Album: Bleach (1989)

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Songfacts®:

• The opening track on Nirvana's debut album, Bleach, this song explores entrapment and wanting to break free from society's restrictions. A few months later, it was also released as part of an EP called Blew.
• A testament to how raw Nirvana were at the time of the recording: forgetting that they were already tuned down a step, Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic tuned down a further step, to C, explaining the extremely heavy sound, which they dubbed "The Doom Pop Experiment." Novoselic recalled in a Seattle Weekly interview: We recorded a bunch of tunes in that setup - like on the first day of recording. We came back the next day and decided the idea wasn't so hot, and we recorded over most of it with things tuned back up a little. In fact, 'Blew,' with that growly bass, is the only survivor of that experiment." >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Matt - Millbrae, CA, for above 2
• The melodic-hardcore band Defeater covered this for the Nirvana tribute album Doused In Mud, Soaked In Bleach (2016).

Comments: 15

• Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganAccording to genius.com, this song is about not living up to your full potential. And the tuning to the Bleach version is Drop C, not C standard, if there was any confusion.
• AnonymousAlthough I'm still just a kid, nirvana has to be one of the greatest bands ever. This is actually my favourite song by them and a lot of people don't actually know about it. I love it.
• Anthony from Orange Park, Flif u ever read Kurt Cobain journals he says something about how he almost lost it to a retard girl that wasnt a retard but never talked, he said"lets f--k" she went to her room and got undressed he was disgusted by how she smelled and stuff go read it then you'll figure it out o and he said in his journal he skiped school a week cause kids were making fun of him for that
• Layton from Paris, TxI love this song. This whole album makes me feel free to write more me being 14 and all. The writing is so plain and punk but Nirvana makes it amazing. It inspiring to me.
• Chase from Houston, TxIt's my belief that this song is probably about fillacio. Think about it. "If you wouldn't mind I would like it blew"? "If you wouldn't mind I would like it loose"?
• Don't Have A Mind from Pleasure TownThe reference is in discussing his stain, other than just shame.
• Sarah from Irwin, PaI'm not seeing the masturbation reference in the chorus. Unless you automatically equate masturbating with shame.
• Echo from Normalville, Maactaully dave doesn't drum on it. He does on the wishkah. but not on bleach
• Joe from Lockport, IlAnd it has more energy cuz Dave is drumming.
• Joe from Lockport, IlYea, the song is definatley higher pitched than on the studio version.
• Ed from Chodania, Flit doesn't sound like they tuned to C on the muddy banks version, this song sounds the best on the album, but the muddy banks version has more energy
• Matt from Millbrae, Cathe muddy banks of the wishkah version is much better than the studuio version, a lot more intense.
• Derp from Jackson, MsThis appeared on The Muddy Bsnks of the Wishkah CD
• Jon from Oakridge, OrThe very beginning of Nirvana is represented by this song
• Jawsh from G-vegas, Scgrand song

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