Smells Like Teen Spirit
Kurt Cobain Lyrics


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Load up on guns and
Bring your friends
It's fun to lose
And to pretend
She's overboard
And self assured
Oh no, I know
A dirty word

Hello hello hello, how low? [x3]
Hello hello hello

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

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

Hello hello hello, how low? [x3]
Hello hello hello

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

And I forget
Just why I taste
Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard
It was hard to find
Oh well, whatever, nevermind

Hello hello hello, how low? [x3]
Hello hello hello

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, in denial
In denial [x9]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kurt Cobain's Smells Like Teen Spirit have been widely debated over the years. One interpretation is that the song is about the apathy felt by a generation of young people who felt disconnected and dissatisfied with the status quo. The opening lines, "Load up on guns and bring your friends / It's fun to lose and to pretend" suggest a desire for reckless abandon and rebellion. The line "She's overboard and self-assured" could be a reference to an individual who is too confident and needs to be brought down a peg, while "A dirty word" could be seen as a metaphorical term for something taboo or even obscene.


Line by Line Meaning

Load up on guns and
Collect up your weapons and ammunition and be ready for something big to happen.


Bring your friends
Have others around you that are willing to join you in what you are doing.


It's fun to lose
It's a thrill to let go and not worry about the consequences of what you do.


And to pretend
To act like you don't care, even though you might.


She's overboard
She has gone too far and is acting in a self-destructive way.


And self assured
She is confident in her actions and doesn't care about consequences.


Oh no, I know
I understand what is happening and what this will lead to.


A dirty word
A taboo expression or thought that is frowned upon in society.


Hello hello hello, how low? [x3]
A sarcastic greeting to the listener, asking them how they are, even if it doesn't matter.


With the lights out it's less dangerous
If there is less visibility, there is less accountability for what one does.


Here we are now
We have arrived at our current state of being.


Entertain us
Provide us with something to occupy our attention and distract us.


I feel stupid and contagious
I feel uninformed and unable to control my own actions, and with that, I'm spreading my negativity to others.


A mulatto
A derogatory term for a person of mixed racial heritage.


An albino
A person with a genetic condition causing pigmentation loss in skin, hair, and eyes.


A mosquito
A small, irritating insect that can be difficult to get rid of.


My Libido
My sexual drive and desires.


Yeah
An affirmation, sometimes used sarcastically.


I'm worse at what I do best
Even though I am skilled in certain areas, I still struggle with them.


And for this gift I feel blessed
I am grateful for my talents, even if they bring me pain.


Our little group has always been
The people I surround myself with are a constant, even if everything else changes.


And always will until the end
Until the time that our story comes to a close, we will remain close to one another.


And I forget
I lose sight of what really matters.


Just why I taste
Why am I experiencing these feelings right now?


Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile
Even though I don't understand it fully, it still brings me some sort of joy.


I found it hard
This situation is difficult.


It was hard to find
I searched for a long time and had trouble locating what I needed.


Oh well, whatever, nevermind
Sarcastic dismissal of the importance of the previous lines.


Yeah, in denial
I am refusing to accept a reality that is right in front of me.


In denial [x9]
Repeated emphasis on my refusal to accept the truth.




Contributed by Nicholas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@gabe3282

1 billion for a guy that died before youtube existed

@Emilyokcool

Ah nevermind

@Reubenator27

@@Emilyokcool Kurt Cobain, he died 29 years ago.

@dusanvasiljevic1916

Legends never die

@iwakeupcookrice4421

And your point..?

@kevinkibble8342

He died over a decade before YouTube existed too

745 More Replies...

@elcoleccionistav9027

Nirvana says goodbye to 2019 with a billion views

@kevinboyle3104

El coleccionista:v and all of the 2010s

@ethanwinters3378

You are a papulince why do use the ";v"

@martinpociecha4287

777 likes i AM NOT GOING to like this

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