JEMinENG November 13th, 2007 03:57PM  
The Song is a love song about not knowing what you want or need from someone or what someone wants in needs from you. The phrase 'No I don't have a gun' means that I have nothing to hide.

Thorn495 December 22nd, 2007 04:35AM  
What is really interesting is if you take the lyrics and pretend they are a deity speaking to you, does it make more sense to you?

I picture wingless angels in a lounge playing this song on their jukebox in an alternate reality along with some other behind the scenes action when life begins..

I think some of those In Utero concert photos where Kurt was standing in front of the winged anatomy woman just right so the wings she had looked like they were pinned to him may not be such a coincidence..

All the imagery (in the video) is also beautiful and powerful. It's like the song for the beginning of your life for the end of it.. and on to the next one...

"And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty four thousand, who were redeemed from the earth." - Revelation 14:3

Come as you are..

anonymous February 12th, 2008 10:59PM  
Thorn495's interpretation is somewhat poetic and interesting, but I doubt it's what the song means; good observation, though. I've read at nirvanalyrics.net it's aboot the paradox of what we act like vs. what we think society wants us to act like. Good interpretations, they are partly right. Especially aboot the gun part, read aboot what Kurt Cobain meant on Wikipedia aboot the gun, that it symbolized him not having anything to hide, and him wanting fans to think aboot his lyrics.

jeff_mitchell91 August 26th, 2008 10:31PM  
Simply like the rest of you have said...
to "come as you are" means to come as you would regularly be as you are deep down inside, to not change yourself for anyone but you
kurt is more than likely explaining to come as you are to be yourself because when Kurt was in his childhood and teenage years he was always himself and people were changing themselves to fit in but he never changed one bit for anyone
"doused in mud, soaked in bleach"
kurt was as we all know a very horny teenager..come (dirty horny, wanting to have sex etc) and soaked in bleach to come clean and pure (free from diseases and std's and not all literally dirty)
but to also come to you (kurt) as he would want and at the same time being yourself

dking777 October 3rd, 2008 07:32PM  
"Doused in mud, soaked in bleach" is a reference to a "pure spirit" covered in the clay of the earth. It is about the reward of sharing a friendship based on a heart felt attraction - more so than one based on a material one.

Slang for 'sexual' or physical motives where I grew up was "carrying a loaded pistol below the belt that was cocked and ready to shoot." Some one carrying a gun in that manner would be given himself over to "lust" driven temptations. Once again implying a pure friendship for the sake of the love born through a pure heart - verses - one hoped for - for some sort of selfish gain.

"Hurry up - take your time" is a reference to the constant struggle between the "flesh and spirit" or the "mud" verses the "bleach." Kurt was a Pisces and that is the symbolic trait of the "fish." Constantly swimming in two different directions at once.

The song is about the rewards of a friendship based on pure motives - verses one based on base motives.

anonymous October 23rd, 2008 06:18AM  
I think DKING has got it right, the song is about having a friendship with someone and deciding whether or not to take it further
"Come As You Are" really speaks for itself as "don't be someone else" but I think it means as "I like you as you are"
If you look at the lyrics they change each line to be one saying "let's do it" and the other saying "let's stay friends" such as 'Come as you were - as I want you to be' (the second one was the sexual one) 'Come as a friend - as a trend' (the second one being the sexual one)
Also I forget who posted it but the one who mentioned haveing 'a gun in your pants ready to shoot' yea I think that's what Kurt Cobain was trying to say, that he really took the person as a friend rather than a sexual partner
finally I think a few of DKING's interpretations were spot on although maybe badly explained. The first one being 'take your time - hurry up' I think that is another one of the friendship/sexual lines and I think 'Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach' is also one of these. These are saying, "we are friends but I have a burning sexual desire" and many lines alternate like this.

BTW this is only my interpretation, I don't know if you like it though

anonymous December 23rd, 2008 09:53AM  
Good interpretations by all. I have always thought this song was about exactly what the title says. Come as yourself, not anyone else. "doused in mud, soaked in bleach" What color is mud? usually brownish/darker brown and bleach? the color is clear but we all associate it with white. Black/brown skin and white skin.

"Take your time..hurry up...the choice is yours..don't be late" Just be there. I don't care how you get there but show up.

A gun represents the most violent, murderous, harmful tool in our society. Bigots and racists use a variety of weapons to keep down people they view as inferior but I think Kurt chose the gun as the symbol he felt was most threatening and swore he didn't have one for this meeting.

anonymous April 14th, 2009 09:36PM  
I alwas think of this as a welcome to to those who feel like misfits or outcasts. "Come as you are" "Doused in Mud Cept in Bleach" meaning even if you are dirty and have held onto to that way of life or have been wronged by society "cept in bleach" striped of your identity that you are welcome to listen to the music. Kurt had a bit of a loner lifestyle growing up so he relates it the song and also notes by saying that he doesn't "have a gun" that he is not trying to hide anything dangerous from the listener. He notes the relationships people who listen could have to the music "trend" "friend" "memory" wether you are tuning in because its popular, you genuinely like it or it reminds you of who you used to be he'll play his music for the sake of it. It not only welcomes people but also asks people to remember themselves instead of submitting to social pressures.

shroomfreak16 May 11th, 2009 01:56PM  
i believe that the part i dont have a gun has to do with the fact that he was not going to kill himself but when he got all hyped up on heroin he decided that it was time. i think that he was gettting sick of fame and fortune and couldnt handle it since he was used to living under bridges and was done with the high life and offed himself. they were one of the best bands of all time and kurt deserves some recognition.

anonymous May 26th, 2009 11:06PM  
I think its about how difficult it is to trust people to be honest and be themselves and all the betrayal and pain that people inflict.

Dazza June 18th, 2009 07:43PM  
"Come as you are as you were as i want you to be" I believe these lyrics mean don't pretend be real the way you were when it was just you and me, thats the way i want you to be means "Come doused in Mud, cept in Bleach, as I want you to be. As a trend, as a friend, as an old Memory ahhh." this means I know whats real, your not so pure you don't have to act for me. dont act like everyone else, i'm your friend, don't you remember that i know the real you? "And I swear that I don't have a gun No, I don't have a gun No, I don't have a gun" This means i wont hurt you i'm not hiding i'm being real please trust me oh and "Memory ahh" means i know you remember

luki90 July 7th, 2009 07:43PM  
My feeling is simple. This song is about people who pretend to be someone else.

Some important part of this song that might prove my interpretation.

Doused in mud - you might come to someone doused in mud but at least you are yourself. I guess, Kurt was kind of a 'dirty looking 'person because it was up to him when it was about the whole grunge scene which he (as he mentioned) hated/didn't accept. People took it like he was pretending to be himself while he was getting more and more popular. In other words, he was mad at himself being a commercial musician because he wasn't himself any more.

Mainstream is the shit.

anonymous July 15th, 2009 07:40PM  
except, when Kurt wrote it, Nirvana was still underground. Nevermind wasn't out yet. and besides, Kurt himself said later on in his life that he was aggravated by everyone constantly trying to analyze his lyrics for hidden meanings, because he would often write them as last resorts. Perhaps the song is just a part of himself that he threw out there that we all find meaning in.

anonymous September 11th, 2009 01:43AM  
well first of all who ever said that a gun being a dick is wrong. this is how it goes... come as you are- just come as yourself as you were- before you became somthing your not as i want you to be- exactly how he wants you to be as a friend- as a friend as a trend- when your so trendy that you become a trend like everyone else as an old enemy- he doesnt care if you WERE his enemy just wants you to become his friend doused in mud sept in bleach- he doesnt care what you look like take your time hurry up choice is yours dont be late- just mixed feelings, second thoughts but hurry up and make the choice to become his friend and i swear that i dont have a gun no i dont have a gun- he wont judge you in any way because he wasn't perfect himself

anonymous September 11th, 2009 01:50AM  
well first of all who ever said that a gun being a dick is wrong. this is how it goes... come as you are- just come as yourself as you were- before you became somthing your not as i want you to be- exactly how he wants you to be as a friend- as a friend as a trend- when your so trendy that you become a trend like everyone else as an old enemy- he doesnt care if you WERE his enemy just wants you to become his friend doused in mud sept in bleach- he doesnt care what you look like take your time hurry up choice is yours dont be late- just mixed feelings, second thoughts and i swear that i dont have a gun no i dont have a gun- he wont judge you in any way because he wasn't perfect himself im the person who qouted before this one sorry i didnt put any spaces this is the easier one to read

anonymous September 28th, 2009 03:09PM  
The thing is, Cobain did not write this song, so he should not have lied and said that he did write it.

The lyrics were given to him when he was in Calgary, Alberta a year before he formed Nirvana.

The song was originally worded as 'Memorabilia' , not 'Memoria'.

"As a friend . As a trend. As I know its memorabilia."
Those were the original words, and if you listen closely, he does say 'memorabilia' at times during it. btw, its pronounced "mem-ra-bi-lia"

The song was about stepping out onto the world stage to be judged, and trying to make peace with that, to not be seen as a threat, to be allowed to be heard.

It was written because the same person who wrote Smells Like Teen Spirit knew that the song was going to be a major hit, and whoever recorded it was going to have to be prepared, so both songs were written on the same sheet of paper, and that is the paper that was slipped under Kurt's door.

For more information search 'the true story behind the lyrics to Smells Like Teen Spirit, or see this link:

http://www.topix.com/forum/who/nirvana/TAP8NSTHB7L2O1R6T

anonymous October 2nd, 2009 05:41PM  
Every mortal being is nothing but "dust and mud.."...A man lives and eventually dies..fades into emptiness..thats what 'come as you are' about come in the world as we have been sent and depart as we were. This is whole idea of "nirvana"-a sanskrit word. May Kurt wanted to mock our human chauvinistsm.

deadrockstar October 14th, 2009 07:56PM  
Some very interesting interpretations here, good reading.

I've always considered it a heroin song, if I am perfectly honest. The overall sound/tone is incredibly dreamy and 'smacked-out' to me - like a grunged-up Lou Reed. There are definite references to heroin too. The main ones:

Mud: simply slang for heroin, specifically the gloop that forms after cooking and which is drawn into the needle.
Bleach: Used for cleaning/disinfecting needles (which is allegedly why the album Bleach was named so).

I am definitely feeling the relationship thing many have mentioned, but it is incredibly common for heroin users to form relationships with either imaginary entities, the ritual of 'shooting up' or the paraphernalia used (see anything by William Burroughs – someone Kurt admired very much). To this end I think “Come As You Are” is explicitly about Kurt's relationship with the needle and his musings on it. I know a lot of my own writing focuses on such things. If you smoke cigarettes I'm sure you've stared at one in wonder before. If you have done other things, likewise.

When interpreting songs I first try to figure their general meaning/feeling and then inject myself into them, so forgive me if what follows is simply my projection.

“Come as you are,
As you were,
As I want you to be.”

Kurt was fond of this technique and many write him off as simply playing with words for cool affect. However, taken in the context of a man staring at a needle, I think a definite meaning reveals itself. I'm not sure if the needle is speaking to him or he to the needle - I'm not even sure it matters.

“Come as you are” - in the now. This is saying to me, “I won't judge you”
“As you were” - in the past. To a purer state, I favour childhood as an interpretation (as in Pink Floyd's “Comfortably Numb”)
“As I want you to be” - in the future? The promise of creation of identity? Could also simply be “Come, as I want you to be” meaning I want to make you alive/let you experience things.

“As a friend,
As a friend,
As an old enemy.”

The needle is his friend and his enemy.

“Take your time,
Hurry up,
The choice is yours,
Don't be late”

There is so much this part can mean and it would be an essay in itself. The ritual is so, so important in the preparation, cooking, drawing and shooting of heroin and I think it could refer to this. It could also be about time between relapse, the promise of regressive/progressive trips, the memory of those first moments after shooting (something incredibly quick yet slow).

“Come doused in mud,
Soaked in bleach,
As I want you to be”

This is the clincher for me and my reference point in my interpretation. The needle is filled with heroin (doused in mud) and soaked in bleach, it simply cannot mean anything else in my eyes. Anything else I will concede.

“As a trend,
As a friend,
As an old memoria”

Believe it or not, heroin was fashionable and 'trendy' back in this day. Memoria is a very peculiar word here as it is Latin and, while translated as memory, has a very particular context in which it is used. A memoria, as I understand it (long time since I studied Latin), is a recollection of an argument. Staring at a needle may bring all his old excuses flooding back.

Then we have the legendary gun part:

“I swear I don't have a gun”

I like the interpretations here on that – essentially that I am open and bear no grudge to you. You also shoot a gun, so that could be some fancy use of words. Has he given in and shot up? Is he in denial? A gun is also a way of smoking heroin (you dip a cigarette into it and smoke it that way). Very unlikely, but maybe he has been slowly easing back into heroin use through smoking it and has reached the stage where he wants to inject. He may be justifying it in the terms of “I don't have the means to make a gun”.

The video is very interesting too. Water is a massive theme with the pool and the waterfall down the stairs. We see a baby floating (with borrowed imagery from the Album cover, which I'm going to assume is simply for promotional purposes i.e. The dollar bill), the band floating, a dog looking up to the deluge with a collar on. The dog I find interesting because it risks drowning if it enjoys the water for too long. Along with the baby we see sperm so I think we're dealing with a regression to a very early stage here. Again it just screams “Comfortably Numb” to me, a song which shares some very common themes with this.

“There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship's smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child I had a fever,
My hands felt just like two balloons.
Now I've got that feeling once again
I can't explain, you would not understand
This is not how I am.”