Smells Like Teen Spirit
The Muppet Barbershop Quartet Lyrics

The song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by The Muppets (Children's) was likely inspired by the grunge movement of the early 1990s. The opening line, "Hello, hello, hello," echoes the opening line of "Territorial Pissings" by Nirvana, the band that made "Smells Like Teen Spirit" famous. The following line, "Load up on guns and bring your friends," might be interpreted as a reference to the increasing popularity of guns in the US during that time. However, the line is actually a reference to a sign that Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna would hang up at Nirvana shows that read "Girls to the front."

The line "It's fun to lose and to pretend" is often interpreted as a rejection of materialism and commercialism, which were seen as negative aspects of the Reagan-era culture of excess. Similarly, the line "She's over-bored and self-assured" might refer to the disillusionment of young people with their own lives and society in general. The line "Oh no, I know a dirty word" could function as a commentary on censorship and the notion that certain words or topics are considered culturally taboo.

The chorus of the song features the lines "With the lights out, it's less dangerous / Here we are now, entertain us / I feel stupid and contagious." This section of the song is often seen as a reflection of the boredom and apathy that many young people felt during the early 1990s. The lines "I feel stupid and contagious" might refer to a sense of alienation or disconnectedness from other people.