Smells Like Teen Spirit
Nari & Milani Feat. Carl Fanini Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

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
A mulatto
A mulatto
A mulatto
A mulatto
A mulatto
A mulatto
A mulatto

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

Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello, how low?

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
A mulatto




A mulatto
A mulatto

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Nari & Milani Feat. Carl Fanini's song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" are a direct reference to Nirvana's hit song of the same name. The opening lines of "With the lights out, it's less dangerous" indicate a desire for a dark, private atmosphere in order to let loose and be entertained. The repeated phrase "Here we are now, entertain us" speaks to a need for stimulation and distraction from the mundaneness of life. The line "I feel stupid and contagious" expresses a sense of vulnerability, as well as a need for connection and community.


The repetition of the word "mulatto" throughout the chorus is somewhat mysterious, as it does not appear in the original Nirvana lyrics. It is possible that this word has been added as a reference to racial identity or as a nod to the multiculturalism of our society.


The verses, which reference guns and losing oneself in pretend play, capture the feeling of youthful rebellion and the desire to break free from rules and societal norms. The repeated refrain of "hello, hello, hello, how low?" is a call for attention and acknowledgement, as though the singer is reaching out to the world and asking to be seen.


Overall, the lyrics to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" are a tribute to the spirit of youth and rebellion, as well as a reflection on the need for stimulation and connection in our lives.


Line by Line Meaning

With the lights out
We're currently in the dark, but that's okay because it's not as risky.


It's less dangerous
Being in the dark makes everything less intense and safer.


Here we are now,
We've arrived at this moment in time,


Entertain us
We're looking for something to keep us occupied and divert our attention.


I feel stupid
I don't feel particularly bright or intelligent at the moment.


And contagious
I also feel like my negative energy could spread to others.


Here we are now,
Once again, we've arrived at this moment in time.


Entertain us
We're still looking for something to keep us occupied and divert our attention.


A mulatto
This line is unclear and could mean a variety of things depending on the interpretation.


A mulatto
This line is unclear and could mean a variety of things depending on the interpretation.


A mulatto
This line is unclear and could mean a variety of things depending on the interpretation.


A mulatto
This line is unclear and could mean a variety of things depending on the interpretation.


A mulatto
This line is unclear and could mean a variety of things depending on the interpretation.


A mulatto
This line is unclear and could mean a variety of things depending on the interpretation.


A mulatto
This line is unclear and could mean a variety of things depending on the interpretation.


A mulatto
This line is unclear and could mean a variety of things depending on the interpretation.


Load up on guns
We should arm ourselves with weapons.


And bring your friends
And invite our companions along.


It's fun to lose
Sometimes it can be enjoyable to fail or have things taken away from us.


And to pretend
It's almost like playing a game and pretending things are different than they really are.


She's overbored
The woman we're talking about is likely feeling restless and unchallenged.


And self-assured
Despite this, she does possess confidence and assurance.


Oh no, I know
We're about to reveal a secret.


A dirty word
That secret is a taboo, indecent word that's frowned upon by society.


Hello, hello, hello, how low?
A repetition of a phrase that likely means something, but it's uncertain what.


Hello, hello, hello, how low?
A repetition of a phrase that likely means something, but it's uncertain what.


Hello, hello, hello, how low?
A repetition of a phrase that likely means something, but it's uncertain what.


Hello, hello, hello, how low?
A repetition of a phrase that likely means something, but it's uncertain what.


With the lights out
The lights are still off, it seems we're still in the dark.


It's less dangerous
Even though it could still be risky or unsafe.


Here we are now,
We've journeyed to this specific moment again.


Entertain us
We're still searching for something to divert our attention.


I feel stupid
Once more, I feel unintelligent or foolish.


And contagious
I have feelings of negativity that could potentially spread.


Here we are now,
We return to the same moment again.


Entertain us
And still we're searching for something to engage us.


A mulatto
This line is still unclear unfortunately.


A mulatto
This line is still unclear unfortunately.


A mulatto
This line is still unclear unfortunately.


A mulatto
This line is still unclear unfortunately.




Writer(s): Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, David Grohl

Contributed by Aubrey A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions