Some classic rock lyrics are iconic. Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” gave us one of the most famous lyrics of the 1990s: “Here we are now, entertain us.” Kurt Cobain explained the origin of that line. Subsequently, he discussed why his opinion of the song soured over time.
Kurt Cobain came up with a line from Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ for parties
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During a 1994 interview with Rolling Stone, Cobain was asked to explain the origin of “Here we are now, entertain us.” “That came from something I used to say every time I used to walk into a party to break the ice,” he said.
“A lot of times, when you’re standing around with people in a room, it’s really boring and uncomfortable,” he added. “So it was ‘Well, here we are, entertain us. You invited us here.’”
Kurt Cobain became less enamored with Nirvana’s big song because it was successful
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Subsequently, Cobain was asked what it was like for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to become an anthem and a triumph of marketing. “Actually, we did have our own thing for a while,” he replied. “For a few years in Seattle, it was the Summer of Love, and it was so great.
“To be able to just jump out on top of the crowd with my guitar and be held up and pushed to the back of the room, and then brought back with no harm done to me — it was a celebration of something that no one could put their finger on,” he said.
Cobain stopped liking “Smells Like Teen Spirit” so much because it became so popular. “But once it got into the mainstream, it was over,” he said. “I’m just tired of being embarrassed by it. I’m beyond that.”
How ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ performed on the pop charts and conquered pop culture
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“Smells Like Teen Spirit” became a hit for Nirvana. The tune peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 20 weeks. It was the group’s only top 40 single with the exception of “Come As You Are,” which merely peaked at No. 32.
The tune appeared on the album Nevermind. That album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for two weeks, staying on the chart for a total of 616 weeks. The song definitely wouldn’t be as famous if Nevermind wasn’t such an incredible hit.
Beyond that, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” became a massive part of popular culture. It appeared in films like Pan and Moulin Rouge! Miley Cyrus did a faithful rendition of the track while The Muppets turned it into a barbershop quartet song for the movie The Muppets. Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake even sampled it for their hit “Holy Grail.”
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“Smells Like Teen Spirit” has some iconic lyrics even if Cobain wasn’t a big fan of the tune.
