According to the 1993 Nirvana biography Come as You Are by Michael Azerrad, the song's main guitar riff was written by Grohl. Cobain was initially unimpressed with the riff, and admitted in the book that he only worked on it so that Grohl would not be offended. "It was such a cliché grunge Tad riff that I was reluctant to even jam on it," he said.
However, all three members continued to work on the song, and its dynamics eventually fell into place. "It was just a totally satisfying thing to finally contribute equally to a song," Cobain said in a 1993 Chicago Sun-Times interview, "instead of me coming up with the basics of the song."
"Scentless Apprentice" is based on the German novel Perfume, by Patrick Süskind. Published in 1985, the novel tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a boy born without body odor but with a heightened sense of smell. Grenouille grows up to be a perfume apprentice, and uses perfume to mask his lack of odor. He also becomes a murderer, stealing the smells of his female victims in his quest to create a human odor for himself.
In a 1993 MuchMusic interview, Cobain claimed that his copy of Perfume almost never left his pocket. Cobain said he related to Grenouille's alienation. Cobain also related to Grenouille's fascination with odor. "I’m really interested in smells," he revealed in a 1993 Spin interview. "I think I’d like to own a perfumerie someday."
Scentless Apprentice
Nirvana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His smell smelled like no other
He was born scentless and senseless
He was born a scentless apprentice
Hey
Go away, go away
Electrolytes smell like semen
I promise not to sell your perfumed secrets
There are countless formulas for pressing flowers
Hey
Go away, go away
Go away
I lie in the soil and fertilize mushrooms
Leaking out gas fumes are made into perfume
You can't fire me because I quit
Throw me in the fire and I won't throw a fit
Hey
Go away, go away
Go away, go away
Go away, go away
Go away
The lyrics of Scentless Apprentice seem to be about a character who is different and unnatural, set apart from everything and everyone around him. The opening lines of the song describe how the baby's scent was unusual, unlike any other newborn - it was "scentless." This character, who is never named, is then referred to as a scentless apprentice, suggesting that he is an outsider in society, different from the norm, and perhaps struggling to find a place where he fits in.
The rejection of the character by the wet nurses further emphasises his sense of exclusion. The line "Electrolytes smell like semen" is jarring and surreal, adding to the overall feeling of discomfort and unease in the song. The next line, "I promise not to sell your perfumed secrets," suggests that the character has discovered some kind of secret or knowledge that is highly valued by the rest of society. However, despite potential pressure to reveal that information, he promises to keep it to himself.
The final lines of the song are the most cryptic. The character talks about lying in soil and fertilising mushrooms and how "Leaking out gas fumes are made into perfume." This line could suggest a transformation of some kind, perhaps the character finding a place where they feel they belong. The final line, "Throw me in the fire and I won't throw a fit," emphasises the character's resilience and that they refuse to conform or be broken by others.
Line by Line Meaning
Like most babies smell like butter
Just like babies have a typical smell, this person had an unusual scent.
His smell smelled like no other
The person had a unique smell that nobody else had.
He was born scentless and senseless
The person was born without any discernible scent or senses.
He was born a scentless apprentice
The person was born without a distinct smell but would learn to develop one.
Every wet nurse refused to feed him
The nurses that cared for the person would not breastfeed him due to his peculiar smell.
Electrolytes smell like semen
The person has an acute sense of smell, making them able to identify the smell of electrolytes.
I promise not to sell your perfumed secrets
The person promises to keep the secrets of the person they are addressing about their perfumes.
There are countless formulas for pressing flowers
There are many ways to create fragrances from natural materials such as flowers.
I lie in the soil and fertilize mushrooms
After death, the person's body will decompose and benefit the growth of mushrooms.
Leaking out gas fumes are made into perfume
Even unpleasant smells can be used to create fragrances.
You can't fire me because I quit
The person is boasting that they have control over their own career or destiny.
Throw me in the fire and I won't throw a fit
The person is unafraid of death; they will not react angrily or defiantly if they are killed.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Kurt Cobain
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chb3676
Imagine recording a Nirvana gig illegally in 93 and 30 years later the official band's YouTube channel uses it
@Tony-The-Motherfucking-Tiger
Kurt would have loved it tbh
@Clementine_D
I wish I had done that
@luvyou-rn1uq
awesome
@Sultanhj2000
It's funny because most people didn't even know what youtube was until like 2010
@wyatth7227
(FBI entered chat room)
@rylanjonesiscool1285
Daves drumming is literally fire
@redleavesmusic
i hate you so much youre amazing
@Suikogiru
My favorite song off of In Utero! The drum beats, the guitar riff, the vocals, everything is perfect in this song
@user-nc9ib7qq3v
this is a song that dave help make! kurt said it really helped take pressure off him to make great songs