While Novak is admittedy mildly obsessed with Trent Reznor, I am very much obssessed with Kurt Cobain. Rather than bore all of you (as well as freak most of you out) with the reasons why or face the rage that comes along with defending this band at times, I'll just list my top ten favorite songs by them. Nirvana changed my life, made me want to play music, and is so much a part of who I am that the band almost feels like a member of my family or a relic from my childhood like a stuffed animal or a photo of an old house I lived in. In recent years I've heard many fans complain that certain artists should quit because they are over the hill, have lost touch with their passion for playing, or just can't relate to their audience anymore. Cobain feared this probably more than any other artist in history and, although I would give almost anything for new material, it makes what was left behind all the more important. Here are the best of the best.
10.) "Scoff" (Bleach, 1989)
Beginning with its cheesy "My Sharona" drum beat, "Scoff" has a very light hearted spirit to it. Lyrically hastily thrown together and juvenile, the song doesn't appear to stand out until the chorus where, out of nowhere, Cobain's trademark vocal harmony kicks you in the face. Listen to the B Side of this album in its entirety and you will truly appreciate how much this song stands out from the pack. Although not played live after the release of "Nevermind," "Scoff" remained a favorite track of the Sub Pop faithful and was also Buzz from the Melvins favorite song off of Nirvana's debut record.
9.) "Pennyroyal Tea" (In Utero, 1993)
Probably Cobain's most descriptive song about suffering from depression, Cobain wrote "Pennyroyal Tea" in his tiny and filthy apartment he shared with Dave Grohl while they were working on material for "Nevermind." While the singer orignally wrote off the song's meaning as a satyrical nod to Hippie Culture (particularly the use of herbal remedies for problems faced in life), Cobain always considered this a deeply personal song about his inability to relate to his surroundings effectively while coping with his mental instability. Many fans mistakenly believed that Cobain wrote this song with Courtney Love (mostly due to the two performing this song together on several occasions), but it may have been a song that his then wife enjoyed simply for its introspective approach.
8.) "School" (Bleach, 1989)
Most songs about music scenes are poorly done, just listen to any Youth of Today record and you'll understand what I mean. "School" is possibly the only song written by a band from a critical point of view of a scene that they are at the center of without including the kind of prescriptive claims that come along with many others. As the tiny Seattle scene grew into a major money making pawn of the music industry, Cobain documented the artist's disconnection from the spirit of music and the dissillusionment that comes along with it. It was business, it was responsibility in the same manner as school but without most of the fun, no recess.
7.) "Lithium" (Nevermind, 1991)
I was torn between this song and "Rape Me," but I chose "Lithium" because, simply put, it's a better song. Written in Pixies-style children's song format, the corky bass line precedes the heavy chorus that perfectly represents the song's meaning. Written from the perspective of the manic depressive, "Lithium" embodies the confusion, contradictions, energy, and uncertainty of youth and invites listeners to relieve themselves of such tension through music in the same vein as its protagonist.
6.) "Drain You" (Nevermind, 1991)
This was actually the first Nirvana song I ever listened to. My sister, who at one time was more obssessed with this band than even I, recorded the band playing a live show on MTV in 1992. I sat on the couch, cereal in hand, wondering why the singer had pink hair and an ugly sweater. My dad told me that "he was a fag and that I better not end up like that." Perhaps dad knew what was in store in the coming years, or perhaps he was just an asshole. "Drain You" has a build up that no other rock song can touch and it always seemed to set the crowd into a roaring frenzy, especially when it includes the layers of feedback. Dave Grohl stands out on this song more than any other as well with some a fantastic drum beat. Overall a gem.
5.) "Sliver" (Sliver / Dive 7", 1990)
Before there was "Nevermind," there was "Sliver," the single that truly introduced Nirvana to the masses. I always have a soft spot for songs written about Cobain's youth, a topic that he rarely touched upon but always discussed cleverly and interestingly. Written always with a half-sense of satire, these songs are fun, energetic, and to the point. This song is no exception and, while not as aggressive as a hardcore track may be, is as well put together as any punk song in history.
4.) "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" (In Utero, 1993)
One of the things I love most about Nirvana is, although they have such a small pool of material to choose from, it seems like I frequently stumble upon new songs I love of theirs more than some bands who consistently make new music. About two years ago I was at a party and Woods mentioned this was his favorite song by Nirvana. I had completely forgotten about "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" so much that I had to pull out the album and listen to the record to remember it. The band sounds so in unison on this track, probably moreso than any other and especially on such an avant garde record like "In Utero" that emphasized a free spirit and approach to isolate rather than to unify listeners. Thanks Woods.
3.) "Aneurysm" (Incesticide, 1992)
If you want to know why Dave Grohl is the best drummer and why Kurt Cobain is the greatest rock vocalist of all time, just listen to "Aneurysm," number three on this list. Quite possibly the perfect Nirvana song, it combines the aggression of punk, the structure and melodies of pop, and the distortion of metal to create a song that no other band could have made in 1991. The B-Side of the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" single, Aneurysm was surprisingly overlooked and disregarded by Geffen due to it being seen as too aggressive and less marketable than the former. Live audiences didn't care and kids the world over lost their mind to this track at every show after the release, lucky them.
2.) "Dive" (Sliver / Dive Single, 1990)
I don't really have much to say about "Dive," probably because I've never really been able to describe why it's so addictive. Extremely influenced by the Pixies and the Melvins, "Dive" is the perfect bridge from "Bleach" to "Nevermind" and is representative of a band on the brink of something even they didn't truly understand. Perhaps I love "Dive" for that very reason, it represents a pure and unstained Nirvana.
1.) "Lounge Act" (Nevermind, 1991)
Lounge Act is my favorite song written by human beings, let alone my favorite song by this band. A love song, "Lounge Act" was a song written about Cobain's relationship with Bikini Kill member Tobi Vail. That relationship and the effect its ending had on the singer is beautifully articulated in this song with its beautiful melodic chorus. When that very chorus decides to get aggressive, I still get goosebumps with each listen. Cobain's best vocal performance, "Lounge Act" was never truly captured well live and is truly a song that was recorded in the moment, which makes it such a special track. Everything is poured out on this song without being overdramatic or excessive in its release. The fact that the song is controlled chaos and emotion makes it the best song by Nirvana and one that I'm happy was written.