Can anyone please give me the interpretation of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" ? Thanks.?
147719
I think its about the emptiness of life. its written in a flow of consciousness so maybe he was confused and lost while writing the song. try listening to tori amos's version of it.
659037
inuyasha's fuki mori (i know i spelled that wrong but that's ok cuz it's in japanise. it means deep forest. ironically, im listening to it right now...) i love it cuz it always makes me remember my ex bf...isn't that wierd? he has nothing to do with that song it just reminds me of him for somereason and that makes me happy...that's so wierd huh?
1030328
Yes. Let me work this through logically as I see it.\n\nGod created you in his own image - meaning that you are infinite in potential and creative power. (You also have free will. Cool.)\n\nThen you chose this setting* to experience your power. In heaven / nirvana / afterlife, it's kind of dull... everything is unified and perfect, and there's so much love, there's no way to experience it. So you created this place with your infinite power, and you caused yourself to temporarily forget who you are. So here you are, wandering down the street wearing a coat and completely unaware that you have these infinite powers. Right?\n\n(*This "setting" is whatever reality you're experiencing right now. I don't need to go into detail.)\n\nSo you come upon a big rock. You look at the rock and the first thought that enters your mind is "Man, there's no way I'm going to be able to lift that." And - poof - you've created that experience, based on your creative thought, which was based on an assumption that you set there voluntarily. So you go to try to lift the rock using the only strength you know you have: your physical muscles. You fail. No surprise.\n\nNow back up: You've tried to lift the stone. You and God are actually one and the same, but you don't realize this. You created the stone in the first place. So yes, God is all-powerful and he created this Universe, and he has created a stone that he then experienced not being able to lift. That isn't to say that you can NEVER lift the stone... just that you have experienced not-lifting-ness.\n\nJust as your logic is based on assumptions which are based on your observations, MY logic (which I use here) is based on assumptions which are based on MY observations. Given the assumptions that I have made, does my logic make sense?\n\nContact me if you're curious.
83974
in a way yes, in the sense that it says theres no religion, no heaven, so join us (perhaps in commusnism), i agree on you with that, but i think is a song that was written to make us this think about what the world could be like. Thank you for that insight though, i never thought about the song in that way!
274967
Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit\nSoundgarden - Black Hole Sun\nBush - Glycerine\nTool - Parabol/Parabola
743007
Never particularly liked Nirvana myself, never heard of th eother two.  Sorry
741883
Its really good to me. To me seems to say that true strength to walk with God comes from God and not from ourselves. It appears to acknowledges that we all try to do things on our own sometimes and think we are leaning on God/letting him guide us, even when we are not and we are really trying to carry the weight on our own. But its quite upbeat and seems to remind me that even that wont separate me from him in the long term! Its a good reminder, thanks for posting it\n I dont know if this is a song written for this topic but it speaks to me about that with the bits about trying to be strong, being serious about it, but not afraid to be weak and say "I got it wrong"....
1091089
It's great seriously, but to be honest the vocalist sounded like if he's trembling, his voice needs more training..., the lyrics are FANTASTIC, so it needed a vocalist with a voice full of passion...the vocalist can do better anyway...!\nGREAT! I PERSONALLY CALL IT BEAUTIFUL!
651146
Procal Harum crafted an unknowable piece of poetry with those lyrics. Perhaps those words don't even make sense to the songwriter(s). I don't know. I think the fun is in the mystery. That song probably means something different to everyone who has ever heard it.
894195
Something about Kurt Cobain reminds me of Jesus. Maybe he would be a grunge singer. Or better yet, resurrect Kurt from the dead and become a member of Nirvana.\n\nImagine these lyrics: "I don't want Kurt Cobain for a sunbeam!"
259481
Wow, very beautiful and powerful.  I particularly love the first 3 lines as well as the lines about sending peace and love, but little hate or envy.  \n\nKeep on writing!  :)
305278
I think the song will mean something different for every person listening to it.  That's why it's such a hit.  No one can explain to the other why it is touching a cord so they only thing you can do is make a recommendation and let them hear it for themselves.\n\nFor me I think he's talking about the contemplative life which has been the big secret of the Mystics like Thomas Merton et el
504065
Listening to it now ( jeepers!! It's been a long time since I played this CD.. ) Just by listening to it I couldn't really decide, I could definitely "see" your point, but it didn't really convince me..\n\nThen I thought to open up the cd cover and see whether the lyrics were printed inside.. They are, and according to the cover it's:\n "Who could be proud of this blank generation\nwho could be proud of you blank"\n\nListening to it after reading that and I definitely hear "you blank" every time...
397989
This song is amazing, and actually very insightful.  People tend to take with them into adulthood the images of family that their parents have presented.  For some, this is a model of how life should be; for others, it is more of a glimpse into the kind of relationship they should avoid.  \n\nMy father was very intimidating; he used to yell and throw things.  For myself, I saw this as the kind of marriage I never wanted to have.  As a child I had no choice but to live in the environment into which I was born, but as an adult, I have made a conscious decision to stay away from men like this. \n\nI believe that women, no matter their relationship with their father, will take these experiences with them throughout their lives.
529791
Wow I really like these lyrics.  Music is the true poetry of our time.\n\nIt is definitely a song about the oppressed and the oppressor.  They both live in an ideology that they deserve more. One has it and one does not.   \n\nAt first glance I thought is was a black white song, but now I see it more as a women and men song. (beauty of poetry is that it can have meaning that the author maybe didn't even conjure up.)\n\nThe Oaks all tall and mighty high up are like men.  They rise the ladder of success with greater ease, especially back in the day.  The women being a of smaller stature yet like maples very colorful with a type of beauty and oak can't match.  They are craving and sunlight too--the chance to be tall--the oak can't imagine why the maple would want to be that way--but she does.  He laughs at her as he's been trained to do for thousands of year--but suddenly the law says there is a change--and you need to abide by it.  \n\nI don't know if it all worked out as smooth--and if the hatchets and axes are solving all problems but its a dream.\n\nThanks for the cool question. You must be a good teacher.
107971
To be honest Id never heard of this (knew the song) until now.\n\nIts what they say, learn something new every day.\n\nJust got to work out if its a good thing to learn lol\n\nCheck the link for some possible material ideas.
365498
hey, obviously everyone answering here is just giving an answer for the sake of gaining some points.\n\ni am an italian speaker - feel free to send me a copy of the lyrics as well, and i can help out.\n\nmy email is: muznar2003@yahoo.com.au\n\ni look forward to hearing from you!!