Heart-Shaped Box
Nirvana (From the Muddy Banks of The Wishkah) Lyrics


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She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I've been drawn into your magnetar pit trap trap
I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Hey!
Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey!
Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey!
Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice, your advice

Meat-eating orchids forgive no one just yet
Cut myself on angel hair and baby's breath
Broken hymen of your Highness, I'm left back
Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

Hey!
Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey!
Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey!
Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice, your advice

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I've been drawn into your magnetar pit trap trap
I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Hey!
Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey!
Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey!
Wait!




I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice, your advice, your advice, your advice

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box" evoke a sense of longing, desperation, and entrapment. The opening line compares the singer's gaze to that of a Pisces, highlighting their vulnerability and sensitivity. The main theme of the song seems to revolve around being trapped inside a "heart-shaped box" for weeks, which may represent a toxic relationship from which the singer cannot escape. This image is further compounded by the reference to a "magnetar pit trap" - a metaphor for being financially, emotionally, or psychologically trapped. The line "I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black" is a powerful expression of anger and frustration, possibly directed at the source of the singer's entrapment.


The song then shifts to another theme, as the singer expresses a sense of gratitude towards someone for their "priceless advice". The repeated lines of "Hey! Wait! I've got a new complaint..." could represent the singer's inner turmoil about feeling both trapped and grateful in their current situation. The final lines of the song repeat the opening lines, further emphasizing the sense of cyclical entrapment and longing.


Overall, "Heart-Shaped Box" is a complex and emotionally-charged song that explores themes of love, entrapment, and self-discovery.


Line by Line Meaning

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
When I am at my lowest point, she looks upon me with a gaze that is both perceptive and unforgiving, like that of a Pisces.


I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I have been trapped within the confines of your love and sentimentality for what seems like an interminable amount of time.


I've been drawn into your magnetar pit trap trap
I have been sucked into your gravitational pull, and now I find myself in a precarious and dangerous situation.


I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black
I yearn to absolve you of your troubles, even if it means consuming and taking on your suffering as my own.


Hey! Wait! I've got a new complaint. Forever in debt to your priceless advice
I have an issue to raise, but I am eternally grateful for your valuable guidance and wisdom.


Meat-eating orchids forgive no one just yet
Even beautiful and delicate flowers that have evolved to consume flesh cannot bring themselves to forgive in the present moment.


Cut myself on angel hair and baby's breath
I have inflicted harm upon myself using the thinnest and most beautiful materials available, to express pain that is inexplicable and hard to put into words.


Broken hymen of your Highness, I'm left back
Despite my intentions, I have left behind an irreparable wound or injury to someone of great importance or high status.


Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back
Cast off your ties to me so that I may have the opportunity to come back to you, relying on you again for my own survival.




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: KURT COBAIN

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

@aestheticaltwat

Director: “So how saturated do you want the music video to be?”

Kurt: “Hold on a minute, what’s that on the TV?”

TV: Playing music video for Black Hole Sun.

Director: “...so you want me too-“

Kurt: “Yes.”

(Yes, I’m aware that this music video was made in ‘93 and Black Hole Sun was made in ‘94, but just pretend it works for the sake of the joke.)



All comments from YouTube:

@mjsnyc83

“Are people still listening to this in...” yes, we are

@don1913

Forever and ever

@lordholzi

of course we are

@youssefrayan460

always

@Paul-gf6kp

Always have been

@Mailenheuberger

always has been

638 More Replies...

@himalia7884

Director: so Kurt,-
Kurt: CRUCIFY SANTA

@avy6153

I'm pretty sure it is Jesus

@himalia7884

The Red Terror I don’t remember Jesus having a Santa hat.. 🤨 but still

@yoda5436

Shook Eth he had a Santa hat cuz Christmas is his birthday, it’s definitely Jesus though.

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