Downer
Nirvana Lyrics


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Portray sincerity
Act out of loyalty
Defend your true country
Wish away the pain
Hand out lobotomies, to save little families
Surrealistic fantasy
Bland boring plain
All we have is restitution
Living out your date with fusion
Is there hope? Please show me faster
Don't feel guilty, master writing

Somebody said that they're not much like I am
I know I can
Make enough up the words as you go along
And sing your song

Sickening pessimist hypocrite master
Conservative communist apocalyptic bastard
Thank you dear God for putting me on this earth
I feel very privileged in debt for my thirst

All we have is restitution
Living out your date with fusion
Is there hope? Please show me faster
Don't feel guilty, master writing

Somebody said that they're not much like I am
I know I can




Make enough up the words as you go along
And sing your song

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nirvana's song "Downer" are a provocative mixture of detached irony, disillusionment, and nihilism. The opening lines present a call to action to the listener, urging them to portray sincerity, act out of loyalty, defend their true country, and wish away the pain. However, this call to action is quickly subverted by the following lines, which advocate hand out lobotomies and surrendering to a surrealistic fantasy that distracts from the bland and boring reality of everyday life.


The chorus offers a bleak outlook on life, suggesting that all we have is restitution and we are merely living out our date with fusion, a metaphor for the insignificance and futility of existence. The singer questions if there is any hope left and begs for a faster solution, but ultimately accepts the impossibility of any resolution.


The second verse becomes increasingly provocative, with the lyrics depicting the singer as a sickening pessimist hypocrite master, conservative communist apocalyptic bastard, and giving thanks to God for putting him on this earth in debt for his thirst. The final lines reiterate the importance of singing your song, even if you have to make up the words as you go along.


Overall, "Downer" is a commentary on the disillusionment and frustration of modern society, offering up a bleak outlook on life and suggesting that the only way to cope is to indulge in surrealistic fantasies and sing your own song.


Line by Line Meaning

Portray sincerity
Be genuine in your actions and words


Act out of loyalty
Stay committed to your beliefs and values


Defend your true country
Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means going against your government or society


Wish away the pain
Desire for the end of suffering and hardships


Hand out lobotomies, to save little families
Drastically alter someone's mind in the hopes of saving a family from mental illness or instability


Surrealistic fantasy
A dreamlike world or situation that is hard to distinguish from reality


Bland boring plain
Dull and uninteresting


All we have is restitution
The only solution is to make things right or to compensate for damages


Living out your date with fusion
Experience life to the fullest and without restraint


Is there hope? Please show me faster
Asking for a glimmer of hope in a dire situation


Don't feel guilty, master writing
Don't be ashamed of expressing oneself through writing


Somebody said that they're not much like I am
Comparing oneself to another person and finding differences


I know I can
Believing in oneself and one's abilities


Make enough up the words as you go along
Improvising and creating as one moves forward


And sing your song
Sharing one's unique voice with others


Sickening pessimist hypocrite master
An individual who is both negative and insincere


Conservative communist apocalyptic bastard
A blend of different political ideas and beliefs, creating a negative outcome


Thank you dear God for putting me on this earth
Showing gratitude for being alive


I feel very privileged in debt for my thirst
Feeling fortunate to have a strong desire to learn and grow




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Kurt Cobain

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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