Stain
Nirvana Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well he never bleeds and he never fucks
And he never leaves cuz he's got bad luck.
Well he never reads and he never draws
And he never sleeps cuz he's got bad blood yeah
I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain




Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Nirvana's "Stain" are characteristically cryptic and enigmatic, but nonetheless provide a provocative lens through which to view themes of frustration, futility, and isolation. The introductory lines set the mood with their caustic and dismissive tone towards a figure who is portrayed as inert and paralyzed by a mixture of incompetence and ill fortune. The singer adopts a cynical perspective towards the subject, portraying them as a passive victim of their own circumstances, doomed to a life of inaction and stagnation. The repetition of the phrase "he's got bad luck" throughout the song is emblematic of a broader sense of fatalism and resignation that pervades the track.


The refrain of the song, "I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain" serves as a poignant counterpoint to the opening lines. While the singer has previously spurned the passive and ineffectual figure who is portrayed in the verses, in the chorus they reclaim that same identity themselves. Rather than being a voice of authority or condemnation, the singer instead seeks to identify with the sense of isolation and loneliness that the verses have depicted. By embracing their own sense of inadequacy and weakness, they are able to sublimate their anger and frustration, and instead forge an alliance with the very emotions that they initially sought to discredit. It is this pivot that gives the song its emotional resonance and enduring appeal.


Line by Line Meaning

Well he never bleeds and he never fucks
This person doesn't show any emotional vulnerability, physical intimacy or passion in his life


And he never leaves cuz he's got bad luck.
He is always stuck in one place due to his misfortunes in life and doesn't have the ability to move forward.


Well he never reads and he never draws
He has no interest in intellectual or creative pursuits and lacks curiosity about the world.


And he never sleeps cuz he's got bad blood yeah
He suffers from a physical or mental ailment that doesn't let him rest peacefully at night.


I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain
The artist feels worthless and insignificant, and believes that they leave a negative impact on the people and situations around them.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KURT COBAIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Justin Taylor

Well he never bleeds and he never fucks
And he never leaves cuz he's got bad luck.
Well he never reads and he never draws
And he never sleeps cuz he's got bad blood yeah
I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain


Well he never bleeds and he never fucks
And he never leaves cuz he's got bad luck.
Well he never reads and he never draws
And he never sleeps cuz he's got bad blood yeah
I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain

(Solo)

I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain

Well he never bleeds and he never fucks
And he never leaves cuz he's got bad luck.
Well he never reads and he never draws
And he never sleeps cuz he's got bad blood yeah
I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain, I'm a stain



All comments from YouTube:

Chris M

I love the way he mixed dissonant punk riffs with catchy stick in your head choruses. Happy melodies with dark sad lyrics.

Bueno Mcgurski

Punk as fcuk! This is real grunge, this and Bleach. Aneurysm, Dive, Very Ape, etcetera and so on and so forth and similar to that over and over and courtney killed him dang it I did it again :/

BlackCapped Chickadees

Yes my man 😗👌

TheAnalPunisher

Yup thats right, dark sound and bright choruses

1 More Replies...

screenfixer

one of the best nirvana's songs

Astijus Vainauskis

well thats debatable

Chris Cole

My favorite nirvana song , as far as groove and instrumental

space sheep

@Astijus Vainauskis well that's preference

Astijus Vainauskis

@space sheep epic

Astijus Vainauskis

@space sheep actually no not epic at all

14 More Replies...
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