Milk It
Nirvana Lyrics


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I am my own parasite
I don't need a host to live
We feed off of each other
We can share our endorphns

Doll steak
Test meat
Look on the bright side, suicide
Lost eyesight, I'm on your side
Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
Lack of iron and or sleeping

I won my own pet virus
I get to pet and name her
Her milk is my shit
My shit is her milk

Test meat
Doll steak

Look on the bright side, suicide
Lost eyesight, I'm on your side
Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
Lack of iron and or sleeping

Doll steak
Test meat

Look on the bright side, suicide
Lost eyesight, I'm on your side
Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
Lack of iron and or sleeping

Protector of the kennel
Ecto-plasma, ecto-skeletal




Obituary birthday
Your scent is still here in my place of recovery

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nirvana's song Milk It are cryptic and thought-provoking. The song deals with themes of individualism and self-sustainment, as well as the dark aspects of society. The first two lines of the song, "I am my own parasite, I don't need a host to live" sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The idea of being self-sufficient without the help of others is prevalent throughout the song.


The lyrics also touch upon themes of shared experiences and existence. "We feed off each other, we can share our endorphins" suggests that even though we may live our lives separately, we still share the same experiences and emotions. The use of the phrases "doll steak" and "test meat" have been interpreted to refer to commercial meat production, where testing is done on animals before slaughtering them for consumption. This could be a metaphor for how society often disregards the pain and suffering of others for personal gain.


The chorus of the song, "Look on the bright side, suicide, lost eyesight, I'm on your side, angel left wing, right wing, broken wing, lack of iron and or sleeping" is an amalgamation of seemingly unconnected phrases that have been interpreted to be a commentary on the dark and hopeless aspects of life. The end of the song is particularly disturbing with the line, "Protector of the kennel, Ecto-plasma, ecto-skeletal, obituary birthday, your scent is still here in my place of recovery." The imagery of death and decay is further reinforced, adding to the eerie and unsettling nature of the song.


Fact 1: Milk It is the seventh track on Nirvana's third and final studio album In Utero, released in 1993
Fact 2: The song was written by lead singer Kurt Cobain
Fact 3: Milk It was one of the songs that was re-recorded for the band's appearance on MTV's Unplugged in New York in 1994
Fact 4: The song was rarely played live by Nirvana, with only a handful of performances recorded
Fact 5: In Utero was Nirvana's last studio album before Kurt Cobain's death in April 1994
Fact 6: Milk It was the B-side to the single "Heart-Shaped Box"
Fact 7: The album was produced by Steve Albini, who is known for his raw and unpolished sound
Fact 8: The lyrics of the song were once included in Kurt Cobain's journals, which were released in 2002 as Journals
Fact 9: Milk It was one of the songs included in the 20th-anniversary deluxe re-release of In Utero in 2013
Fact 10: The song's title came from a phrase that Kurt Cobain had written on a shirt he owned that said "Milk Me."


Chords: The chords to Milk It are as follows: Bb, A, G, F, Eb, D.


Line by Line Meaning

I am my own parasite
I don’t require anyone to thrive, I am self-sufficient.


I don't need a host to live
I can survive and thrive independently without a host.


We feed off of each other
We depend on each other for our survival and growth.


We can share our endorphins
We can experience happiness and pleasure together by sharing endorphins.


Doll steak
A phrase with ambiguous meaning, perhaps referring to someone/something that looks good on the outside, but is hollow on the inside.


Test meat
Another ambiguous phrase, perhaps referring to experimental or artificially created meat.


Look on the bright side, suicide
A bleak and ironic statement that suggests there is no bright side to suicide.


Lost eyesight, I'm on your side
I can relate to your pain and despair, even if I cannot see things as clearly anymore.


Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
A commentary on the confusion and chaos of life, where even angels can be broken and disoriented.


Lack of iron and or sleeping
A reference to the physical and mental exhaustion that can result from anemia or lack of rest.


I won my own pet virus
A perverse suggestion that one can derive pleasure and satisfaction from their own illnesses or maladies.


I get to pet and name her
Some people may become attached to their own sickness, giving it a name and a personality to cope with it better.


Her milk is my shit
Yet another vulgar expression that suggests deriving pleasure from something that is ultimately disgusting and unhealthy.


My shit is her milk
An additional layer of grotesqueness and codependency in this bizarre “relationship.”


Protector of the kennel
Someone who watches over and cares for others, even if it is a thankless job or a prison.


Ecto-plasma, ecto-skeletal
Spooky and eerie phenomena or entities that defy scientific explanation.


Obituary birthday
A somber and macabre way of framing a birthday, as if the person is already dead or doomed to die.


Your scent is still here in my place of recovery
The lingering memory or presence of someone who used to care for the singer, and who may be gone forever.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Kurt Cobain

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Johnny


on Lithium

Nice

robin


on Stay Away

love this

CHR!S


on Drain You - Live (1991/Del Mar Fairgrounds)

a-side goes hard from their paramount set tho

El Hrubcová


on Endless, Nameless

That's crazy song! Oh my god...I can't listen it!!!

El Hrubcová


on Territorial Pissings

It's dangerous... That's my drug!! <3

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