Puss
Nirvana Lyrics


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Give me something to stop the bleeding
I knocked her down the stairwell
And then took her
Why did you take her there?
Said to my brother
Put your hand on that hole
Open the door and
Get her out of the truck
Give me something to stop the bleeding




'Cos I'm fit to blow

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Nirvana's song "Puss" are dark and violent, and seem to be describing a graphic scene of physical assault. The first line "Give me something to stop the bleeding" reveals that someone has been hurt and is bleeding. The next line "I knocked her down the stairwell" is a brutal admission of violence, and suggests that the singer may be responsible for the injuries. The line "And then took her" is not clear on what is meant by "took her", but it could suggest that the singer kidnapped or assaulted someone.


The line "Why did you take her there?" is a question that suggests that the singer might be talking to someone else who witnessed the assault or knows about it. The line "Said to my brother" implies that the person the singer is speaking to is a sibling. The following lines "Put your hand on that hole / Open the door and / Get her out of the truck" suggest that the victim has been transported in a vehicle, and that the singer's brother is helping to move her to safety.


The final line "Give me something to stop the bleeding / 'Cos I'm fit to blow" is a desperate plea for help, and suggests that the singer is at risk of losing control. Overall, the lyrics to "Puss" are disturbing and violent, and leave the listener with a sense of unease.


Line by Line Meaning

Give me something to stop the bleeding
I am in desperate need of anything to cease the bleeding, to slow down the flowing blood.


I knocked her down the stairwell
I pushed her, causing her to fall and tumble down the stairs.


And then took her
After causing her to fall down the stairwell, I picked her up and took her somewhere else.


Why did you take her there?
I am questioning the reasoning behind taking the person somewhere else after causing them harm.


Said to my brother
I spoke to my sibling, possibly seeking help or advice in regards to the situation I caused.


Put your hand on that hole
I am instructing my brother to place his hand over a wound, a puncture or opening in the body caused by an injury.


Open the door and
I am instructing my sibling to move towards a door, possibly to exit the room or location.


Get her out of the truck
I am instructing someone to remove a person from a vehicle, possibly for safety or medical reasons.


'Cos I'm fit to blow
I am at my limit, and am experiencing intense emotions that may soon be uncontrollable.




Contributed by Anthony B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@NightwingReturns

Thank you for uploading this version... Every post-Kurt release has removed the lighter clicking. THIS is how it should be.

@DiegoGonzalez-jo2tw

The lighter clicking?

@NightwingReturns

@@DiegoGonzalez-jo2tw Yes. That's a lighter he is striking, like, every 4 seconds. Every version released after he died (With the Lights Out, etc) removed it.

@danielscheuch

@@NightwingReturns I bought the cd in around 1995 and it has the clicks

@noisepollution6761

I bought it 2 years ago I'm from nz heard kurt died on student radio and been hooked ever since. Seen jesus lizard live in 98

@speedmaster99

This is 100% accurate.

@Tomnedreb

This was one of the first Nirvana singles I bought, and I still love it like crazy.

@euroyen420p2

I bought inutero the week it was released when I was around 9, and I just found Jesus lizard today, im 36 and under a rock.

@nickhartman6372

Without a doubt the most badass single of all time. These two songs compliment each other so perfectly! It's like the Jesus Lizard wrote a Nirvana song and Nirvana wrote a Jesus Lizard song.

@darkwraithcovenantindustries

Incredible that this was released AFTER Nevermind, when they were on top of the world. They put a record out with TJL, with them on the B side, on Touch and Go.

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