Nirvana: Paper Cuts Meaning

Paper Cuts Lyrics

When I'm feeling tired
She pushed food through the door
And I crawl towards the crack of light
Sometimes I can't find my way
Newspapers spread around
Soaking all that they can
A cleaning is due again
--a good hosing down

The lady...

1. anonymous

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   Oct 15th 2023 !⃝

   This song is based off of a true story where a family locked their children in a dark room in Kurt’s childhood town
   Black windows of paint I scratched with my nails- the parents painted the windows black
   I see others just like me- depicts there was more than one victim
   The lady whom I feel maternal love for cannot look me in the eyes- refers to how their parents mistreated them
   At my feeding time she’d push food through the door: the only time they unlocked the door was to feed their children
   
2. anonymous

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   Jan 12th 2020 !⃝

   Of course it can just be creative ways to say simple things.... I doubt it all come from one experience or story. It’s most likely multiple thoughts that were running through his mind and then exaggerated and creatively colored to make another great song.... the blue in the line “i see hers and they are blue” could express the mothers sadness from the situation. The “Nirvana” could be sarcastic saying that the hell being experienced is exactly the opposite. The rest seems pretty straight forward.
3. anonymous

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   Apr 5th 2016 !⃝

   I read the book "heavier than heaven" and in some chapter it says that cobain lived with his mother as a teenager and she had a boyfriend, that he hated and he never leave his room...only just to get food, and trying to avoid them...and it also is like a relieve and how he made nirvana.."my whole existense is for your amusement" thats nirvana.-
4. anonymous

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   Aug 7th 2011 !⃝

   its about someone trapped in a metaphoric basement and then 'they' meaning other peoples ideas of right and wrong come and 'save' him from the 'trap' but since the person who was trapped never knew anything else he thought thats what people were like hence the part were he claws the windows and sees other people out there and wonders why dont they all just live in a basement were they are fed and sheltered etc. and have to do nothing to do which is nirvana. its just saying its how you look at it wheter something is whatever you think, i think
5. anonymous

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   Jan 17th 2010 !⃝

   Any song can be interpreted in different ways, but my interpretation of this song is about a case of child abuse that Kurt was aware of at the time when he was writing this song. There were a few kids, kept in their mother's basement, nude, no light at all, as the windows were painted black so no one could see in and no one could see out. There were newspapers spread out on the floor, for the purpose of "bodily relief." Food was pushed to them from a slot in the door. The older ones and their flashing lights taking [my] family away refers to the police that investigated after someone called social services to report the incident.
6. outhere68

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   Apr 30th 2009 !⃝

   this song is like kurt feeling like a wild animal who is being caged by society "Sometimes I can't find my way,
   Newspapers spread around Soaking all that they can"it's a metaphor for the fact thats he's confused about whats going on and feels trapped the "newspapers...soaking all that they can"is about how the press is exploiting him for as much as they can.all he wanted to do was play music..."a good hosing down" is about how he is coldly brought back to reality suddenly as the bastard of society,his parents separation blamed on his feeling of guilt and isolation by people older (wiser) than them but it leaves him in constant anguish.very deep, depressing and enlightening.great music
   "my whole existence is here for your amusement" is like him yeh c'mon fuk my life a bit more you bastards and write some more rubbish about my history for the tabloids.
7. anonymous

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   Sep 23rd 2007 !⃝

   At first I actually thought this song was about Kurt and a relationship he had with a girl. It was a bad relationship he felt he could not leave, kind of being trapped in it. "Black windows of paint, I scratched with my nails"
   
   I got this imagine of him being trapped in a dark room where she would occasionally bring him food when he was tired as a way of keeping him alive or something. Now I look at it differently, as he says a maternal love, meaning his mother. He is one of my favorite lyricists and I miss him.
8. nevermind

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   Jul 25th 2006 !⃝

   The song is in three parts. The first is about a dealer Kurt used in aberdeen who was abused as a child by his parents.
   
   The second part "maternail love for cannot look me in the eyes..." refers to the feeling he got from his mother about relationships she had with other men and her new husband.
   
   The "nirvana" bit was apparently just a line that sounded good.
9. OnlyY2KDiva

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   Apr 14th 2006 !⃝

   I think the lyrics in this song, "The lady I feel maternal love for cannot look me in the eyes" is a really interesting and complex way to say something as simple as, "My Mom"
10. anavrin

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    Jan 10th 2004 !⃝

    Part of the lyrics are based on a true story of a family that Kurt was acquainted with, who locked their children in a room. Other lyrics have to deal with parents, and neglect.

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