According to Nevermind producer Butch Vig on the Classic Albums: Nevermind DVD, "Drain You" had more guitar overdubs than any other song on the album: one clean track and five distorted tracks. Cobain tended to dislike heavily overdubbed songs, and so Vig had to tell Cobain lies, such as that tracks did not record right or were out of tune, in order to get him to do so many takes. Some of the strange noises during the middle section of the song are caused by children's toys Cobain brought into the studio. In his biography of Kurt Cobain Heavier than Heaven, biographer Charles Cross wrote, "When Kurt was questioned about the song [Drain You] he said he had made a lot of it up on the spot but that the first line...was particularly important to the interpretation of the song..."
On the Nevermind version, Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic tuned their instruments a whole step down. In concert, however, "Drain You" was generally played in whatever tuning the band was using throughout the rest of the concert — generally standard tuning in earlier concerts (prior to the 1992 Pacific Rim tour in support of Nevermind) and half-step-down in later concerts. The song's verse is based around a conventional chord progression of four power chords B, D#, G#, C#, the riff (F#)- E -C# for the choruses, and a chorus ending of B, A, G#.
Drain You
Nirvana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't care what you think unless it is about me
It is now my duty to completely drain you
I travel through a tube and end up in your infection
Chew your meat for you
Pass it back and forth
In a passionate kissFrom my mouth to yours
I like you
With eyes so dilated, I've become your pupil
You taught me everything without a poison apple
The water is so yellow, I'm a healthy student
Indebted and so grateful, vacuum out the fluids
Chew your meat for you
Pass it back and forth
In a passionate kiss
From my mouth to yours
I like you
You, you, you
You, you
One baby to another says, "I'm lucky to have met you"
I don't care what you think unless it is about me
It is now my duty to completely drain you
I travel through a tube and end up in your infection
Chew your meat for you
Pass it back and forth
In a passionate kiss
From my mouth to yours
You're my vitamins
I like you
The lyrics "One baby to another says, 'I'm lucky to have met you'" introduces the idea of a chance encounter that led to a meaningful connection between two individuals. However, the line "I don't care what you think unless it is about me" suggests that there may be a selfish motivation behind this relationship. The following lines, "It is now my duty to completely drain you, I travel through a tube and end up in your infection" can be interpreted as the singer attempting to exert control over the other person and take advantage of their vulnerability.
The second verse further explores this dynamic as the singer states "Chew your meat for you, pass it back and forth in a passionate kiss from my mouth to yours." This line implies a level of codependency between the two individuals where the singer is taking on a caregiver role. The line "you taught me everything without a poison apple" can be interpreted as the other person having a positive influence on the singer's life despite potentially having ulterior motives.
The chorus repeats the themes of the first verse emphasizing the singer's desire to control and drain the other person while also expressing their affection. In the final lines "Sloppy lips to lips, you're my vitamins, I like you" the singer describes the other person as vital to their well-being in a disturbingly possessive way.
Line by Line Meaning
One baby to another says, "I'm lucky to have met you"
A person expresses gratitude for having met someone special.
I don't care what you think unless it is about me
The singer is self-centered and only cares about themselves.
It is now my duty to completely drain you
The singer feels obligated to take all they can from the other person.
I travel through a tube and end up in your infection
The artist is comparing their relationship to a parasitic infection.
Chew your meat for you
The artist is willing to do anything for the other person, even something as basic as chewing their food.
Pass it back and forth
The two people in the relationship share everything with each other.
In a passionate kiss
Physical affection is an important part of the relationship.
From my mouth to yours
Sharing is an important aspect of the relationship, even bodily fluids.
With eyes so dilated, I've become your pupil
The artist is completely under the other person's influence and control.
You taught me everything without a poison apple
The other person has been a positive influence and has taught the artist many things.
The water is so yellow, I'm a healthy student
The singer is willing to overlook something unpleasant (yellow water) because their relationship with the other person is beneficial to them (making them a 'healthy student').
Indebted and so grateful, vacuum out the fluids
The artist feels like they owe the other person a lot and will do whatever it takes to keep them happy and maintain the relationship.
Sloppy lips to lips
The physical intimacy between the two people in the relationship is not always perfect or glamorous.
You're my vitamins
The other person is an essential part of the singer's life and keeps them healthy and happy.
I like you
Despite all the oddities and flaws of the relationship, the singer cares deeply for the other person and is grateful for their presence in their life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Kurt Cobain
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xboys_archive
Lyrics:
One baby to another says, "I'm lucky to have met you"
I don't care what you think unless it is about me
It is now my duty to completely drain you
I travel through a tube and end up in your infection
Chew your meat for you
Pass it back and forth
In a passionate kiss
From my mouth to yours
I like you
With eyes so dilated, I've become your pupil
You taught me everything without a poison apple
The water is so yellow, I'm a healthy student
Indebted and so grateful, vacuum out the fluids
Chew your meat for you
Pass it back and forth
In a passionate kiss
From my mouth to yours
I like you
You, you, you
You, you, you
One baby to another says, "I'm lucky to have met you"
I don't care what you think unless it is about me
It is now my duty to completely drain you
I travel through a tube and end up in your infection
Chew your meat for you
Pass it back and forth
In a passionate kiss
From my mouth to yours
Sloppy lips to lips
You're my vitamins
I like you
@pedro_norato
One of the best Nirvana songs and for sure underrated as hell
@arashkamangir331
I still love this song as I did 30 years ago
@Ncebulsky
From my first listening to Nevermind 30 years ago I always thought this song was way better than SLTS!
@Sxlanki._x
@@Ncebulsky Of course agreed! :)
@pinkkstarrzz
YES
@mouthbreather9435
underrated?
@alter_one2745
Kurt's voice is like a breath of fresh air
@alexmason6100
U're goddamn right🙄💪🏾
@ri-kb1ue
it really does
@dirtydan8694
A fresh breath of air after having the worst day ever 😌