All Apologies

Album: In Utero (1993)
Charted: 32
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  • What else should I be?
    All apologies
    What else could I say?
    Everyone is gay
    What else could I write?
    I don't have the right
    What else should I be?
    All apologies

    In the sun
    In the sun I feel as one
    In the sun
    In the sun
    Married
    Buried

    I wish I was like you
    Easily amused
    Find my nest to salt
    Everything's my fault
    I'll take all the blame
    Aqua seafoam shame
    Sunburn, freezer burn
    Choking on the ashes of her enemy

    In the sun
    In the sun I feel as one
    In the sun
    In the sun
    Married
    Married
    Married
    Buried, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are
    All in all is all we are Writer/s: Kurt Cobain
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 130

  • Jess Sumdomfok from From NjTo “Nathanael from Ypsilanti, Mi“
    I have to preface this by saying that 99% of the time, if I was to see what I’m about to write, I would think the person was a big phony spreading nothing but “toxic positivity”… so I hope I forget that I wrote it 2 seconds after I hit “post”, because nothing is worse than stumbling upon your own obnoxious words!
    But I gotta say, your interpretations are really good. They’re interesting, and I think it’s great that you would are comfortable enough to share it!
    It’s funny that there are people on here saying how there’s no meaning, because that’s almost as ridiculous as saying there is meaning! …I’ll try my best to explain at the end, if I even can.

    I’m not even a big Nirvana fan, I pretty much hated them when they were around because of what I thought they did to something I hold sacred. But I was a stupid kid who was quick to have an opinion on any subject before knowing a single thing about it. Well, now I’m a stupid adult who probably doesn’t know that much more than the younger version did (in fact, I’d bet I actually know less now)

    But anyway, my point is that I’m very serious about my love of music, I really can’t put it into words, except to say that I can feel certain songs hit me right in the heart (whether it’s a vocal melody, guitar, or bass riff, the build up of a drumbeat… It can both pick me up out of a funk, or destroy me for days!). Also, I probably know the lyrics to hundreds, maybe thousands of songs. But I don’t say that to brag as if it’s something special, I only bring it up because I have such a horribly broken brain, that I’m surprised even music (and extremely random 5 second clips of memories through my life) got stuck in there, and stayed! And these weren’t constantly looping radio hits (with the exception of Green Day), but just mix/dub tapes from a good friend (I could get into a whole spiritual thing about that, but this is already too long! I’m so sorry, I’ll try to hurry)

    A couple of years ago, I was getting the same type of thing, where I could see the meanings as messages that sometimes seemed biblical (but I’ve never read it, and really don’t know anything except bits and pieces), some about current world shenanigans, and some even directly to me. The kicker? These songs are like 30 something years old, so needless to say, it scared the $#!T outta me! But I came to a kind of strange understanding that probably most things (like songs) don’t have an absolute truth, and might not be meant for the writer to understand at all, but just that one listening (or thousands of listeners) 30 years later that stops them from making a bad decision, or picks them up when they need it most.

    And I can tell you that as someone who has written a few, that some of those really good ones that come to you quickly aren’t even from within
    (I specifically remember one where it was being “forced through” for lack of a better term, and I literally couldn’t write the words down fast enough…again, scary!)
    Ok, I’m done, again I apologize for being such a jabber jaws!
  • The Old Songwriter from HomeThis song was written in 1989 and 1990 before Kurt ever dated Courtney. The song may have been dedicated to her and her daughter because, at the time, Kurt saw some similarities in the lyrics to how things were in his life at that time in 1992. But the lyrics in this song were not written as a result of Kurt’s relationship with Courtney. Kurt wrote down his thoughts and feelings at the time and pulled in some corresponding lines to create a rhythmical rhyming song. He used his depression, his quiet still soul, his unhappiness with fame, his desire to have the iconic happy family life, his abuse and love of drugs, his desire for equality of all people regardless of color or sex, and whatever was happening around him at the time. Don’t look for a deep meaning in his lyrics. He himself stated many times that you would be wrong. A lot of his lyrics were simply word play to create rhyming lyrics. Many times he would change lyrics that he originally wrote to some nonsensical things to mask the original lyrics. He didn’t want to reveal his true self that much. He was somewhat of a private, quiet person as I have previously said. Enjoy his lyrics, enjoy the inflection he would put into his singing in his imperfect style, and quit trying to analyze what his lyrics mean because you will never get into an artists head to know what he intended. That meaning could change from day to day. Songwriting reflects our emotions, our thoughts on a particular day, and maybe not be expressing some great truth.
  • Derek from Satsuma, AlabamaJesus is the way, oh, and it can't be Budhha is the way, toilet paper is the way, paper triangles are the way, has to be "Jesus is the Way", like many of those will have their children chasing colored eggs, eating chocolate bunnies, even chocolate crosses on "Easter"...IDOLATRY!
  • Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganGraham from Astral Plane: Yeah, the Beatles were the main experimentalists back in the '60's like on the "Help" album - the strings on "Yesterday" and the flutes on "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away". Maybe there were earlier rock bands to use these instruments in their songs but these are the first instances I can think of.

    Joseph from Harrisburg: Yeah, that false start was so John could take a hit of Coke! ~listen~

    I think it's really lame that a "Christian" band would change the lyrics that -supposedly- condone homosexuality. As an earlier poster said, Jesus was all loving and accepting. Kurt said "Come As You Are" but Jesus/God said it first, and anyway, that's not what Kurt meant when he said "Everyone is gay."

    Oh, and BTW, it's NOT actually written as a sin in the Bible to be homosexual. Google it!

    -Luna Loud, future bisexual rock star-
  • Bryan from HawaiiI always thought that Kurt purposely wrote some of his lyrics as word plays.

    Kind of like how we used to say things like “Ben Dover” or “Harry Dick” as kids.

    Basically Kurt is pronouncing “Aqua Sea Foam Shame”, but it is intended to mean “I’ll Proceed From Shame”. He says “Find my Nest Of Salt”, but it is intended to mean “Feminist Assault”
  • Hello from MarsI love this song so much i can’t even explain why
  • Laure from GrasseKurt did not love Courtney she loved him and the only way to get away from her was killing him self although she wasn’t his only problem. This song is an apology to the light of his life for ending up married to the psychotic bitch who found Frances farmers dress hidden in a cupboard and assumed it was for her. She planned the whole wedding got pregnant on purpose to trap him. Kurt tried to get out of the wedding but Dave carried him to ceremony as he was so high that’s why he was in his pjs. Also Lilly’s were his favourite flowers that’s why he used them in unplugged and heart shaped box but ripped them out the wedding bouquets.
  • Tom Stucker from Raleigh, NcLove how Kurt purposefully (In my opinion) garbled the line about "..take all the blame", neglecting to say "I'll". His way of saying it wasn't all his fault?
  • Csr from MaIn one interview that I watched,(see below) Kurt stated that "a lot of people put too much meaning into his lyrics. He said "I'm basically lazy and once used part of a book that I really like, and then have to explain everything later, and that it was a bunch of garbage." I don't think he committed suicide, this is based on books I've read and the evidence presented in the books. Besides, he loved his daughter too much! The video I am referring to is on youtube "one of Kurt Cobains last interviews." (Mojo) It's about 26 minutes long. That's where he discussed the lyrics of his songs, and it was one of his last interviews.
  • Gray from Clevelandgenius
  • Graham from Astral Plane Is that a Cello or big bass quite unusual in rock music although probably not the first time classic instruments have been used in rock music in the UK The Levellers used the fiddle or violin with guitars and drums in their songs The Doors used a bosinova beat using a stick and brush in break on through its great to experiment with different instruments in different types of music generes I prefer old school rock from 60s-90s to much more modern 21 century pop/rock they dont make it like they used to they were very experimental with the music they use both accoustic (manual) guitars as well as electric I really loved Nirvana still do I remember them from back in the day
  • Candy from NhAqua Seafoam Shame ... I'll Concede the Shame
    All in all is all we are ... All Alone is All We Are
  • Zander from Los Angeles, CaDoes anyone know where I can find the DC Talk cover of this song?
  • Joseph from Harrisburg, NcI'm surprised that nobody had mention this but this song has a false start at the beginning of it. (The MTV Unplugged version of it.)
    Just a bit of random information that I like to point out. Another song I love that has a false start at the beginning of it is Dig a Pony by The Beatles.
    The only difference between The Beatles' false start and Nirvana's is that Nirvana's false start was cut out when their MTV Unplugged album was released.
    Compared to released of Abbey Roads having the false start from Dig a Pony.
  • Nathanael from Ypsilanti, MiSorry this may come off as over-analyzing or superstitious but I hope you'll take me seriously when I tell you what this song means to me and, I believe, for everyone. I had a pretty intense experience in the days directly before and after I came upon this and all of a sudden all the words (which I've always heard everyone say make no sense) made sense.
    The last verse of 'On a Plain' lets us in to the message he was giving. "It is now time to make things unclear, to write off lines that don't make sense... One more special message to go and then I'm done and I can go home" Home is to heaven (in the sun I feel as one, married, buried). This is the second "special message", All Apologies. All in all is all we are, over and over and over again he says it. We are all One, all souls are parts of the whole which is God (John 17:21-23).
    'Come as You Are' is written from the Father of all children as a message to them to come. Reread the song from this perspective. Look at Luke 15:11-32, the story of the prodigal son. Come doused in mud or soaked in bleached, the dirty "sinners" and the pure of heart. What do you feel when we know someone has a gun? Fear. Don't be afraid to come before the goodness of goodness, there's only deeper peace for you. You can take forever but the sooner the better, there's only higher truth to know. The memory is where we all came from, the absolute before we were planted into a body.
    Smells like Teen Spirit is written from peoples view, they prefer to be in the dark, fearful and just want to be entertained. That's why everyone loved it and why Kurt said he didn't understand why Pennyroyal Tea wasn't a hit, because it was about the same thing. The last line that he yells, "A denial" is exactly what it is (check out 'House of Cards' by Radiohead). We were meant to live in freedom and love, not trapped in this material bulls--t, self-serve, stress inducing world we seem so attached to. Kurt set into motion the 90's, a great time where anyone could have a song on the radio and being modest was cool.
  • Anna from Seattle, WaSomeone said to stop looking so hard at the lyrics. I think those people have a point. Cobain wrote lyrics and music inexactly, in a stream of consciousness mode. Maybe he WOULD BE and WOULD HAVE BEEN better understood had everyone taken a break from the intensive, multi-layered lyrical examinations and used some of that energy to take a good but simple look into his eyes. There was plenty of information to be had there.
  • Ian from Versailles, KyI think I have a different take on this songs meaning.
    Think about it as a love song to mother earth and an apology that he's helpless to do anything about what mankind is doing to her.
    He wishes he could be gay (happy) and easily amused because then he could get over the guilt he feels about what he sees happening to the environment around him.
    Sunburn freezerburn ... coolant (freezer) produces Chlorofluorocarbons which in turn opened up a hole in the ozone resulting in uv rays causing sun burns/cancer.
    Aqua seafoam shame is the pollution of our oceans.
    Mother earth is chocking on the ashes of her enemy Man.
    But, I don't have the right to talk about this... I am Man... contributing by default.
    In the sun I feel as one... means he feels connected to all that is around him (hopeful) but he knows man wont wake up so he also feel buried (the inevitable result of mans actions)
    All in all is all we all are... is his way of saying everything on this planet is all connected and all we have.

    If anyone think there is any merit to what I've written please add any thoughts you have.
  • Aerin from Chapel Hill, NcActually, he wrote "All Apologies" in 1990, before he and Courtney had even started dating, and Nirvana recorded a demo version in January 1991. Kurt said that the song was meant to express "Peaceful, happy, comfort." The dedication to his wife and daughter comes from the 1992 Reading Festival performance (available on DVD). He dedicated that particular performance of the song to his wife and his 11-day-old daughter, and he had the audience all shout together "We love you, Courtney!" so that she would feel better, since the press was writing so much s*** about them.
  • Angela from Olmsted , Ilwhy did you have to leave us Kurt :( this song is so freaking good I wonder what he would be doing now if he was still here? Guess we will never know, what a shame :(
  • Nick from Fresh Meadows, Nywow where has everyone been for the passed 17 years the man was at the peak of his career, nevermind, u kidding me, he just had a beautiful baby girl, he was the #1 rockstar at his time, and mind u he didnt like the fame, thats why he was thinking off ending nirvana, but not before cockmeat love (thats funny btw) reeped the benefits. Basically, shes a mess, their marraige was not goin so well, she knew they were gonna get divorsed, so what does this mean, if cobain divorses love, she doesnt get anythanything nirvana, or should i say Kurt Cobain, ever accomplished cuz it wasnt anything without him, without that infamous voice that still sends chills to my spine, buuuuuuuut if cobain commits "suicide" she is automatically entitled to everything nirvana ever made. Plus she was very open about doing drugs, they werent gonna let her have her daughter, so she figured we need to scrub him out and make it look like a suicide. Which was the perfect plan considereing he always seemed like he was suicidle with some of his lyrics and behaviors around the media, which he hated, he lashed out at them in this way so they could stop bothering him, kurt was tired of it, but he didnt kill himself, 1st of all, the amount of heroin found in his body after the autopsy killed him instantaneously, heroin is a downer, he was really down, tell me now can you shoot yourself in the head with an12 gauge shotgon, that mind you was so long and his arms are so short, he physically couldnt position that weapon to his mouth even if he used his toes, oh yeah and then wipe the prints off, right after he was so sedated...........cmon, not only that, they found him minus a head, ur head is attached to ur neck, the point im trying to get at is, there was barely any blood witch automatically means he suffered the gunshot after his heart stoped therefore not delivering any blood to the neck head ect, oh and one final thing they found the weapon on his chest, trigger facing up, wich means the cartridge that is ejected from the gun should of been on his s abdomen or on the floor to his right but was found on the left! How... ooh and then love makes that whole fake fake fake fake f speech saying how "no kurt its not better to burn out than to fade away while she was burning all the evidence.....so no kurt was murdered... why, cuz he couldnt take the fame. Kurt was a very quite man, very respectful to everyone hes known his whole life he was just another victim of society and they got the best of him. All Apologies was i think one of his best songs , great way to end an album, all and all is all we all are, why does it have to automatically insinuate hes gonna kill himself after mtv unplugged...maybe he was sorry about turning out the way he was, famous, rich very popular, voted one of the most beautiful people ever... he just didnt want it i know im repeating myself..maybe "i wish i was like you, easily amused", "find my nest of salt, everythings my fault, ill take all the blame ect.... i just think this song has a lot to do with who he became so fast he was only 22 or 21 when they made bleach....just because he says married, burried doesnt necesarally have to do with Courtney Love, or suicide maybe the married part was about his career and he he got so famous, but fame is worst than any drug sometimes and he feals burried in it now or then whatever. "In the sun i feel as one" that could just mean the sun is the end of his headache with fame, metaphorically speaking of course, "what else can i say, everyone is gay" thats just saying everyone is happy but me but not only do i think hes saying to be funny or to ridicule the press, ya know "what else can i say, everyone is gay". i guess im a charmer and make people happy which he did. Ive never got the chance to say something if i had the power to do something but if "we all" keep making a big deal out of it maybe someone will hear us like he says all in all is all we are, bascically all we have is eachother
    by the way, sometimes he would change the lyrics of the song on different occasions, so what he did it cuz he could who was gonna stop him MTV yeah right, that shows creativety, that shows hes singing from his f'ing heart. Kurt Cobain, or Nirvana has been a part of my life for almost 20 years, i always remember his bday and of course his d-day, Grunge music was an art of rock and role created in a garage, Kurt Cobain mastered every aspect of grungde and took it to the very top, everything about him was grunge right down to his voice especially, i dont think anyone could match or even come close to making an impact on society and himself. Nirvana was Grungde, Kurt Cobain Was NIRVANA, maybe courtney love has all his money and and probably still makes money off Nirvana, whaaaaat, for sure i still see Bleach and Nevermind in the stores, but the soul and quality of Nirvana, Kurt Cobaim, grundge how ever u look at it that died with him. but i still listen to nirvana everyday, so his legacy remains. Kurts Dead and with him grungde, died ... i mean completely. He was a man with issues he wasnt cut out for, he was # 1 and smells like teen spirit still remains the #1 rock song, and music video ever....and he refused to do the video, but they made him do it and its still #1
    so whoever thinks he still killed himself is either oblivious to fact, or there just another figure in society he feared so much.


  • Marcus from Jackson, MiIf Kurt Cobain was my father I'd be so goddamn proud
  • Paula from Houston, TxSuch a beautiful song. We all hurt people in our lives. People hurt us back.
    We still love them, though.
  • Jeff from Las Vegas, NmAll alone is all we are, people are not empathetic like he is.
  • Jeff from Las Vegas, NmAqua seafoam shame

    I think I know what this means. A friend of my a long time ago look at me and told me aqua seafoam shame. I didn't exactly know what he meant at the time but now I do. Everybodies unique genetically, we deal with stress differently. Well, the way my body deals with stress through my nasal breathing, it's alot different from other people, it has a real calming affect on me. Me and kurt are similiar genetically. We don't get mad very easily. So people often pick on us. We just take the blame and the punishment because we can, we don't get mad so easily. I think the song is all about that and just wanting to be alone in our aqua seafoam. Being picked on and just wanting to be alone.
  • Josh from Jackson, Miactualy kurt probably wrote the line "i wish i was like you, easily amused" to say that he wish's he could just be happy over trivial things but in his mind everything was on a deeper level which is why his lyrics has such a genius quality to them...he wanted to be like everyone else but he was'nt and he had an extreamly hard time dealing with it...when he finaly figured out what it took to be happy was leaving music and raising his daughter it was to late because cockmeat love saw to it she wasnt gonna get devorced and left with nothing.
  • Michael from Staten Island, NyGreat song. I (personally) think the In Utero version is better than the Unplugged version. It has a stronger feeling to it. The lyrics are so excellently written, I'll find myself singing to song in the middle of the day. Kids in my class definetly need to realize what they listen to is mostly garbage. I don't see what Eminem and Jay-Z does that bands like Nirvana accomplish. Only about two kids in my class even listen to Nirvana, and they still think Kobain's death was a suicide, no matter how much I try to convice them.
  • Michael from Staten Island, NyRandy from OH, I couldn't agree more. Every time I bring up Kurt Cobain in my school, 90 percent of the kids will give a me confused stare, and the remaining kids reply to something along the lines of "Isn't that the guy who killed himself?" It gets so annoying at some points.
  • Katee from Bethel, Ct- Randy, Colerain Twp., OH I just wanted to say that I agree with you, they should reopen the case. The only problem is that they can't because they gave all of the evidence of Kurt's personal possessions and notes theat they took back to her. And she burned them. in "Kurt's memory". Right, more like to cover her tracks.
  • Ken from Chester, United KingdomThe line " What else can I say ? everyone is gay ? " isn't a reference to his sexuality, it's a reference to that fact that music journalists were always looking for the next soundbite, the next piece of good copy, the next controversal statement and he's just reflecting on how silly it all was, like, ' what do you want me to say next ? that everyone is gay ? '

    For those of you who are familiar with the ex-footballer Eric Cantona it's a similar statement to the one he made about " the seaguls ( journalists ) following the trawler ( the celebrity ) in the hope that sardines ( stories, soundbites, controversy ) will be thrown into the sea "
  • Robbie from Virginia Beach, VaFor those of you who think this is about him being gay or bi, you can pretty much throw that theory in the garbage. Kurt always wished he was gay or bi but simply wasn't. He even did an interview/photo shoot for a LGBT magazine. If you read "Come As You Are: The Story Of Nirvana" (which, if I do say so myself, is WAAAAAAAY better and more factual and intimate than "Heavier Than Heaven") it has a section about this.
  • Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnThe MTV unplugged version is raw - I love it. Kurt had such a powerful voice.
  • Randy from Colerain Twp., OhHow in the hell could this be a goodbye letter? Sorry folks, but Kurt Cobain did NOT commit suicide. For you blowharts that think otherwise, the police report as well as the diagram of the 'crime scene' is public record at the Seattle Police Dept. Feel free to obtain copies and view them and see for yourself the conflicting evidence. The Seattle Police Dept. had botched the investigation. I just wish that the King County Prosecutor/District Attorney would reopen the case.
  • Gaurav from Punjab, IndiaI think this is a song by Kurt regretting what he was,when he writes "i wish i was like you , easily amused " he says that he had to use drugs for his satisfaction whereas everyone else was 'easily amused'.
  • Marissa from Akron, OhThis song never struck me as a suicide note. Just because the man committed suicide (and even that has been debated), people try to read suicidal meanings into all his songs. Why can't a song just be a song? I mean, Metallica writes a LOT of songs about suicide and I don't see any of them offing themselves. Not all writing is connected to the personal life of the writer. If it was, I'd love to know how Stephen King is still alive...
  • Brenet from Gardner, MaKurt Cobain didn't kill himself you pigs
  • Chris from Ontario, Canadareminds me of a nice whole apple i think thats what this song is about, i think it used to be all apples but they changed the name, just my hunch
  • Eric from Aston, PaI look at this song as having several meaings; I'll say my favorite (they one I thought of). I believe it's about leaving a last note on life cause you know you are gonna die or kill yourself. I think i talk's about the last moments of your life. And saying how you wished your life was. The line "Sunburn, freezerburn, choking on the ashes of her memory' is saying you're dying while thinking about all your memories (good or bad). And the last lines "All in all is all we are" is just a last message saying we are what we are and somtimes that doesn't change.
  • Landon from Winchester, OhI believe this song is a very personal apology from Kurt because he feels that he isn't good for his stupid hoe wife and his son, and blamed himself for the crashed marriage. Why else would the final track on his last CD be a repetitive "All in all is all we are"? I wish Kurt would have found a better wife for him rather than that conceited tramp and he would still be making hit music today.
  • Brian from Cairns, AustraliaWell I am sure "everyone is gay" is the politically INcorrect version as per Eric Cartman, meaning a total goose
  • Susan from Toronto, CanadaNirvana's manager Danny Goldberg says in his memoir "Bumping Into Geniuses" that while working on this song Cobain listened constantly to the Beatles' NORWEGIAN WOOD.
  • Riot from Palm Desert, CaA Japanese independent artist, "Sugarfields" has also covered this song along with a handful of others on their "After Beat Covers" album. It's very interesting to listen to.
  • Jo from Strong City, Algeriaim sorry but on one of his live concerts he says this song is for his wife.
  • Carl-petter from Norrtälje, SwedenBoth Placebo and Weezer have covered this song live!
  • Nicky from Southampton, EnglandI love this song. (Y)
    Amazing stuff.
  • Echo from Normalville, Mawell said, althea
  • Althea from Everett, WaAlso, And I Apologize For This, (hmmm :p)
    In The Umpluged Version He Changes The Words "All In All Is All We All Are" To "All Alone Is All We All Are." Which Just Basically Means The Same Thing But More Sympathetically. Because He Was A VERY Sympathetic, Emotional And Highly Empathetic Person. It's Just Him Saying "We're All Different Trying To Be The Same But We're Not The Same So There's Shame Because Of The Mean Things People Say To Us And The Names They Call Us. We're ALL Different, So We Are ALL Alone.
  • Althea from Everett, WaOk. My Name Is Althea And, About A Year After Kurts Death I Started To Write A Biografy About Him (never finnished it...:( ) Anyway, I Got To Talk To ALOT Of People Who Were Close To Him And, The Song "All Apologies" Has Nothing To Do With Homosexuals Or Not Haveing The Right To Be Happy. He Is Apologizing(sarcasticly) For The Worlds (critics of his music and of him) Opinion Of Him. Their Opinion Was That He Was A Suicidal Junky, Which Would Give The Impression That He's Not As Happy As The Rest Of The World. So, "What Else Can I Be, All Apologies" - "I Am Who I Am, I'm Sorry I'm Not Who YOU Want Me To Be" "What Else Can I Say, Everyone Is Gay" - "So What, So Everyones Happy...What Do You Want Me To Say?"
    "What Else Can I Wright, I Don't Have To Right" - "I Don't Want To Wright About What You Want Me To Wright About, Why Is How I Feel Wrong?"
    "All In All Is All We All Are" - "We Are ALL Human, We Will Always Be Different Trying To Be The Same."

    Please, Take The Time To REALLY Listen To And Feel The Words.......All He's Doing Is Apologizing For Being Different.
  • Tyler from Toronto, CanadaThis song was simply about asking for forgiveness, Another theory: This song was meant to be a last note to Kurt Cobain's daughter Francis Bean, apologizing for not being the father he should have been. That is a big part in the song, but the song is about all his mistakes.
  • Micheal from Sunshine Coast, AustraliaThe line "Married, Burried" is interesting considering the events surround Kurts death.

    Ever wondered why the groom wears black... the funeral colour? the bride wears white

    Hmm interesting
  • Nadi from Fratville, NcThis song is just sad and instead of saying i'm sry now..i just say all apologies..it feels good and makes u look good
  • Joel from Seattle, WaSome people really need to get a life. I don't know if Kurt was murdered or not. If he was really a buddist though he would not believe in suicide. We should just enjoy the music.
  • Sam from Portsmouth, VaI think it was very interesting that a solo acoustic version of this song was the last song on the boxed set With The Lights Out.
  • Daylan from Atlanta, GaThis actully about Kurt not caring about sterotypes. Kurt had a Gay friend in highschool and because of that he was labeled gay.
  • Chris from Las Vegas, NvActually it's a song about homosexuals
    Kurt Wrote it before nirvana had gone mainstream or before Kurt was certian he was going to kill himself the song was a bit different when he first wrote it.

    in fact it's listed in wikipedia's songs about homosexuals.

  • No_id_please from Hippy Town, Coim a teenager. and a nirvana fan. you would be suprise dhow few people my age have no clue what nirvana is. its sad, there certianly missing out. and i totaly agree that live and unplugged versions of this song have way more feeling. but either way its great!
  • Derp from Jackson, Msdoes anyone know of the significance of "All in all is all we are" or could anyone explain that b/c i always thought it was "all we know is all we are". that would make a lot more sense.
  • Taraneh from Salt Lake City, UtThis song is about Kurt apologizing for his existence. Those of you worried about his death, don't forget his legace. 98% of the Nirvana fan base sucks just because people are too worried about how he died to enjoy the music.
  • Michael from Clarksville, TnI dont think it was a suicide note.its saying hes not like everyone else and by "what else should I be all apoliges." Hes being sarcastic and saying "sorry" im not like you.and by "what else should I say everyone is gay."I think he means "happy"gay.and by "what else should i write I dont have the rite" he means "I dont have the rite to be happy thats why im not like you" and who ever said he was buddist is wrong because buddists are suppose to be unharmful to anything and he always beat on his instrments on tour.
  • Nicholas from Birkirkara, EuropeProbably one of Kurts most personal songs. Very direct meaning, he seems to be apologising for not being "normal".

    As others have mentioned, the unplugged version sounds darker and more ominous than the album version on In Utero.
  • Tom from National City, Cowhen i hear this song it sounds more like if kurt is trying to give a apologie for not being what you call "normal" for not being what he was and that how he was in other words he's giving apologizes for all he has done and what he became.

    Pepe National city, CA
  • Orangebeaker from Edinburgh, ScotlandI think this song is very over-rated. It sounds rather dull and lacklustre to me.
  • Tyler from Scranton, Paallison from NJ i really agree that its hard to listen to unplugged because it makes you think what kind of life did this great musical artist really have?
  • Max from Austin, TxOne more thing to add-the way Cobain had his guitar tuned, and how at the end when he and Grohl were singing "All in all is all we are," in a sort of unpredictable fashion leads me to believe that this song was also about him almost losing grip of reality, but pulling it together to be as good as he could be.
  • Max from Austin, TxWhen i hear this song, I just imagine Kurt's hatred to the world, and apology to his fans that he wasn't better to them than he was. I also just imagine him longing for his eternal life in heaven, where he could just merge in with the body of Christ, and not have anyone view him differently, hence to line "In the sun, in the sun I feel as One..."
  • Grunge=dead from Nowhereville, CaDoesn't sound like a song kurt would have wrote, indicating, the whole "suicide" thing, it just seems like a sad song but has depressionistic vibes in it, :)-the cool loser
  • Renee from Corona, Camy mom grew up with ronnie cerrito in CT, the guy who discovered nirvana. i think he was 23 when he discorvered them. now he lives in NY. hes one of the top people in sony records.
  • Renee from Corona, Cathis is my favorite song by nirvana, and favorite song over all. i can listen to it all day. it never gets old.
  • Andy from Manchester, EnglandThis is possibly my favourite Nirvana song. Apparently this song was written in 1990, four years before he died so it?s not some sort of suicide note like many people have suggested! Like me, Kurt Cobain was a masochist, and took a form of pleasure in being depressed. "I miss the comfort in being sad" ? Frances Farmer, from In Utero. The extremes of emotion that depression can bring helped him escape the melancholy, and allowed him to feel alive. He was destined to commit suicide. About the line ?everyone is gay? of which there?s been much talk on this page, psychologists will tell you that everybody is ?inertly bisexual?; In other words, we all possess the capacity to be bisexual but don?t necessary act upon it. People who spend enough time in thought and are honest enough with themselves sometimes realize this, although it doesn?t necessarily change their ?sexual preference?. I?m sure it was something Kurt Cobain realized about himself.
  • Mike from St.catharines, CanadaThis is definately my top3 Nirvana song. The intro just sends goosebumps throughout me because its such a beautiful sounding song. This song comes across as everything being blamed on a certain person (Kurt in particular) even though its wrongfully blamed on him.

    My favorite line is The "Married...Buried" part because it gets the point across of how quick life can go by.
  • Brandon from Saskatoon, CanadaBeautiful song, my favourite song by nirvana. When kurt says "in the sun i feel as one" I always imagine myself in the yard sitting in the sun thinking that same thing. Hayli from england, I couldn't agree more with you on that stuff you said.
  • Hayli from England, EnglandWell i don't really agree with that harmless, because no matter how much you try to tell youself different, Kurt was never really ready to say goodbye. the song (you know you're right) was left as a, sort of, kurt tribute. in the video we see him in all his light, and for what he really was, a rock star. born to be one but when becoming one couldn't seem to handle it and maybe that was because he was never really ready to grow up, he still had the mind and heart of a child and he needed to be looked after.
  • Steve from Albequerque, NmI think that this is Kurt depicting his sorrow and pain, but not neccessarily a suicide note. Also I don't think that You Know You're Right is a suicide note, but an indication of his divorce to Courtney. Courtney is a bitch that helped drive Kurt to suicide.
  • Zach from Vail, CoI feel that the lyrics "All in all is all we are" are a sort of indication of his suicidal feelings. "All in all" - this is similar to saying "In conclusion". Therefore, this could be interpreted as meaning our conclusion, or ending, is what defines us. These are also the last words he says on his last album. So, I could picture Kurt the tortured artist as planning to make one final statement to the world about everything he perceived it had done to him, and take his own life with the belief that everyone would at least understand the depth of his misery with his last defining act. Any thoughts?
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsHave to disgree here, Zac. An album with many hits isn't better then an album with no real hits. It's really very personal. I often start listening to an album (any album by any artist) prefering the songs that are easy to listen to, and end up prefering the songs I didn't really notice at first.
  • Matt from Millbrae, Cayou're right, tanya. it could go either way. i was just saying what i thought. both are amazing albums and it is kinda stupid to compare them.
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsWell, I don't agree, Matt. And in fact it's a silly conversation. It's very personal, and it doesn't matter.
  • Matt from Millbrae, CaIn Uteros the better album. Nevermind will always get the credit because it changed the face of pop music, but overall I'd take In Utero in a heartbeat.
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsCould it be that 'Nevermind' is more appreciated by Beatlesfans, and 'In Utero' by Grungefans? Oh well, whatever, nevermind....
  • Loz from Melbourne, Australia"This Album isn't as good as Nevermind.
    - Billy, Boston Area (Westwood), MA "

    AAAAH no way. In Utero is my favourite <33 soo much better than Nevermind. I dunno, Nevermind was just more.. Hmm. Not as much grunge as the other albums. It's still a good album though. :)
  • Rhys from Sydney, Australiayes really Tanya! its on his 1996 album The New Standard
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsReally, Rhys!? Can you tell me the name of the album it's on?
  • Rhys from Sydney, Australiaa jazz cover of this song has been covered by herbie hancock
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsKurt said: 'I want this song to be especially for them (= Courtney and Frances), but the text is not really about us. I wrote it for them, but nothing in the text really means anything. The whole atmosphere does, but not the text.' According to him that atmosphere is 'peaceful, happy, cosy: joyful happiness'. (Source: 'Come as you are'- Michael Azerrad). So you are right, Jared
  • Jared from Clarendon, ArI think I remember reading that this song was inspired by, not about, courtney and Francis
  • Tanya from Rotterdam, NetherlandsI read somewhere that the song meant nothing really. That he just wrote is as an easy going song. As an example he mentioned the 'yeah yeah yeah yeah' (which reminds me a bit of the Beatles, by the way). It seems strange, because the text seems so heavy and very clear, but it's still what I read.
  • Blake from Sumtown, TxOk look i read this ill post the site later. Kurt said before he met Courtney he was bisexual.He said if he wouldn't of met her he would of conuined his bisexual lifestyle. He didn't marry her just 2 have a fammily. Kurt is the best muscian of all time but he's not a God. He's flawed. Everything he stood for was neglected was a motive.Also if ur along time user of heroine that much may not be enough to kill you. It was 3 times lethal dose FOR A NON ADDICT. KURT HAD BEEN ONE FOR YEARs. Also he was shot once but the gun had 3 shells in it. Im not saying he commited sucide,I'm just saying its possible.
  • Queen from Carmel, NyI know I am probobly incorrect but i think this song fits perfectly into my life how i interpret it What else should I be
    All apologies
    What else should I say
    Everyone is gay

    To me it means that they he was apologising for being Just him and nothing better he is apologizing for him and that everyone around him was so happy (gay) and he was not but thats only my opinion
  • Ed from Victoria, CanadaHe died, end of it...you obsessed nirvana fans are turning this into religion VS science...he's dead...how he died changes nothing. I have evidence supporting both sides...I want your input, email me at applejacks_4me@hotmail.com
  • Brittny from Butler, Inoh and he only married Courtney Love because he wanted to have a family.
  • Brittny from Butler, InKurt clearly didn't commit suicide as mentioned before.WHy would he leave behind his daughter(the love of his life)?The note wasen't about suicide.He was stating he was LEAVING THE MUSIC BUISNESS AND SEATTLE, NOT THE PLANET!(my thanks to justiceforkurt.com)Tom Grant's files clearly state it was indeed not suicide.But oh well whatever never mind.ANd Kurt was bisexual.ANd actually everyone is at least 20-30% gay its just not everyone acts on it.
  • Dave from Brisbane, AustraliaI think most of Kurt's lyrics were a stream of flowing consciousness thing. I doubt if he sat for hours at a time banging on his brains trying to figure out what he was trying to say so that it would make sense to other people. If he did second guess everything his lyrics wouldv'e probably been crap. If you read into his lyrics you'll find that parts of it are nonsensical and some of it makes sense. People shouldn't stress on over analysing things.
    Just listen to the mood of the song and the emotions that he's trying to convey.
  • Randi from Linton, Mei think some of us may be looking too deeply into the lyrics. i think the song is simply about trying to succeed in his marriage to the demanding courtney love. he feels frustrated that he cant always make her happy. kurt says
    "What else should I be?
    All apologies
    What else should I say?
    Everyone is gay
    What else can I write?
    I don't have the right
    What else should I be?
    All apologies"
    he feels like he cant do anything right and alwasy has to be sorry for his actions. later he says "married, buried". its kinda like his life of doing and saying whatever he wants is done with now that he is married b/c courtney controls everything now. later he says "everything's my fault". this is kinda the classic husband-wife drama where the husband just always agreses with his wife and what she says pretty much goes. kurt obviously thought that courtney kinda treated him like sh*t
  • Jason from Toronto, Canadaits just a song of someone saying "sorry" for things you can't exactly control.... in a way I'm sur eit relates to Cobain, but no way wa sit his form of a suicide note for himself
  • Chuck from Mason, OhAnyone who thinks this is a suicide letter has obviosly not been MARRIED. It's an attitude, a state of mind, (yes Its all my fault /now be quiet.) derived from living with some your having problems with!
  • David from Paris, United StatesFor a start, i think it's stupid that this christian band changes the lyrics "gay" is stupid. im not here to defend Jesus, but, what i know about jesus as that he accepts everyone, so, who the f...k cares if someone is gay? second, kurt was gay friendly, he defended gay causes, alltough he was not gay, he felt close to gay people, that is well known. third, u know what? i think kurt was using gay as a "happy" word cause this song goes on about sadness. people are as they are, be gay, straight, whatever man, just be happy :D and listen to rock music :)
  • Roman from Cologne, GermanyThere´s a message in EVERYTHING you sing or write or do. To find that message is what we call "psychology". Even in the walrus-song is a message, and maybe it´ll lead us deep insind the center of John Lennon´s reptile brain...
  • Edwin from Costa Mesa, CaWell, with lhe lyric "everyone is gay" kinda confirms that he was gay/bi. If he was gay, maybe thats y he kiled himself cos it messes with ur brain, keepin stuff like that in

    Rian, London, United States
    keeping stuff like that in? He wore Courtney Love's lingerie on stage at some concerts, he sold his body to guys for drugs, and he made out with Chris on SNL...
  • Jesse from Redondo Beach, CaDo you know the beatles wrote a song called i am the walrus? If you ever has listened to it you'll realize the lyrics make no sense at all, and there was a reason. The song was written to confuse all the people who try and decifer everything that they did here. I see people trying to understand ever little lyric and peice that was written, "oh this song is a goodbye note" and all this crap; maybe it was just a song! I have no doubt there was feeling behind everything kurt wrote, but not everything needs to dissected. As far as his death, if you do some research he had far, far, far, more then the lethal amount of numerous drugs in his body. Enough that he would've died seconds after he injected, but he took minutes to "kill himself"; were talking about enough drugs to take out an elephant.
  • Madison from Redondo, Cai have talked to the man that investigated his case an its petty inpossible that he didnt kill himself
  • Madison from Redondo, CaI think it was from the heart
  • Rian from London, United StatesWell, with lhe lyric "everyone is gay" kinda confirms that he was gay/bi. If he was gay, maybe thats y he kiled himself cos it messes with ur brain, keepin stuff like that in
  • Livia from Novi Sad, YugoslaviaI heard somewhere that Kurt sad that this song is for Courtney and Frances,but it ain't about them
  • Rob from Castaic, CaOnce and for all... Kurt killed himself. As much as I would like to believe that he was murdered (but, If I was married to Courtney Love, I'd kill myself too), all the evidence points toward suicide. Live with it. His suicide was a result of many different causes. The media was being stupid and invading his life while all he wanted was to be isolated from the news cameras. Kurt was bi-polar and at times, his depression got so horrid that it almost ate him alive (thats a hyperbole people). I'm sure Courtney contributed a little but Cobain was a tortured soul. He reminds me of Van Gogh, so brilliant but such a horribly pitiable man. His "suicide note" song was definately You Know You're Right. Just listen to him singing... Its so eerie. Another example, the video from Unplugged... when he's singing Where Did You Sleep Last Night, the look on his face and his emotional singing tells all.
  • Jim from Hartford, Ctanother website for the cobain suicide/murder case is www.cobaincase.com
  • Madison from Atlanta, Gai was talking to a friend the other day and she told me that she worked a few blocks from his house. she told me that it was amazing to see so many kids out to pay espects to him. can we all please try to do that? respect him? yes, he was a genious. yes, he is gone. yes, it is a tragedy to pop culture and the music of today. but lets look at what he has given us and appreciate it. lets not exploit him.
  • Dan from Trenton, NjKurt didn't kill himself, it was murder, but thats besides the point because either way he is still gone. We need Nirvana now more than ever, we need a voice for our generation. 2004 is just like 1990, music that mainly sucks is on the charts and us rockers and rock fans are ignored.
  • Abby from Melbourne, AustraliaIf you want a suicide note of a song to pore over, go for "you know you're right" which can be interpreted as a final statement - meaning that he was going to leave Courtney for good, one way or another. You can decide which way he means.
  • Abby from Melbourne, AustraliaThe song has always seemed to me to be an apology for existence and attitude than a "suicide note" as some people on this message board like to claim. The line "What else can I be, all apologies" is like it's statement. All Kurt could be was himself, and if people didn't like that, then he was sorry for it.
    I think a lot of it was also an outlet for his bitter feelings towards Courtney. "In the sun, I feel as one, married, buried" suggests that he is not himself with her, not content, and that being married to her was like being smothered, hidden from the sun.
    "i wish i was like you, easily amused" Kurt suggest here that he is not like the rest of the world, that he takes things too seriously.
    The line "found my nest of salt, everything's my fault" stems from the saying "rubbing salt into the wound". In taking of "nest of salt" it suggests that the nest is his home/family life, and that it serves to burn his already open wounds. The following line "i'll take all the blame, aqua seafoam shame" cements this theory, by suggesting that it was his own fault for 'nesting' there in the first place.
    "sunburn with freezerburn, choking on the ashes of her enemy" This line suggests that Kurt was going to be hurt one way or the other, from one extreme or another. It also suggests that Courtney has played a large part in this - but that her malevolence will come to nothing when she chokes on the ashes of her enemies.
  • Ally from Brisbane, AustraliaKurt was suppodisdly a Buddist - hence the name of the band 'Nirvana' (the Buddist heaven)...

  • Alex from Edmonton, Canadawow dude mr. american reject lay off dc talk they are freackin awsome band and how the hell do you know kurts religon did you ever meet him¿
  • Gavin from Albuquerque, NmKurt Cobain is my hero. Look at the facts its impossible for it to be suicide! he had three times the leathal dose of herion in his system dont you see? the leathal dose of heroin (I think its 229mg) after injecting your self with that much you die in under 10 seconds! most people who od on herion die before they can take the needle out of there arm! so yea im just stateing the obvious Justiceforkurt.com if you want more info
  • Alatriel from Lothlorien, Otherok one rant and a tribute to kurt-
    rant: why the hell does dc talk change the lyrics to "jesus is the way"? kurt didn't believe in jesus. he was an atheist, or at least i heard that on a lot of websites, so that's real smart guys, to twist an atheistic song into a christian one. and buddhism is the way.
    tribute(sorta)-the most raw and heartwrenching of nirvana's songs. when you have a person up there apologizng for just being alive, that's sad.
  • Alatriel from Lothlorien, Otherthis song wasn't a song to the media. it was a song to courtney. Kurt feels like he'll never be good enough and that he only makes her life worse, but he loves her and tries very hard to please her. so courtney if you read this remember that you drove the father of your child to suicide and then go write an apology to us fans. thank you.
  • Rachel from Waurika, OkSorry to bother those who read this again but reading down i read a post by Brian. You know Kurt probably want us to stop worrying about what happened and go on with our lives. Enjoy the music he brought us and let him rest in peace. Thanks Brian.
  • Rachel from Waurika, OkMaybe he did commit suicide but it was only BECAUSE COURTNEY drove him to it. She basixally told him that her and Frances would be better off without him. Though there are too many clues about his death that still scream out murder.
  • Jessica from Del Rio , TxKurt Cobain LOVED Courtney and he did kill himself.
  • Justin from Rochester, NyMost people don't plan out suicides. And definatly not a year before he killed himself, when All Apologies was recorded. Nirvana songs and death theories can be interpreted any way you want. No one is right or wrong.
  • Tyler from Nowherevile, OtherThis song was a strike to a magazine that published an interview that almost got Frances taken away. Think about it "What else can i write? I dont have the right". The line "What else can i say? everyone is gay" is like what you see in tabloids all the time.
  • Mary from Moulton, AlHEy Nick, u didn't give a comment on this one!! Where u at? LOL ;)
  • Brian from Paoli, InAbby you need to educate yourself, and let the dead rest in peace.

    Great song, something about the uplugged album just made all the songs better though.
  • Terri Lynn from Heart's Desire, Canadabeautiful song. the unplugged verison is ten times better than the normally recorded verison, it really has a lot of emotion to it.
  • Marri from St.cloud, MnNo this song he was apologzing for the direction of Nirvana has taken and it was to his peers.
  • Daisy from Ikast, DenmarkKurt Cobain's aunt says she can't listen to this song, because she feels like Kurt is apologising for his excistense.
  • Mike Truitt from Cincinnati, OhWhen Kurt first wrote All Apologies, it was not meant as a suicide letter and many believe. However, as many look back at the performance on the MTV Unplugged in New York album, in its somber harmony, many interprite it as an apology not only to his family but to his fans.
  • Erik from Davis, CaI think it's interesting to note that the original lyrics for the "chant" he does at the end of the song changes from "all in all is all we are" on the "In Utero" version to "all alone is all we are" in the "Unplugged version. I know he changed lyrics now and then, but this is spooky. I'm sure this was intended as a musical farewell/suicide/whatever you want to call it letter to his fans. Whatever may be the true circumstances of his death, I'm sure he knew that he knew the end was near.
  • Johnathan from Amarillo, TxI have heard it is supoesd to mean he is sorry for everyone he ever hurt
  • Andrew from Indianapolis, InIf I was married to Courtney Love I'd have followed in Kurt's shoes.
  • Jaclyn from Muskegon, MiRape Me isn't about the media.
  • Allison from Somewhere, NjWhen he started writing this song, Kurt intended it to be for Courtney and Frances but it ended up more like a suicide note. It's chilling to listen to the Unplugged version. How could have people been so blind?
  • Harmless from Barrington, RiKurt Cobain wrote the song to let everyone no how sorry he was for everything. It was his goodbye and apology for leaving.
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