Serve the Servants
Nirvanaā Lyrics

The first verse of "Serve the Servants" seems to explore the theme of growing older and more disillusioned with the world, especially as someone who has already achieved success in their youth. The line "teenage angst has paid off well" suggests that the singer may have found success in their younger years through expressing their feelings of angst and rebellion. However, the line "now I'm bored and old" implies that the singer has moved past this phase of their life and is now feeling restless and unfulfilled. The next two lines, "self-appointed judges judge more than they have sold," suggest that the singer may feel critical of the way others judge their work or their life, especially if those people haven't actually achieved anything of note themselves.

The second verse seems to explore the singer's relationship with their parents, specifically their father. The line "as my bones grew they did hurt, they hurt really bad" suggests that the singer may have had a difficult childhood or adolescence, possibly due to neglect, abuse, or simply feeling disconnected from their father. The lines "I tried hard to have a father, but instead I had a dad" may suggest that the singer felt let down or disappointed by their father's lack of involvement or emotional support. The final lines, "I just want you to know that I don't hate you anymore, there is nothing I could say that I haven't thought before," suggest that the singer has come to terms with their relationship with their father and harbors no ill-will towards him, but also that they have already had these thoughts and emotions many times before.

The refrain "serve the servants - oh no, that legendary divorce is such a bore" seems to be somewhat of a non-sequitur, but could be interpreted in a few ways. It could be a comment on the way society values those who serve others or have menial jobs, and how this is seen as less important or glamorous than other professions. It could also be a reference to Kurt Cobain's own personal life, as he and his wife, Courtney Love, were in the midst of a highly-publicized divorce at the time the song was written.