a lot of obvious things i don't feel like mentioning. I think it refferences semen also because it shows it 5 or 6 times in the video. Just for refference, I believe it was a murder, but I am really open minded so if i see as much evidence that it was a suicide as i have that it was a murder i might start to believe the suicide ruling was correct. RIP Kurt Donald Cobain. 1967-1994
  • Max from Austin, TxGreat song. To me, it's all about how he just wanted the world to leave him alone. He never really thought of himself more than Kurt Cobain from Aberdeen Washington. And to all you who think Love was the one who shot Cobain, there would be overwhelming evidence against her and its impossible to replicate the way a body and gun falls after suicide.
  • Grunge=dead from Nowhereville, CaGreat classic Nirvana song, the only thing is that it is overplayed all the time on the radio, otherwise, the lyrics are amazingly cool!
  • Joe from Lockport, IlThe line "And i swear that i dont have a gun" refers to what he once said to bass player Krist Noveselic. When Kurt moved into Krist's apartment, Krist asked if he had a gun, and Kurt said "no, i swear."
  • Declan from Liverpool, EnglandMy interpretation of this is about meeting up with an ex lover you still love but they don't love you back so you persuade them on meeting you "as a friend" and then murder them (hence the gun).

    Just my interpretation I don't care if its wrong its an amzing song:)
  • Zachary from Charlotte, NcNeM couldn't be more spot on, chances are the lyrics either mean nothing or are to deep for us to interpret if we weren't there. Kurt Cobain is easily one of the top 10 lyricists of all time simply for the debate he sparks about his lyrics, its said a lot but not enough about how easily he could make everything beautiful and painful all at the same time.
  • Nem from England, EnglandNot sure if anyone has mentioned this already but ive seen in an interview with Kurt that, although most of his songs were written from just meaningless poetry (probably this included)...he wrote this song as an invite to everyone to join in on his fame "Come as you are"....*come dowsed in mud" etc...literally meaning for those close to him not to change because of his fame etc. And the line "I swear that i dont have a gun"....im pretty damn sure is a referrance to the media who were scrutanizing him....its his way of saying "im doing nothing wrong".....

    The awesome thing about songs like those of Nirvana and those of bands such as REM whose lyrics quite often sound like random poetry, is that they can have an endless amount of meaning
  • Lak from London, United StatesI really can't believe that no one has figured this out.If the song lyric was written like this would it make more sense "CUM as you are." For anyone who's lost me this song is simply about masturbabtion (or something sexual)this is made clear in the video of the song were we see several images of sperms swimming around.If u think about the lyrics "As I want you to be As a friend As a friend As a known memory" when ure on the moment of climax nothing matters ure submerged within ure mind. U can see an erection like john frusciante says as a source of inspiration or as an enemy. then come the lyirc "When i swear that i dont have a gun" what do guys call thier penises, this the basic idea that people are in denial about their sexual behaviour and the one of others. The way Kurt delivers the lines as if he his releasing his frustration out to the whole world for them to understand that its normal.
  • Ant from Cardiff, Walesthis murder stuff is started to bug me..it was suicide! you really think a man who couldnt kick a heroin habit would want to live..he loved his daughter too much..courtney didnt kill him!!
  • Jeff from Edmonton, Althe line "I swear that I dont have a gun" could be just to draw attention, i dunno people keep mentioning it so maybe this is the case. Kurt loved guns btw, so the making fun of rednecks hypothesis doesnt fit, courtney had him killed so the suicide thing doesnt fit, so i dunno what it means. I get the feeling the whole song just means dont try so hard...
  • Beth from Livonia, MiYou're all over analizing the song...
    Doused in mud soaked in bleach is about grunge fashions... faded jeans and well, grungy.
    Kurt Cobain was awesome, but his songs were more of a stream of consciousness, that's what makes them so amazing to listen to, the flow that they have.
    Oh, and courtney killed him on the inside, he killed himself on the outside- for those of you using the herion angle, this wasn't the first time he'd done herion, so he had some resistance to the stuff, everyone loves a conspiracy, but it's time we let this one rest, ya?
  • Joseph Gatt from Pieta, Malta, ArI think that the lyrics that are generally presented for Nirvana's "Come as you are", have a mistake.

    I think that the keyword "memoria" as per your lyrics, should rather be "known enemy". In this respect I concur with MaryAlice of Virginia Beach, VA, who commented as much in this page above.

    Joseph Gatt, Pieta', MALTA
    aricibo@euroweb.net.mt
  • Doug from Pittsburgh, PaThe way I see it the song is about the hypocricy we have in our groups of friends. "Doused in mud, soaked in bleach" is how we dress and present ourselves - you're supposed to look rugged and real but you're supposed to at the same time be good looking and presentable and bleached. "Take your time, hurry up. The choice is yours, don't be late" that is like how we say that we want our friends to be themselves and to be happy but most of all we really want them to help us be happy, we want them to be on time even if they don't want to. But it's important to note that Kurt Cobain may be sarcastic for creating the song in the first place. He once said he liked to use iconic phrases and make fun of them. "Come As You Are" is one of the best iconic phrases around, they even put it on the Aberdeen town sign recently.
  • Andrea from Monza, ItalyYesterday, listening to the song, it just occurred to me that maybe the subject of the song is Death. which may be a friend or an enemy depending on how you feel.
  • Christine from Tracy, Caadams song was released a long, long time after come as you are. so it should be the other way around. blink 182 used their lyrics referring to the lines in come as you are.
  • Tushar from Baroda, IndiaMany people site it ironic that Kurt used a gun to commit a suicide while he sang "..i don't have a gun.." in "come as you are". But I feel its not at all an irony as a gun is one of the most common objects for a suicide. So, if Kurt did actually commit suicide then after a heavy dose of heroin and deciding to end his life, he's not gonna think "Hey, if I kill myself with a gun, it'll be a contradiction to a song I sang 3 years ago"
  • Bledi from Albania, Italy"Come as you are" lyric just reminds me of Jalaluddin Rumi (1207-1273), the persian poet...

    I have no idea if Kurt ever read his poems.

    "And I swear that a don't have a gun" maybe means that he had nothing or no one "to kill", he had no evil feelings inside him... he just loved everything...

  • Don from Philadelphia, PaMy favorite Nirvana song, this is just so awesome and meaningful.
  • Liz from St.louis, MoKurt Cobain did not kill himself at least thats what i heard...someone told me his wife really did it she hired someone to kill him and made it look like he really did it...


    ...Liz
  • Roger from Los Angeles, Ca"And I swear that I don't have a gun" is an indirect reference to suicide. It is well known that Cobain was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (Lithium is a Nirvana song and a common bipolar med). It is very common for psychiatrists to assess suicidality in all of their patients. Bipolars have high suicide rates. One of the ways the psychiatrists do this is by asking their patients if they have access to a gun, since it is commonly used for suicide. The psychiatrist would ask "Do you own a gun?" Cobain would respond "I swear that I don't have a gun." Psychiatrists were constantly asking Cobain this question every time they saw him and he would give this response every time.
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, Netherlands"And I Swear that I dont have a gun" isn't a reference to his suicide because it was written long before he killed himself. And he really didn't have a gun at that point.
  • Kevin from Denver, Co"And I Swear that I dont have a gun' isn't a reference to his suicide because he was murdered. You all should read "Love and Death, the Murder of Kurt Cobain"
  • Justme from Nyc, Ny...forgot to say something...
    And the song was clearly written before the release of the album...so..
  • Justme from Nyc, NyTo those who say this song was written when Kurt realized the power the band had on masses of people, I relly doubt that since Nirvana only became famous (mainstream famous) with Nevermind
  • Justin from Monroeville, PaLike some others, I believe that "And I swear that I don't have a gun" is metaphorical, and that the real message is that he wants people to trust him and give him a chance before marking him as someone untrustworthy, seedy, or bad. The whole song is about accepting people as they are.
  • Rachael from Calgary, CanadaYou know, I always noticed that the "I took my time, I hurried up" lyrics in Adam's Song sounded familiar, yet it never quite clicked that they were a reference to this song (assuming that it was intentional; has Blink ever confirmed this?). Eh, you learn something new every day.
  • Matt from Millbrae, Cahey eric... it never says that CAYA is a reference to Adam's Song. It says that the song Come As You Are IS REFERENCED in Adam's Song. Read the lyrics "Take your time, hurry up, the choice is yours, don't be late" and compare them Blink 182's Adam's Song. I thi8nk you'll see the similarity.
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsIn the book "Come as you are", by Michael Azerrad, I read that the "Come as you are"-video is made blurry because Kurt wanted to make the faces of ALL bandmembers unclear. I'll try to translate the reason (I've got the Dutch translation here): "With the by floating water, video-effects or shadow-covered faces of the members of the band, the 'Come as you are'-clip succeeded in a clever way to promote a song without exposing the band ; Nirvana was seen and not seen. And the clip emphasized their reputation by using the fact that everybody knew who they were anyway." According to this story, the blurry video had to do with a vision, not with an unhealthy face.
  • Eric from Bethel, MnHey idiots Blink 182 is my favorite band and "Come As You Are" is not a reference to "Adam's Song". "Enema of The State" was made in 1999, this song came out in 1991. Blink 182 was just forming. They weren't even Blink 182 yet. They were still Blink and Scott Raynor was their drummer. They were probably in Scott's basement making Flyswatter or Buddha. So next time why don't you check your data a little bit before making such a strong argument. And although "Adam's Song" is a song about suicide, specifically a young Blink fan that mark read about, "Come As You Are" is not.
  • Matt from Millbrae, Cai love this song because of the kinda underwater feel of it. the video was shot really blurry to mask kurt's health problems.
  • Kate from San Diego, United Stateskurt cobain was a genius

    and he might not have killed himself, he might have been murdered

    the gun had no finger prints on it

    and the amount of heroin with him
    he could never have pulled the trigger

    look it up, its interesting
  • Jer from London, CanadaStop bashing cobain for killing himself (if he did )you dident know him or his problems so just shut it.
  • Jer from London, Canadaany one who thinks this song is about suicide or drugs needs to be shot.This song is simply an open invation to any one and every one. "come as you are, as I want you to be" he means as you are is how he wants you to be, and as nothing else. "And I sware that I don have a gun" hes not talking about suicide he means he's not judgmental so dont feel thretend. At least thats what I think. NIRVANA RULES!!
  • Adriana from Monterrey, MexicoCHECK OUT : www.indefenceofkurtcobain.com
    Yeah. maybe Courtney did kill him, or maybe he comitted suicide, who knows only God and Kurt know what happened that April 5, 1994.
    Hope he had reach peace. heaven. nirvana. We cannot continue judging him Or Courtney. We, the fanas, have to move on, life continues. Kurt Cobain was a fabolous songwriter, yeah and its a tragedy he is dead, but don't you think he deserves to be in peace, and here on Earth stop judging his dead?
    He is a legend, he left behind music, a music culture we will never forgett.
    Pray for him to be in peace.
    Kurt Cobain R.I.P
    Monterrey Te Recuerda Kurt.. Nos Dejaste Tu Musica, Un Legado Que Jamas Sera Olvidado.. Que En Paz Descance Kurt Cobain
  • Fungus from Here, Scotlandkurt is singing to social outcasts, as he empathises with them and used to be one.
  • Christian from Copenhagen, Denmark, United StatesCome As You Are is A song full of contradictions on how we act versus how we think society thinks we should act (www.nirvanaclub.com)

    Courtney Love DID NOT kill Kurt Cobain... And by the way: stop saying that, 'cause you will only ruin the life of Frances more, she has been through too much already!
  • Matt from Uk, EnglandThis ingenious song is about people conforming to particular fashions and trends (which Kurt deplored) in which Kurt is extending a welcome to outsiders to join him (Come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be...).
    Kurt was clearly aware of the way music provided an alternative to hang out with the in-crowd in his school days, where this idea was established.

    However Kurt ingeniously puts in the line; Come dowsed in mud, soaked in bleach, as I want you to be, as a trend.. This refers to the power that Nirvana have in getting people, mostly misfits, to conform to their styles and beliefs. This is sung in a cynical tone (listen carefully) with Kurt taking the role of the bully, stating the power (which he actually hated) he and the band had and still have in changing their fans lives through their dress sense, hairstyles etc.

    The exclusion that Kurt experienced in his childhood at home and the pain suffered in once trying to be normal is emotively expressed by the word; memorial, in a hypnotizing manner.

    The lyrics: "And I swear that I don't have a gun" is reference to the hatred and contempt that Kurt felt towards the macho, redneck culture depicted through 1980s rock and heavy metal, (e.g. Guns N Roses) and the self-righteous political correctness of the music scene at the time where he lived. The genius of this simple lyric is that it represents the principles that the band stood for, in the way that they are not a band aggressively shooting their guns thoughtlessly. Most Nirvana fans will know that the band's music had particular misconceptions where meatheads would be singing their aggressive macho songs totally oblivious to the real meanings in the songs. (In Bloom portrays this perfectly) Nirvana's songs are multifaceted with tones of sarcasm frequently used but there is an underlying principle that most fans can relate to.


  • Dion from Blokker, NetherlandsI am confused right now... I have to know the meaning for project so i picked thes song but its not clear to me... Can somebody who really know about this stuff tell me?
    R.I.P. Kurt Cobain
  • Kelly from Orange, Cai think that this song is about acceptance. kurt never had a easy time in life and i think that this was his realisation that things arent always what they seem. and for everyone who thinks he was killed and that his suicide was a conspiracy is a retard. he was a manic depressant. he had other failed attempts and he overdosed so many time. he also was a lsd addict which warps your mind. he had those two thigns against him. of course he killed himself. and many people say te fame would keep him here. that shows how little you kow about kurt cobain. he didnt want fame. he hated the fame. he hated that people did that and he was shy. so shy that before when they would practice he would sing to the wall.
  • Allie from Deerborn, MiI agree that "Come As You Are" is probably about Kurt's Dad..........and for all you out there who don't think Courtney Love killed Kurt.......check out www.justiceforkurt.com.......It wasn't suicide.
  • Chris from Gzira, Europesome are saying that three years is a long time for him to be already thinking about suicide. i dont think three years is a long time. people think about suicide much before they commit it, its a last resort to fix all the problems, which have been gathering up through the years. he could have thought long before commiting suicide, and its an extremely hard descision to make. its like a desease in your mind which doesnt make you think right, hope i helped
  • Jonathan from Bothell, WaI belive that Cobain was foretelling his death. I think he know he would die at his own hand but at the time of this song he didn't know how he was going to do it. I think that he wanted to leave the world with more before he killed himself. Cobain Rest In Peace, may the world remember you for you death as much as your music.
  • Caitlin from Perth, AustraliaKurt Cobain was a great guy. Nobody can top him . I think Courtney killed him, i dont know what he saw in her, but she didnt deserve him, never has and never will. But if he killed himself it wouldnt have been because hes an idiot, hes not an idiot. The song is just a song, Kurt doesnt have to write about suicide in his songs just because most people assume thats what happend to him. R.I.P Kurt Cobain, the best songwriter in the world
  • Jeffrey from Victoria, CanadaA further note on the "this song could be about drugs" reference... in Seattle, heroine (Kurt's drug of choice) was black, like tar. In New York, the heroine was White China. The "doused in mud, soaked in bleach" lines could be about drugs... though I personally think it has a lot more to do with acceptance of all people, myself.
  • Caitlyn from Brooklyn And Long Island Ny, United StatesPS-the unfaithful listeners appear as friends but they are known to be grunge enemies and once the trend ends, so will their interest for Kurt's music
  • Caitlyn from Brooklyn And Long Island Ny, United StatesThis song to me is about control. Come as you are/were/i WANT you to be. He also references to society, probably because of his major issues with typical teenage football players and rich kids liking his songs as a TREND. Some come to him clean and innocent (as if soaked in bleach) and others are bearing mud (filthy.) No matter who follows the music he has no weapon (gun) to defend himself. This is not a song ABOUT suicide. Maybe, about a REASON for suicide 3 yrs later. He at this point in his career is a regular friend, trend and piece of memory/memorabilia
  • Anthony from Philadelphia, Pasee to me it's about a person he hated from his past and now is making amends i think the person he is referring to is his dad due to the sperm cells in the video and the fact in the biography he hated his dad for divorcing his mom
  • Tk from Cleveland, Ohi've heard the song was dedicated to his father.
  • Maryalice from Virginia Beach, Vaits about not judging people. "come drenched in mud, soaked in bleach" no color separated thing. "and a friend as a known enemy" .... its a non-judgemental type song. "and i swear that i dont have a gun" is just saying dont fear him and that you should be able to trust him still. nirvana has always been my favorite band, and always will be for the rest of my time. when i actually looked into his murder... you find out more stuff than you hear. so i suggust all of you, if you talk about his death...then make sure you look it up before ok? r.i.p. kurt.
  • Rob from Castaic, Ca...And I use the word "and" in a lot of my songs. Is that a coincedence or does it mean that i'm obsessed with "and" and I will suddenly kill myself 3 years after this album comes out with an "and?" Come on people!
    People down there ::points all the way down there:: think that he didn't kill himself because he was so smart. Cobain wasn't just smart, he was a genius. But he DID kill himself. Why? Because he was not in control. It sucks being bi-polar.
  • Hugh from Berkeley, Ca"...I don't have a gun"- Come As You Are.
    "Load up on guns"- Smells Like Teen Spirit.
    "...and he likes to shoot his gun"- In Bloom.

    It's 'strange' that Kurt used the word "gun" in those three songs.
  • Drew from Baltimore, MdGood song but not about suicide as many of you think for some unknown reason.
  • Delhotonburt from Walla Walla, WaWhile the true meaning of this song, like most songs is meant to be completely interpreted on a personal level, heres some hints for those of you that may be confused. "I don't have a gun" has nothing to do with suicide, usally a reference to a "gun" actually refers to a penis or a something to do with sex. "My libido, a misquito"-- sound familiar? I think this song is about trancending the pain of the world through the veichle of music. And as for the courtney love theory, while that witch did help ruin kurt's life, saying she murdered him is unbelievably disrespectful. The british crapstick that made the movie "kurt and cortney" is a goldbricking grave robber, so are the people that published his journals.
  • Nick from Lake Lotawana, MoAlright... My interpretation of this song is way different than everyone else here. I think that it is a reference to an old friend of his that he was mad at when he wrote this song. He is pretty much telling them to come over so he can kill them. He refers to them as an old enemy in the first part of the song. He says "And I swear that I don't have a gun" kinda sarcastically. I think it's like a persuation so they won't get suspicious. Yeah...this is much different from what all of you guys think, but its what i got from it after listening to it sooo many times and reading the lyrics over and over.
    Peace, Love, and Premarital Sex
  • Janis from Sacramento, CaJust a thought, but there is some speculation that "doused in mud . . . soaked in bleach" is a reference to heroin, since west coast heroin was mud or tar (or black at the very least), and bleach is what is used to clean rigs. I see this as a more plausible reference, rather than a pointed commentary on racial equality. I just think that Kurt would've thrown a line in there--for kicks.
  • Rachel from Waurika, OkYet againt there those of you that think this leads up to his suicide. This song was written in 91 and he died in 94. If someone is serious about commiting suicide they are not going to sing about doing it 4 yrs prior to when it happens. There are a lot of rock songs that tallk about death, guns, drugs and some of those singers are still alive. Kurt was into drugs he would have died sooner or later. If not he would end up like Ozzy walking around with a cane and mumbling at Frances. None of his fans want to see that.
  • Shannon from St. Louis, MoI was always skeptical about people saying that Courtney Love murdered him(it seemed too much like an Elvis or Tupac urban myth). My opinion changed when I went on this website that shows proof that it was no suicide....she even changed his farewell letter to the fans into a suicide note...check it out at www.justiceforkurt.com . The line in his note "It's better to burn out than fade away" I think doesn't refer to his suicide, but Nirvana quitting while they were still popular.....check it out and decide for yourself. --- www.justiceforkurt.com
  • Frank from Fv, CaI want to know why everyone thinks every song Kurt wrote is about suicide.

    -Frank
  • Tanya from Encinitas, CaI think Kurt had a habit of writing about specific people and events in his life, I bet this was about someone particular
  • Sean from Palmer, Aklook nobody really knows what this song is about except for Kurt Kobain and hes not gonna tell anyone anytime soon. I think this song kicks ass and it doesnt really matter what the song means all i know is that this song rules
  • Poo from Poo, United Statesthis music video was purposely made blurry by water because kurt didn't want people to see a clear pic of his face, cuz of heroin. (so i've heard)
  • Derek from Raleigh, Ncthe thing in adam's song is refering to cobain's suicide, since their song is about it. But come as you are is not about suicide, when an artist kills themself (purposly or not), everyone suddenly thinks that every song they wrote is about suicide, well this one isn't. the "don't have a gun" part means that he's not dangerous and isn't hiding anything (or at least i think)
  • Sami from Mt Olive, NjI really don't think this song has many noticable references to suicide. Especially since it was a while before he has killed himself and he wouldn't dwell on it for that long, you'd think..

    *~*=-Kurt Cobain-=*~* R.I.P.
  • I Duno from Nowhere, United Stateshmm..I'm not sure what this song means..and i'm not sure about if kurt was murdered by that b..witch. the thing that bothers me is how some dumb arrigant people think kurt was a loser for killing himself (if he actually did). i mean come on..if u lived with courtney love, had his child hood, his stomach pains, was a heroin addict, and hated fame...wouldn't u be depressed enough to kill yourself?
  • Edwin from Toronto, CanadaSo many of Kurt's songs imply suicide, and many around him knew he was suicidal for years. I seriously doubt he was killed and it's not worth arguing about. It's in the past now, just enjoy the music.
  • Ashley from Park Rapids, MnKurt Cobain was truely and awesome man. . . The song "Come as you are" was wrote to say that you should be how you are. . . don't be phoney. . . Being your true self means alot to Kurt he's a great man i hope everyone remembers that. . . . He would never have killed him self. . . hes not that stupid. . . it was all Courtney Love. . . she murdered him and she needs to confess. . . . . Live on Kurt. . . .!
  • Mara from Minneapolis, MnYou can also take the line "and I swear that I don't have a gun" to mean that he's not going to "shoot you down", to talk s--t about you, for being yourself, like so many other people do.
  • Rachel from Dearborn Heights, MiEverytime my mom hears this song and the part "i swear i dont have a gun" comes on she always says "well kurt, looks like ya did"
  • Jess from Springfeild, IlI'd say Dave was the more talented member (instrument wise).
  • Elise from Guelph, CanadaKurt Cobain is a pure musical genius, RIP Kurt! By the way, he didn't commit suicide, he was murdered by Courtney Lo.
  • Mike Truitt from Cincinnati, OhUndoubtably this song is the most contaversial of Nirvana's incredable collection if for no other reason than the lyrics "I swear that I don't have a gun". Many have and will continue to interprite it as an actual reference to Kurt's untimely death, however, it is in no way referring to his suicide, rather it follows the theme of the song that old friends should "Come as they are" and not try to hide any idignities that they may have, which Kurt uses a gun for the physical symbol for.
  • Josh from New York, NyIf you have read Kurt cobain " Journals" you mave have seen when he was in high school he mad numerous attempts to commit suicide but at the time of his death he was a man and he wouldnt do that.
  • Josh from New York, NyKurt cobain is by far the best song writer ever. So what if hes not the greatest at guitar hes pure genious
  • Corky from Mymom, KsKurt Cobain wrote this song more for himself then anyone. Also he didn't kill himself it was Courtney Lo... *bang*
  • Chet from Saratoga Springs, NyI get chills down my sine when ever I hear this song. Sometimes when I am having a bad day, this song shows me that things coud be worse. Thank you Kurt Cobain
  • Patrick from Durham, NcHe was a genius who used the media (which he dispised) to manipulate you all (the fans) into believing anything when his lyrics really meant nothing, but were more an escape for him. Kurt Cobain-R.I.P.
  • Cassandra from Tacoma, WaNaturally that line about not having a gun doesn't literally have anything to do with his suicide. The fact remains that it's undeniably ironic that he committed suicide with a gun, when that song's chorus states that he "don't have a gun" over and over.
  • Hayley from Ilford, Australia3 years is a long time and it's not as if he wrote the song intending to go and shoot himself, mow does it??
  • Mark from Hudson, MaThe Line "And I swear that I don't have a gun" had nothing to do with his suicide. The line meant that he had nothing to hide from his friend and/or anybody.
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