Courtney Love Shares Unpublished Alternate Lyrics to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’
Courtney Love recently shared unpublished alternate lyrics to the Nirvana classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
The Hole singer and widow of Kurt Cobain shared these lyrics on the podcast 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s. Love said these lyrics were found in some of Cobain’s journals. Some of the lyrics are interesting, like this attempt at the song’s chorus (h/t Loudwire):
“We’re so lazy
and so stupid
blame our parents
and the cupids
a deposit, for a bottle
stick it inside
no role model”
Another set of alternative lyrics features a classic line that eventually made the final version of the iconic Nevermind track.
“A denial
and from strangers
a revival
and from favors
here we are now
we’re so famous
here we are now
entertain us”
The following lyrics clearly were an early draft of a verse from “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
“Come out and play
make up the rules
I know I hope
to buy the truth
who will be the king and queen
of all the outcasted teens”
Pretty much anything related to Cobain is still in high demand or of interest to rock fans worldwide. If you’re looking for proof, keep scrolling to see a number of Cobain items that sold for pretty staggering prices at auction.
Kurt Cobain: 6 Pieces of Memorabilia That Sold Big at Auction
Kurt Cobain was born on February 20, 1967. While he was only on the Earth for 27 years, he left an impact that is still felt today.
Many musicians have talked about the impact of the late Nirvana frontman. Billie Joe Armstrong once said of Cobain, “When someone goes that honestly straight to the core of who they are, what they’re feeling, and was able to kind of put it out there, I don’t know, man, it’s amazing. I remember hearing it when ‘Nevermind’ came out and just thinking, we’ve finally got our Beatles, this era finally got our Beatles, and ever since then it’s never happened again.”
Patti Smith said in 1996 she was happy a generation of young people had Nirvana growing up. She noted, “I didn’t know anything about Kurt’s torments or personal life. I saw the work and the energy, and I was excited by that.”
Surprisingly, Cobain also has a lot of love from the rap community. Complex gathered quotes from some of the biggest rappers of all time about how much they admire Cobain. Jay Z likened Cobain to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who also died at 27 and struggled with substance abuse.
The reach of Cobain has continued as Nirvana is always introduced to new generations. Dave Grohl said during an October 2023 appearance on Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, “What I’ve realized is that kids these days, there’s like a window between the ages of 10 and 13 or maybe 11 and 14, where almost every kid goes through a Nirvana phase.”
This impact is why when Cobain-related items go up for auction, they sell for massive price tags. In the past decade, Cobain memorabilia has seemingly become a subset of the entire celebrity auction market.
Want proof? Check out these six items that sold big at auction.
Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights
