Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit Meaning
Song Released: 1991
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Smells Like Teen Spirit Lyrics
Bring your friends
It's fun to lose
And to pretend
She's over bored
And self assured
Oh no, I know
A dirty word
hello, hello, hello, how low?
hello, hello, hello, how low?
hello, hello, hello, how low?
hello,...
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1TOP RATED
anonymous Jan 25th 2006, 17:20 report
This song may have no real meaning... none of us REALLY know what went through Kurt Cobain's mind when he wrote it. It could've been the drugs, that's true... or it could have a deeper meaning.
Either way, it has taken on meaning far beyond what he maybe even expected, as an anthem of apathy and, well... "teen spirit".
Has anybody stopped at looked at how "teen spirit" could be a play on "team spirit"? Because, while teams focus on the collective goals of a group, many teenagers (particularly from Cobain's generation, Generation x) are focused more on themselves and their own goals. This isn't always nessesarily a bad thing, after all for many people adolescence is a reflective, often troubled time. Teens are usually trying to figure out who they are and how they fit into the greater puzzle that is life, the world, and the society they live in.
At any rate, in this song we see a very strong theme of apathy and sarcasm- "load up on guns, bring your friends/ it's fun to lose, and to pretend" is not encouraging any kids to actually commit violent acts, like some other people have suggested. It's actually sort of sarcasitcally commenting on how adults tend to assume when teens are together (or alone for that matter) outside of adult supervision, they've got to be up to no good. There has been a persistent stereotype (especialy prevalent in the early 90s) of young people being primarily troublemakers and violence-prone. (Today's stereotype of young people, now in 2006, in contrast, is that they are primarily troubled, self-centered, and are in this state because they have been screwed up by society).
So, by describing this "little group" that we only know consists of "a mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido", who seem to be largely hanging around in the dark doing whatever (sex, drugs, or maybe just hanging out), he's pointing out the tendancy of teens to hang in such groups.
Obviously, "libido" is a reference to sex, and possibly also "with the lights out, it's less dangerous", but once again this is sort of pointing out how teenagers are widely considered to be over-sexed and full of "raging hormones" that cause them to basically try to screw everyone and everything they can- and how, of course, this view is ridiculous.
And "here we are now, entertain us" is a reference to Generation X and how it was the first one to seem to demand constant entertainment.
"I feel stupid and contagious" could be both a reference to
"peer pressure", that mirage-like condition that can cause people to do stupid stuff with their friends they otherwise would never do, and the pressures of conforming to a group, and this could also be a subtle reference to sexually transmitted diseases, and how teens are constantly lectured about the dangers of unprotected sex (and sex in general) and how they will probably contract an STD and die or something.
The whole "whatever, nevermind" thing could be considered an allusion to ADD and how it leads to short attention spans, or how when teens try to communicate with adults and are misunderstood, they often end up just saying "whatever" or "nevermind...". It could also be a reference to Nevermind, which I think may have been an album they put out, but since I am not a giant Nirvana fan I don't know for sure.
It also could be about apathy and just blocking out things you don't understand, which could tie to in the whole "with the lights out, it's less dangerous" thing, which could be maintaining that knowledge is dangerous and apathy is considered by some to be the best way to go.
In general, the last poster said this song could be summed up as "Generation X" and I think she was right.
This song is sort of a commentary on Generation X in it's teenage years (most of the people from this generation are hitting their thirties by now) and how they forever re-defined being a teenager in America, but how some things remain the same and are pretty much universal themes of adolescene, while at the same time poking fun at various conventions, myths, and stereotypes.
Or it could just be the drugs talking.
It's up to you as an individual to decide. -
2TOP RATED
anonymous Nov 6th 2005, 15:07 report
Kurt's girlfriend, Tobi Vail (of Bikini Kill), wore Teen Spirit deodorant and Kathleen Hanna, her best friend, jokingly wrote on Kurt's wall that he "smelled like Teen Spirit". After Tobi broke up with him, Kurt wrote this song. Original versions included the line, "Who will be the king and queen of the outcast teens?" which was a strong reference to their relationship.
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3TOP RATED
anonymous Dec 18th 2005, 18:59 report
In poking fun of Generation X's evasion, denial, and broken attention spans, the song overtly uses the refrain "Here we are now/Entertain us" to express the youth's passive relation to life, while offering a variety of scattered and confused lyrics to represent the inability to focus on coherent thought.
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anonymous Apr 28th, 00:27 report
I'll tell you what this song means: NOTHING! It's a bunch of nonsense. Nirvana had some good songs, but this isn't one of them. Ridiculous nonsense. "Musical Genius" indeed. If Kurt hadn't killed himself, he would have been exposed for the no-talent hack he really was.
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anonymous Mar 18th, 18:09 report
I think that the mulatto, albino, mosquito, libido thing is a comparison. Mulattos are dark, album is are colorless, mosquitoes are small, libido must be big. Other than that I don't think that we missed anything
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anonymous Feb 6th, 19:33 report
Well in the music video it shows a janitor which is representing a janitor where he used to work at a high school. When he says (here we are now entertain us, I feel stupid and contagious) means that he can make the simplest song and people would like it.
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HighInTheSky25 Jan 16th, 21:50 report
This song does have a meaning its not a joke. Its a typical teenager and the dumb things they do. "load up on guns, bring some friends its fun just to pretend" how many kids die from playing with guns with their friends? "she's over bored and self assured." teenage kill themselves over the dumbest things because they can't see how precious life is. "oh no, I know a dirty word." the way kids talk to each other is horrible. "I feel stupid and contagious" teenagers are self conscious about everything and embarrassed by everything. Teenagers fallow each other like sheep. They'd each do anything that is cool no matter how stupid it really is. "my libido" teenagers are horny bastards. "And I forget Just what it takes Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile I found it hard its Hard to find Oh well, whatever, nevermind." teenagers are always in trouble cuz they can't look passed the present, until they actually face the consequences. Teenagers are fake to each other, a fake smile. They can't make up their mind on anything. "my denial" all teenagers are in denial about something.
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HighInTheSky25 Jan 15th, 22:36 report
This song is not a joke or anything like that. Its simply a topical teenager and the dumb things they do. Load up on guns bring some friends its fun just pretend. How many kids die from playing around with guns with their friends. shes over bored.i know a dirty word. Have you heard the way teenagers talk to each other? And teenagers are horny bastards. My libido. I feel stupid and contagious. Teenagers are self conscious about everything and they fallow each other about everything what ever someone says is cool everybody tries to do it. i would know im 16 years old. "Our little group" in high school you're part of your group, everybody has a group, a clique they belong to. well what ever nevermind. Teenagers can't make up their mind about anything. I guess it makes me smile. A fake smile. Kids are fake to one another.and I forget just what it takes. Kids se always in trouble because they cant look to the future and see consequences they just live in the moment. This song is just a topical teenager. Smells like teen spirit.
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diamondcut Jan 6th, 04:15 report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URGLFTutM9s
That's the link where they talk about where the name comes from. It's kind of interesting. -
anonymous Dec 7th 2012, 20:35 report
When I looked up the lyrics of the song I figured that was kind of a sarcastic way of how adults view teenagers.
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anonymous Dec 4th 2012, 04:11 report
My interpretation:
(I'll use the lyrics)
Load up on guns, bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend:
This is Kurt Cobain's horrid and morbid view on society. Consider this the thesis statement for the entire piece. We are a violent society and we are fake but it's seen as fun.
She's overboard and self-assured
Oh, no, I know a dirty word:
The dirty word here is Self-assured. This is because everyone in society is fake and or "pretends." Thus "self-assured" is a dirty word.
Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low (x3)
Hello, Hello, Hello
I think this bridge serves 2 purposes.
1. it begins the satire on his fans and society as a whole. the "how low" is done in a low octave, thus Kurt is questioning how low he has to make his voice for society and telling us about it.
2. The hello part is Kurt saying his hello's to society and begging us to pay attention at the same time.
With the lights out, it's less dangerous:
metaphor; the "lights" is a metaphor for the mind. He's stating that without thought the world is a less dangerous place which in turn goes back to the pretending and fitting in with society.
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us:
Satire. He's figuratively pointing the finger at us, his fans and making fun of us.
we are stupid and we are contagious but we don't care because we are entertained.
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
Yeah
society as a whole is described right here.
A mulatto: who cares because it's still a human.
An albino: who cares because it's still a human.
a mosquito: those suck blood.
My Labido: those want sex.
Humans are blood sucking mosquito's who only do things based on their own selfish labido's...
yeah!
Hey... Yay
again; satire. Kurt is pointing all of this stuff out to us but he's like yay! because we as humans are horrible but it's ok because we all pretend and YAY!
second verse:
I'm worse at what I do best:
He's bad at this because no one gets it. I mean here we are 20 years later and I have to post this. No one will read it and it will be seen as wrong because Kurt was worse at what he did best and that's viewing society differently.
And for this gift I feel blessed:
self explained and one of the only parts in which Kurt points the finger at himself. He knows he also is a part of society but he gets to view it under his own certain light and sell it thus he feels blessed.
Our little group (tribe) has always been
And always will until the end:
Again Kurt points the finger at himself yet he does it in the terms of his own small group. Kurt is admitting that he to belongs to a society. Kurt is admitting that he to pretends. His little group is a metaphor for society and how even he has to conform.
And I forget just why I taste:
Again, satire. Kurt is questioning why we pretend and why we as a society accept our fake personas in order to fit in and in order to survive.
Oh, yeah, I guess it makes me smile:
His answer. We all have to fit in to society in order to achieve happiness.
I found it hard, it's hard to find
Oh well, whatever, nevermind:
Here Kurt is questioning what this all means. With all of the ideas he has put forth about society and willingness to conform Kurt is questioning why life and society as a whole exist. Kurt doesn't know the answer and so "nevermind"
A denial is said near the end of this song and it is repeated multiple times. I believe it is repeated to force the listener to hear the denial but what is this denial?
Is it a denial of ourselves?
is it a denial to view society for what it really is?
Can I go back and make this about a woman whom is a lesbian? you bet your ass I can!
That's the beauty of artist such as Kurt; this song can mean multiple things to multiple persons. I am merely posting my explanation.
So why is it called smells like teen spirit you ask? I think my explanation is the correct one and the title "Smells like teen spirit" was simply made to lure listeners away from the deeper more complex meaning.
A small jab at an ex girlfriend never hurts. -
anonymous Oct 2nd 2012, 16:29 report
Load up on guns, bring your friends
(Get your drugs on, the more the merrier)
It's fun to lose and to pretend
(It's fun to get high, but makes me a loser)
She's overboard and self-assured
(When you are stoned you feel good and invincible)
Oh, no, I know a dirty word
(Don't tell anyone I just took heroin)
Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low
Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low
Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low
Hello, Hello, Hello
(Can you see how stoned I am right now?)
With the lights out, it's less dangerous
(When I'm on drugs, I don't have to think)
Here we are now, entertain us
(I'm stoned now, let the party begin)
I feel stupid and contagious
(I know drugs are not good for me, and I just encourage my friends to get stoned with me)
Here we are now, entertain us
(I'm stoned now, let the party begin)
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
(My friends are so freaky, one of them always mooches from me, I'm horny and libido rhymes with mosquito)
Yeah
(Ain't I clever)
Hey... Yay
I'm worse at what I do best
(I used to be more clever, but now I do the best I can)
And for this gift I feel blessed
(I'm glad I can still write and sing)
Our little group (tribe) has always been
(People wanting to escape reality have always existed)
And always will until the end
(and always will exist)
Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low
Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low
Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low
Hello, Hello, Hello
(Can you see how stoned I am right now?)
With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us
(see above)
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
Yeah
(see above)
Hey... Yay
(Guitar solo)
And I forget just why I taste
(I can't remember why I turned to drugs)
Oh, yeah, I guess it makes me smile
(I can forget my problems and have fun)
I found it hard, it's hard to find
(Even when I'm stoned, sometimes it's hard to enjoy)
Oh well, whatever, nevermind
(That's OK, because it usually works)
Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low (x3)
Hello, Hello, Hello
(see above)
With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us
(see above)
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
(see above)
Yeah a denial
A denial! (x9)
(I am deluding myself into thinking drugs are the answer) -
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Msilocybin May 13th 2012, 12:47 report
The meaning of this song is pretty clear.
It about the singer depression ( low self esteem ). Thus the title smell like teen spirt. Because teen have low self esteem.
Load up on guns and bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over bored and self assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word
When you`re depressed you can get crazy thoughts. Self assured is a "dirty word".
Hello, hello, hello, how low.
Notice the how low, like how low are you feeling?
With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us
When the light are out sucide is less present because he cant see his current situation. People expect him to perfom on stage even if he feel bad inside. Feeling stupid, contagious all about depression.
I'm worst at what I do best
And for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end
Again negative thought, but then he remind him self that he has his group that he can alway depend on.
A denial!
Like your in denial -
anonymous Apr 2nd 2012, 13:02 report
this song about a clash between kurt and some teen in his teenage memories...that teen must had called him a big name about his mom,,,so that is why kurt says"she's overbored,and self assured"..when,boys,do you say your mother is sexually overbored and self assured?yes,when someone says she's that and will make that with her,so you say she's overbored that to mean who insulted her is castrated,and self assured is that she's sure he won't satisfy her for a castrated and bed impaired...hahaha..then,it's fun to lose and to pretend,,he laughs at that teen and tells him that,,this expression is produced when someone beats you,,so he got ass kicked by that teen,but kurt kept his teen dignity arise that he pretended he did not lose...now,i've given you an idea about what he says...ciao
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anonymous Mar 7th 2012, 05:46 report
what makes these lyrics so great, beyond the catchiness of the song itself, is how he leaves it so wide open to interpret. So yeah maybe the name came from a deoderant but he obviously ran with that idea and created many possible angles for everyone to relate to in some way. So we can all listen to this song how we personally want to. like for example my thoughts on the first verse had to do with the "Bikini Kill" chick he had problems with. "she's over bored"-could means she cheated on him maybe and "self assured"-she might have been hot and knew it "oh no i know a dirty word" could be an underlying way of calling her a slut of some kind. Just my thoughts. like i said thats the beauty of good lyrics. you have your own version of the song.
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Galaxia Jan 26th 2012, 16:50 report
I agree with those who think it could be a love song.
"Come as you are" and "I don't have a gun" are expressions to encourage the other person if there is a sympathy between two. I take you just as you are, you don't have to hide anything and don't be afraid, you can come closer to me (if the other person is a shy one). -
anonymous Sep 25th 2011, 15:24 report
Jesus Christ on a tricycle people, it's about the pains and the way teenagers view the world, and the stereotypes. It's also about apathy, just shutting out every thought and feeling.
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anonymous Aug 25th 2011, 22:50 report
this is a religous song . a "denial" is repeated several times. If you hear it carefully it says " Im in Hell". This music video is full of subliminal symbols and words."Hello" is "how low" meaning this place is hell. He refers himself as the devil, and since the teens are in hell he wants them to entertain him. on the left chest side of the cheerleaders they have the gothic A symbol.
The old man with the mop is trying to save these teens, but the "contagious" and "stupid" spiritual disease is too widely and strongly spread.Because teenagers are always in an identity crisis, Kurt is luring them with something that can fill their empty hearts, by his artistic music. Just like the arabs play their flute to make snakes dance.In the last few seconds of the music video his right cheek is on flames and he is smiling at the end for 1 sec, ending it with a straight no emotional face. It almost seems as if hes accomplished his main purpose or goal.
If Kurt was an evangelist, he would have done great -
anonymous Aug 7th 2011, 16:27 report
I think this song is talking about poker , I haven't read the background of the song and haven't read the other interpretations, but I
Load up on guns and
Bring your friends
It's fun to lose
And to pretend
She's over bored
And self assured
Oh no, I know
A dirty word
he's going to play poker and so excited and enthusiastic that he didn't matter if he's gonna lose or win, while he's playing there were girls around him so he couldn't focus, then he lost, so he became aware oh his lose and started swearing
With the lights out it's less dangerous
Here we are now
Entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now
Entertain us
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My Libido
Yeah
now he decided to play again so maybe he could win , he wants to stop playing poker but he can't, it became like addicction,though he knows that It's a stupid thing , ( a mulatto ) he's mixed between the black and white , like he's saying to himself what the hell I'm doing ? and inthe same time he says ooh I gotta win now
to be honest I don't know what they mean in ( an albino and a mosquito )
my libido , he can't focus again because of the girls around him .
I'm worse at what I do best
And for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end
And I forget
Just what it takes
Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard
its Hard to find
Oh well, whatever, nevermind
talking abt the same thing, he's not playing well but he's not gonna give up
btw this is my first interpretation , and hope this is right :) -
anonymous Jun 17th 2011, 03:07 report
Teen Spirit = The want of popularity. Through sex, drugs, alcohol, you name it.
The Violence (potential) = speaking of the cliques of non acceptance and what they do if they can't handle it.
Teenage life, through the hardest times of finding out who you are, is what this song is about...
Watch the music video... It actually explains a lot douchebags.
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anonymous May 30th 2011, 16:01 report
Actually, a lot of Kurt's songs have deeper meaning, and sometimes he just throws pointless words together because he gets lazy. He said this himself in a couple of interviews. But personally, I think he just wrote everything high and sometimes, he got lucky!
Firstly though, the title "Smells like team spirit" came from the deodorant worn by Kurt's ex lover Tobi Vail (of Bikini Kill). One of her friends, Kathleen Hanna, wrote this on Kurt's wall as in "you-smell-like-you-girlfriend! ... Kurt didn't understand the term at the time, but thought it meant that he was rebellious (teenage angst) and stood out. He wrote this song after their breakup.
"Load up on guns, bring your friends" - this opening sentence first talks about loading up on drugs and substances.. taking a 'shot' of vodka, or taking a 'hit' of some Mary-Jane.. it's the perfect metaphor and play on word. Guns are destructible, just like drugs and alcohol are... usually teenagers at this point in time, and still today, were all about drug, sex and rock-and-roll. This was something all the teenagers were doing.
"it's fun to lose and pretend," .. as in the substances have gotten to everyone using, and it's exciting to be someone else, go somewhere else (another world) and to make believe in something that is no existent. As you get old, away from the childhood stage and into your teens, many forget what it feels like to dream. This was something that took them back to that place where they once felt innocence and never ending freedom.
"she's over board, and self assured, oh know I know a dirty word..." ... this generally speaking is about going off the edge and the deep end.. going to the extreme of anything.. drugs, sex, you name it.. the fact that these teens are growing up, knowing these adult words scares their parents, and this is a mock to adults that says: "oh please, it's not like I haven't heard the word sex before, or let alone hope you still think I am a virgin."
"hello, hello, hello, how low?" ... this is a calling out.. as in if anyone can hear the teens.. they want to be heard, but the truth of the matter is that they are sunken to low, to a level that they cannot be heard anymore. Almost that they can't find themselves because of all the 'fake' illusions they have stuffed into their heads through the in-toxications of drugs and vodka, whiskey, etc. After a while, drugs bring you down to a low point. Everything up must come down.
"lights out, less dangerous, here we are now, entertain us.. i feel stupid, i feel contagious." ... this states that having the lights out, there isn't much for people to judge. Teens always feel peer pressured into something... whether it be sex, drugs... with the lights off no one can see anything and darkness consumes. There is no light, and without light what is left to see is hidden. Also, teens are bored. ALWAYS bored. This could have relevance to ADD, as in nothing is fun anymore. There use to be a time when as children they found adventures in boxes, costumes, etc. The kids feel stupid because the choices they are making are dumb ones, they feel contagious because once it's done, it's done. The more people that they infect, the more it spreads around like a disease that's easy to catch.
"a mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido" ... making reference to the different type of people in the world... with the lights off, you can be anything you want to be- on drugs, the same thing. It was all about fulfilling needs, and it didn't matter what or who you were.
"im worst at what I do best.." ... that is loving. kids don't love anything, it was a period of pure lust and satisfaction. Teens were able to fuck so well, say anything to make others believe that they were loved... teens are bad lovers, but are great lovers between the sheets.
"oh well, yeah, nevermind" ... it's the fact that teens are so indecisive. They always change their mind, they are about to agree on something, but it quickly changes.
Overall, this is my intake on the song itself- it could be anything to you, or to Kurt for that matter. We will never really know- take it for what it is, or what it isn't.
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JosuelCheco Apr 15th 2011, 23:50 report
Most of theses are wrong if you played "Tap Tap Nirvana" on the iTouch or iPhone. Kurt said he was hanging out with some friends and a girl kept saying he smelled like teen spirit he was flattered and decided to write a song.Turns out she meant he smelled like "Teen Spirit" the deoderant its a funny story. If you dont believe me play the game yourself.
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