Sifting

Album: Bleach (1989)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • A sludgy, slow-moving song, "Sifting" is simply about rebelling against authority. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Matt - Millbrae, CA
  • Cobain lamented people's tendency to judge an entire album based on the characteristics of one or two songs. He told Nick Soulsby, author of Cobain on Cobain: "They take a song and think that the whole album is like that. On Bleach, there was 'Sifting' and the other slow, boring song 'Paper Cuts,' two very slow songs, with less feedback, so they stick in people's minds and they forget about the rest of the album."

Comments: 7

  • Verti from NycNah, Sifting is awesome. It's got this killer riff the evokes early 70's Sabbath. So crunchy.
  • Shelton Willey from NebraskaI think the song itself is just about rebelling because he brings up teachers, and priests the the chorus is “don’t have nothing for you” . But I think it’s called sifting because it’s a slow song and he’s sifting out the people who won’t listen
  • Zero from The Abyss, NjThis is my least favorite song on Bleach. I think if they switched "Big Long Now" in place of this, Bleach would've been perfect. It's not a bad song, it just kind of drags on...
  • Mac from San Jose, Caey dude, Nezmeat. Ya might wanna consider the fact that the "obsessive" person is also a girl. Well, as can be deducted thru the name at the bottom. But in any case, yeah there are ppl that are attracted to great bands and their music, like Nirvana's multifaceted fanbase, for the "wrong" reasons[*by opinion*]. But seriously, cmon, ya can't really blame em.

    Oh, I almost forgot...

    F**KING AWESOME SONG from an album that's just F**KING AMAZING! I'm with Milosh, in fact, just about every track off of Bleach totally creams anything on the radio now.
  • Milosh from Novi Sad, YugoslaviaThis is,in my opinion,one of the world`s 5 best songs,and definitely my favorite Nirvana song!
    The chorus is amazing.And I can even say that its better than Smells Like Teen Spirit.xD
  • Nezmeat from Nashville, TnNirvana is great, but you don't have to get all obsessive over them. Maybe you should buy Bleach or Incesticide?
  • Keriah from Naples, FlI LOVE NIRVANA AND I LOVE KURT COBAIN I HAVEN'T HEARD THIS SONG YET BUT ANYTHING NIRVANA DOES IS GOOD RIP KURT I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

Jack Tempchin - "Peaceful Easy Feeling"

Jack Tempchin - "Peaceful Easy Feeling"They're Playing My Song

When a waitress wouldn't take him home, Jack wrote what would become one of the Eagles most enduring hits.

Adam Young of Owl City

Adam Young of Owl CitySongwriter Interviews

Is Owl City on a quest for another hit like "Fireflies?" Adam answers that question and explains the influences behind many others.

The Evolution of "Ophelia"

The Evolution of "Ophelia"Song Writing

How five songs portray Shakespeare's character Ophelia.