The Story Behind One of Kurt Cobain’s Favorite Nirvana Songs

Kurt Cobain’s best-known song is “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, but it was far from his favorite Nirvana track. Though it catapulted his band to stardom, and with it, changed the sound of rock music, it was another song from Nevermind that he looked forward to performing more than his biggest hit.

Baby Love

In “Drain You”, Cobain employs a wry baby metaphor to describe his dependence on his partner. Originally called “Formula”, he sings about obsession, want, and a couple becoming so intertwined that one loses themselves in the other as they fall into childlike innocence.

One baby to another says, “I’m lucky to have met you.”
I don’t care what you think unless it is about me.
It is now my duty to completely drain you.
I travel through a tube and end up in your infection.

Far from being a sugary love song, here the couple share chewed meat, fluids, and kiss with sloppy lips. But to whom is he singing? If you’re interested, there are many Reddit threads speculating that Cobain’s ex, Tobi Vail from riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill, inspired “Drain You”.

Chew your meat for you, pass it back and forth,
In a passionate kiss, from my mouth to yours,
I like you.

More Production and Teen Spirit

When Nirvana followed up Nevermind with In Utero, the band worked with Steve Albini to capture their songs as raw as possible. It was a reaction not only to the band’s success but also to Butch Vig’s glossy production on the previous album.

According to Vig, “Drain You” features the most overdubs on Nevermind, with layers of guitars peaking during the track’s noisy middle section. Still, it became one of Cobain’s favorite tunes.

In conversation with David Fricke from Rolling Stone about the success of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, Cobain said, “There are so many other songs that I’ve written that are as good, if not better, like ‘Drain You’. That’s as good as ‘Teen Spirit’. I love the lyrics, and I never get tired of playing it. Maybe if it was as big as ‘Teen Spirit’, I wouldn’t like it as much.”

(Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)