Those of you with a freakishly good memory may remember that our last 100best post before our little hiatus, honored Pearl Jam. To continue our celebration of Grunge giants, we could not leave out the reigning kings of the genre. The tragic death of their frontman, ill-adviced merchandising, and the courtroom drama still surrounding the band may distract you from the music. But the music could never distract you from the fact that they were an amazing band, who more than deserve all the praise and popularity.
aDawgg:
When a song is the propellant for nearly instantaneous musical success, it serves as blessing and curse. The public is captured and, in turn, binds you to the source of your success. The first and most successful single from an all-time great album, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” climbed the charts in late-1991, sat in the Hot 100 rafters like an anthemic gargoyle and, in hindsight, proved the beginning of the end for Kurt Cobain. It’s power is present in the shackles it placed on Cobain and the band and the hold it still retains on the musical imagination.
Bean:
I’ve always thought that Nirvana’s greatest achievement was “Polly”. Perfect in every way, “Polly” shows an understated power in its soothing melody, bored yet melancholy vocals, and surprising – shocking almost, if it wasn’t so pretty – lyrics. By taking the captor’s point-of-view, Cobain made something both beautiful and disturbing: a song we can’t help but sing along to, about a situation we can’t bear to think about. “Teen Spirit” proved that Cobain could write an anthem, whether he meant to or not. But, for me, “Polly” gave his band the depth that more than justified their legendary status.
Tamboosh:
My teenage hormones and Nirvana were a match made in rebellious heaven. Their disdain for polished, soulless music was so attractive and so wonderfully loud and angry. The further away that first exciting listen gets, the more I appreciate their beautiful, understated side. Though my taste changes my love for the band doesn’t, but my favorite song does. Supposedly inspired by The Beatles, “About A Girl” doesn’t have that famous punky Nirvana spirit, but like my Pearl Jam favorite, this song transcends Grunge. It doesn’t have shock value, it doesn’t validate their underground credit, it’s just well-written, melodic and beautiful.
nirvana….. mmmm, i love them so much, when i was about 13 i got “live from the muddy banks of wishka” and then went out and bought “mtv unplugged”
kurt had only recently killed himself and used to sit and listen to “my girl” over and over in true teen angst fashion, i swore i could hear him crying out from his own sadness and even from heaven in that last that scream oh “shiverrrrrrr”
oh, memories x
their cover of david bowie’s “man who sold the world” is phenomenal too.