Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
Nirvana Lyrics


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Use just once and destroy
Invasion of our piracy
Afterbirth of a nation
Starved without your skeleton key

I love you for what I am not
I did not want what I have got
Blanket acne'd with cigarette burns
Speak at once while taking turns

What is wrong with me?
What is wrong with me?
What is wrong with me?

I'm gonna do with what you think
If you ever think at all
Bi-polar opposites attract
All of a sudden my water broke

I love you for what I am not
I did not want what I have got
Blanket acne'd with cigarette burns
Second-rate third degree burns

What is wrong with me?
What is wrong with me?
What do I think? I think

Hate your enemies
Save, save your friends
Find, find your place
Speak, speak the truth

What is wrong with me?
What is wrong with me?
What is what I need?
What do I think? I think

Just use once and destroy
Invasion of our piracy
Afterbirth of a nation
Starved without your skeleton key

What is wrong with me?
What is wrong with me?
What is wrong with me?
What do I think? I think

What is wrong with me?
What is wrong with me?




What is wrong with me?
What do I think? I think

Overall Meaning

"Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" is a song by Nirvana that is interpreted as a criticism of the music industry and the pressure on bands to produce radio-friendly hits. The lyrics express a sense of alienation and frustration, with lines such as "I love you for what I am not, I did not want what I have got" and "What is wrong with me?" repeated throughout the song. The use of the phrase "use just once and destroy" implies the disposable nature of music in the industry.


The lyrics also touch on themes of identity and self-doubt, with lines like "Hate your enemies, save, save your friends, find, find your place, speak, speak the truth" suggesting a struggle to find oneself and navigate the complex music industry. The line "Blanket acne'd with cigarette burns" ties in with this theme, representing a sense of discomfort or feeling out of place.


Overall, "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" is a complex and evocative expression of the challenges and frustrations of making music in a highly commercialized and competitive industry.


Line by Line Meaning

Use just once and destroy
Take what you need and discard the rest


Invasion of our piracy
Our creations being taken without permission or credit


Afterbirth of a nation
The aftermath of a country's formation or birth


Starved without your skeleton key
Unable to access or unlock what we need to thrive


I love you for what I am not
I appreciate you for being different from me


I did not want what I have got
The situation I am in is not what I desired


Blanket acne'd with cigarette burns
A surface damaged by harmful habits


Speak at once while taking turns
We each have something to say and should share the platform


What is wrong with me?
Questioning one's self-worth or purpose


I'm gonna do with what you think
I will act based on what I perceive to be your thoughts


If you ever think at all
Implying lack of critical thinking or consideration from the other party


Bi-polar opposites attract
Two opposing elements may be drawn to each other


All of a sudden my water broke
A sudden, unpredictable event


Second-rate third degree burns
Inferior harm caused by others


Hate your enemies
Succumbing to negative emotions towards those who wronged us


Save, save your friends
The importance of prioritizing and cherishing friendships


Find, find your place
The journey to discover one's purpose and belonging


Speak, speak the truth
Urging honesty and transparency


What is what I need?
Questioning what one truly desires or longs for


What do I think? I think
Contemplating one's own thoughts or ideas




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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