"Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle" was inspired by Shadowlan… Read Full Bio ↴"Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle" was inspired by Shadowland, a 1978 biography of actress Frances Farmer, whom Cobain had been fascinated with ever since he read the book in high school.

Frances Farmer was an American actress from Seattle. Despite what many believe, this song has very little (arguably, nothing) to do with her so-called controversial essay "God Dies".

Farmer was involuntarily institutionalized by her family a number of times for causing trouble and legal problems with Paramount Pictures, and what those close to her believed to be psychological problems.

Few of her friends and family helped her, and most actively sought to hurt her. Given Cobain's personal experience of being abandoned as a kid, it's definitely not a surprise he could relate to this.

Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
Nirvana Lyrics

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It's so relieving
To know that you're leaving
As soon as you get paid
It's so relaxing
To hear that you're asking
Whenever you get your way
It's so soothing
To know that you'll sue me

Starting to sound the same

I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad

In her false witness
I hope you're still with us
To see if they float or drown
Our favorite patient
Display of patience
Disease-covered Puget Sound
She'll come back as fire
To burn all the liars
Leave a blanket of ash on the ground

I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad

It's so relieving
To know that you're leaving
As soon as you get paid
It's so relaxing
To know that you're asking
Wherever you get your way
It's so soothing
To know that you'll sue me
Starting to sound the same

I miss the comfort in being sad

I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle" by Nirvana are about a feeling of relief and comfort in loneliness and sadness. The song may be about the actress and media personality Frances Farmer, who was known for her nonconformity and was eventually institutionalized for her "erratic behavior." The song opens with a sense of relief upon someone leaving as soon as they get paid. The repetition of "It's so relieving" and "It's so relaxing" creates a sense of comfort in detachment.

The lyrics then shift to a false witness, who may represent society or those who judged Frances Farmer, with the line "I hope you're still with us to see if they float or drown." The lines "Favorite patient, display of patience, disease-covered Puget Sound" may be references to Frances Farmer's institutionalization and the mental health institutions in the Seattle area. The song ends with the lines "She'll come back as fire, to burn all the liars, leave a blanket of ash on the ground," which could be interpreted as a desire for revenge or justice against those who wronged Frances Farmer.

Overall, the song is a reflection on the comfort and relief found in sadness and loneliness, potentially inspired by the life and struggles of Frances Farmer.

Line by Line Meaning

It's so relieving
The feeling of relief is overwhelming

To know that you're leaving
To know that you are no longer going to stay

As soon as you get paid
As soon as you receive your payment from a job well done

It's so relaxing
The feeling of relaxation is immense

To hear that you're asking
To hear that you are requesting something

Whenever you get your way
Whenever things work out as you had planned

It's so soothing
The feeling of calmness overtakes you

To know that you'll sue me
The thought that someone will take legal action against you

Starting to sound the same
The repetition of unpleasant events makes it appear monotonous

I miss the comfort in being sad
The melancholic feeling provides comfort in a strange way

In her false witness
In her fake testimony of the situation