About This Song
Kurt Cobain drafted the original version of this song in 1989 under the working title "Imodium." That early sketch moved at a sluggish pace with a rougher tempo before the band transformed it into a frantic burst of punk energy by September 1991. The final recording captured at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys features Dave Grohl driving the rhythm with a jackhammer drum style and Krist Novoselic laying down chugging bass lines.
Cobain delivers sneering vocals about boredom and alienation throughout the track. He includes the ironic line "I'm so happy 'cause today I found my friends" to highlight the disconnect between social connection and internal isolation. Producer Butch Vig aimed to keep the sound tight enough for radio play without losing the group's raw aggression.
The track sits as the fourth song on the album Nevermind, positioned between the moody "Come as You Are" and the brooding "Lithium." Although the album sold over 30 million copies worldwide, the song never received a single release or charted individually. It remained a staple of their live performances until Cobain's death in April 1994.
Music Videos
Credits
Songwriters
Kurt Cobain
Producers
Butch Vig
Keywords
Sources
Song Info
- Artist
- Nirvana
- Album
- Nevermind
- Released
- September 24, 1991
- Duration
- 3:04
- Label
- DGC Records
- Track #
- 4
- Working title
- Imodium
- Recording location
- Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA
- Original sketch year
- 1989
- Album sales
- Over 30 million copies worldwide
Listen On
Join the community
fans discussing

