Rare Nirvana

This is a brief guide to some of the rarer Nirvana tracks.

Tracks covered:

01. Bambi Slaughter
02. Spank Thru
03. Suicide Samarui
04. Opinion
05. Sappy
06. I Hate Myself And I Want To Die
07. Do You Love Me
08. You Know You're Right
09. Blandest
10. The Money Will Roll Right In
11. Even In His Youth
12. Token Eastern Song
13. Marigold
14. Pen Cap Chew
15. Verse Chorus Verse



Bambi Slaughter

This track, apparently one of the mysterious Fecal Matter demo tape, tells the story of a small boy who decides to pawn his Mom and Dad's wedding rings. The trance like guitar riff gives a strange effect to the song, reminiscent of the style of Downer.


Spank Thru

Another one of the Fecal Matter songs this song would later appear on the Sub Pop 200 compilation (this version featuring Jack Endino on backing vocals), and a live version would appear on From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah. The song is about masturbation, ("I can beat it, I can spank it, masturbate it").


Suicide Samarui

As far as I know, only one version of this Fecal Matter song has surfaced. The slashing guitar riff gives the song a real edge and agression about it. When Fecal Matter went to Kurt's Aunt Mary's house to record it, she said she was troubled by the lyrics, but thought it was just "Teenager stuff."


Opinion

Hailed as the greatest Nirvana rarity by many, this song is actually just Kurt, on an acoustic guitar at a radio station. The song, which is only about 90 seconds long, could possibly be about success and the opinions of the public about Nirvana's music. Kurt claimed to have written the song on the way to the radio station, and after performing it, asked "Don't you think that song sounds like taxman?"

Sadly for those who heard it, it was only ever performed that once.


Sappy

This melodic track follows the theme of confinement and imprisonment, ("He'll keep you in a jar, and you'll think your happy"). It featured on the No Alternative compilation. A great Nirvana track.


I Hate Myself & I Want To Die

As bleak as the title is, this song is actually not depressing in the slightest. The track starts with a lot of high pitched feedback, before the grudgy, tuned-down guitar riff breaks in. The chorus is merely one line, altough whether it's "In the someday, what's that song?" or "In the someday what's that sound?" is unclear to me.

However it is a great track, and can be found on the soundtrack to The Beavis And Butthead Experience.


Do You Love Me

A fairly straight cover of the Kiss song, that would later appear on a Kiss tribute compilation. Interesting for being the only track Nirvana ever recorded to feature second guitarist, Jason Everman.


You Know You're Right

The last song ever recorded by Nirvana, this song's lyrics clearly reflect Cobain's feelings during the last through months of his life. Lines like "Nothing really bothers her, she just wants to love herself," reflect Kurt's feelings about Courtney Love, then wife, and the line "Never speak another word, I will crawl away for good" reflect Kurt's feelings about himself. This song was only ever played live once, but when it was the band announced to the title to be "Autopilot". It was later changed to "You Know You're Right" and then released on the Greatest Hits album in 2002.


Blandest

This Nirvana track is quite early (Bleach-era). After recording it, Kurt asked Jack Endino to demolish the tape, as he was embarassed by the vocals. He later regretted it, when he wanted to release it on "Incesticide".


The Money Will Roll Right In

Performed at the Reading festival in August 1992, this is a great cover of the Fang song.


Even In His Youth

The B-side to SLTS, this is an excellent track. The lyrics show Kurt's feeling about not only himself, but also his father. ("Daddy was ashamed he was nothing") Originally recorded in 1989, but then remastered in '91 for the... Teen Spirit single.


Token Eastern Song

This song was one of the songs that was recorded in the Nevermind sessions, (along with Sliver And Sappy) but didn't make it to the album, along with the other two mentioned. The song is often mislabeled as Junkyard or Born in a Junkyard, as that is the one line chorus; Cobain screaming "Born in a Junkyard!" about 7 or 8 times.


Marigold

The only Nirvana original not written or sung by Kurt Cobain, (written and sung by Dave Grohl) is a soft acoustic song. Released on the Pocketwatch cassette, and then later as the B-side to Heart Shaped Box.


Pen Cap Chew

Another of the Fecal Matter songs, the crunchy, but muddy guitar riff starts this song off. The soft verse later leads into the raving, screaming of the chorus. This is perhaps the earliest evidence of Nirvana's signature quiet-loud sound, that would later become legendary in songs such as Lithium.


Verse Chorus Verse

Quite regularly played live, this song really is teriffic, and probably the best Nirvana rarity. The theme of the song is drug overdosing and self harm. At one stage this was going to be the name of Nirvana's third album (In Utero). Despite this, the song never even featured on the album.

Thanks for reading, I hope to do a second part soon.

from: ultimate-guitar.com