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Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« on: June 21, 2019, 07:22:11 am »
Saw this in The Guardian and thought I'd pop it along, as it's Friday n'all... 



20. Blew (1989)
19. Territorial Pissings (1991)
18. Lithium (1991)
17. Rape Me (1993)
16. Sappy (1990-93)
15. Scentless Apprentice (1993)
14. Polly (1991)
13. School (1989)
12. Something in the Way (1991)
11. Been a Son (1989)
10. Drain You (1991)
9. Dumb (1993)
8. About a Girl (1989)
7. Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (1993, released 1994)
6. Aneurysm (1991)
5. Sliver (1990)
4. In Bloom (1991)
3. Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991)
.
.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jun/20/nirvanas-20-greatest-songs-ranked

I know, I know it's one of those ranking things, where it's open to debate, but it brought back memories of being moody and struggling with a few spots...

I suppose I was about 13/14 when they hit the scene and was gobsmacked.  Excellent stuff.  Bit disappointed 'Lounge Act' didn't make it as it was short and sweet, and it has three key changes, right? (not up on the technical guitary musical lingo)


Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2019, 07:36:15 am »
2. All Apologies
1. Heart-Shaped Box

(For the people who don't wanna deal with the click-bait)


  • zola
  • The Legend

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    • September 30, 2012, 06:56:11 am
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2019, 08:14:58 am »
Top 5 (at least for today)

1. Lithium
2. Territorial Pissings
3. Serve the Servants
4. School
5. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter

Nevermind and In Utero don't have a bad song on them, though I could happily never hear Teen Spirit and All Apologies again for the rest of my life.

Unplugged is perfect. Could fill a top 5 with songs from it, but I almost consider it a separate thing to the other albums.

When I was 15 I played  bass in a cover band and we did a version of "Dive", but changed the lyrics to "Chives, chives, chives, chives and wheat!"" instead of dive on me. I don't know why.
« Last Edit: June 21, 2019, 08:21:01 am by zola »
Kpip! - Martin 2018


  • annataleen
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2019, 09:44:35 am »
These are not ranked, just my 10 favorites.

I also loved the Unplugged album. Sad story, my dad bought that album for me the day he moved out.  :-[ I was young and felt a connection to Kurt at that time because I know he also struggled because of his parents divorce.
But anyway, many of those songs are not from Nirvana, so they are not on my list! I love the Meat Puppets songs during that performance!

1. Something in the Way
2. School
3. Shifting
4. Blew
5. Aneurysm
6. Drain You
7. All Apologies
8. Come As You Are
9. Polly
10. About a Girl


  • theman3285
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2019, 09:50:07 am »
The buildup in 'Drain You' still blows my mind. Dave was pretty strong for a skinny ass kid


  • annataleen
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2019, 10:21:56 am »
I wrote my post on a break between classes, and in the class after the break one of the students was wearing a Nirvana t-shirt! I teach elementary and I have never seen a student wearing a Nirvana shirt. I don't think I have seen anyone in Korea wearing one.

But I didn't get my hopes up, and sure enough she didn't know the band.  :blank: :laugh:


  • zola
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2019, 10:27:55 am »
I wrote my post on a break between classes, and in the class after the break one of the students was wearing a Nirvana t-shirt! I teach elementary and I have never seen a student wearing a Nirvana shirt. I don't think I have seen anyone in Korea wearing one.

But I didn't get my hopes up, and sure enough she didn't know the band.  :blank: :laugh:
The smiley face one? I think they were selling that at Uniqlo a few years ago.
Kpip! - Martin 2018


  • annataleen
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2019, 10:37:03 am »
I wrote my post on a break between classes, and in the class after the break one of the students was wearing a Nirvana t-shirt! I teach elementary and I have never seen a student wearing a Nirvana shirt. I don't think I have seen anyone in Korea wearing one.

But I didn't get my hopes up, and sure enough she didn't know the band.  :blank: :laugh:
The smiley face one? I think they were selling that at Uniqlo a few years ago.
No, it was for Nevermind. It was black and it had Nirvana and Nevermind under it on front left chest area ... and the track list on the back. The lettering was blue and watery. That's why I thought maybe, just maybe she knew the band?
But maybe Uniqlo sold those too?


Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2019, 02:14:56 pm »
I'm currently working on a Nirvana covers set with two members of one of my bands, just for fun. Would people bother to go and see a Nirvana 'tribute' act? If not we'll just play the occasional Nirvana song during our usual sets.
Does your wife submit to you?


  • zola
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2019, 03:49:09 pm »
I'm currently working on a Nirvana covers set with two members of one of my bands, just for fun. Would people bother to go and see a Nirvana 'tribute' act? If not we'll just play the occasional Nirvana song during our usual sets.
I saw an advertisement for a 90s alt rock covers band in Seoul a few months ago. So there must be some market for that kind of stuff. Also saw an ad for a Muse cover band playing in Gwangju.
Kpip! - Martin 2018


  • gogators!
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2019, 05:58:36 am »
Where Did You Sleep Last Night is a Leadbelly song.  cobain sings the hell out of it, but they didn't write it.


  • Liechtenstein
  • Hero of Waygookistan

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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #11 on: August 05, 2019, 11:07:54 am »
Nirvana has no great songs, they don't even have a very good song. The music world lost nothing when that waste product took the short road home. Truly a profoundly overrated band. In my opinion they were clearly the least talented of the entire - mostly worthless - Seattle grunge movement.


  • plan b
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2019, 11:37:03 am »
Nirvana has no great songs, they don't even have a very good song. The music world lost nothing when that waste product took the short road home. Truly a profoundly overrated band. In my opinion they were clearly the least talented of the entire - mostly worthless - Seattle grunge movement.

Born 20 years too late I see?  :P


  • Liechtenstein
  • Hero of Waygookistan

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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2019, 06:10:42 pm »
Nirvana has no great songs, they don't even have a very good song. The music world lost nothing when that waste product took the short road home. Truly a profoundly overrated band. In my opinion they were clearly the least talented of the entire - mostly worthless - Seattle grunge movement.

Born 20 years too late I see?  :P

Look at the bands I've seen, man. What have you seen? Big Bang? Black Pink? EXO?

hahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahaha


  • gogators!
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #14 on: August 06, 2019, 02:35:53 am »
Nirvana has no great songs, they don't even have a very good song. The music world lost nothing when that waste product took the short road home. Truly a profoundly overrated band. In my opinion they were clearly the least talented of the entire - mostly worthless - Seattle grunge movement.

Born 20 years too late I see?  :P

Look at the bands I've seen, man. What have you seen? Big Bang? Black Pink? EXO?

hahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahaha
You saw them, but did you hear them?


  • Kyndo
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #15 on: August 06, 2019, 07:36:41 am »
Nirvana has no great songs, they don't even have a very good song. The music world lost nothing when that waste product took the short road home. Truly a profoundly overrated band. In my opinion they were clearly the least talented of the entire - mostly worthless - Seattle grunge movement.
Found the contrarian!
  We need to ask Ronnie Omelet to let us in on what LIC listens to. Wouldn't mind reading another rambling, semi-doxxing report on what hanging out together in the office was like, back in the day!

    I remember in 93 or 94 when the Seattle scene was at its height. Awesome stuff! Some friends of mine (one of which who was older and owned a car) were planning on driving south to Spokane for a concert. Only problem was, we would be missing school. Wasn't a problem for them, but I had a broken leg at the time and couldn't run fast enough. Got hauled back into class.  :sad:

Oh well, they'll be around for a few more tours, right? No problemo! I'll just catch the next one! Right?
 :cry:  :cry:  :cry:


  • stoat
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #16 on: August 06, 2019, 08:05:26 am »
Another contrarian here. I never got the Nirvana thing either. Smells like teen spirit was OK but didn't think any of the other stuff was up to much. 


  • Liechtenstein
  • Hero of Waygookistan

    • 1943

    • February 15, 2019, 04:39:00 pm
    • NE Hemisphere
Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #17 on: August 06, 2019, 09:01:35 am »
Nirvana has no great songs, they don't even have a very good song. The music world lost nothing when that waste product took the short road home. Truly a profoundly overrated band. In my opinion they were clearly the least talented of the entire - mostly worthless - Seattle grunge movement.

Born 20 years too late I see?  :P

Look at the bands I've seen, man. What have you seen? Big Bang? Black Pink? EXO?

hahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahaha
You saw them, but did you hear them?

Of course I heard them. I still listen to most. I forgot to add Stompin' Tom Connors, Neil Diamond and Neil Young, Jethro Tull and The Rolling Stones to the list. There will be others that pop into my head I'm sure.

Admittedly, seeing The Stones was a total fluke. They're another band I think are untalented over-rated very average musicians and I wouldn't pay to see them play in my backyard. (I'd probably call in a noise complaint LOL) But, my friend had a huge fight with his girlfriend and she buggered off and he offered to sell me her ticket. I said no. They were basically on their way to the concert at the time. I refused to pay for the ticket and he didn't want to go alone so he gave it to me and we went together. I did bring the smokables, however.

I've never worked in an office.

Look at the list of acts I've seen live and ask yourself if LIC really has musical tunnel vision? I could have seen Nirvana, I didn't go because I thought they were an over-rated garage band.

I think some of you are jealous :-)

I've never seen Led Zeppelin or Bad Company and that is regrettable.

FYI, U.K. I thought sucked despite having a seriously talented group of musicians. 

Now off you go, back to listen to Girl's Generation.


  • zola
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    • September 30, 2012, 06:56:11 am
    • Korea
Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #18 on: August 06, 2019, 10:43:23 am »
Nirvana has no great songs, they don't even have a very good song. The music world lost nothing when that waste product took the short road home. Truly a profoundly overrated band. In my opinion they were clearly the least talented of the entire - mostly worthless - Seattle grunge movement.

Born 20 years too late I see?  :P

Look at the bands I've seen, man. What have you seen? Big Bang? Black Pink? EXO?

hahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahaha
You saw them, but did you hear them?

Of course I heard them. I still listen to most. I forgot to add Stompin' Tom Connors, Neil Diamond and Neil Young, Jethro Tull and The Rolling Stones to the list. There will be others that pop into my head I'm sure.

Admittedly, seeing The Stones was a total fluke. They're another band I think are untalented over-rated very average musicians and I wouldn't pay to see them play in my backyard. (I'd probably call in a noise complaint LOL) But, my friend had a huge fight with his girlfriend and she buggered off and he offered to sell me her ticket. I said no. They were basically on their way to the concert at the time. I refused to pay for the ticket and he didn't want to go alone so he gave it to me and we went together. I did bring the smokables, however.

I've never worked in an office.

Look at the list of acts I've seen live and ask yourself if LIC really has musical tunnel vision? I could have seen Nirvana, I didn't go because I thought they were an over-rated garage band.

I think some of you are jealous :-)

I've never seen Led Zeppelin or Bad Company and that is regrettable.

FYI, U.K. I thought sucked despite having a seriously talented group of musicians. 

Now off you go, back to listen to Girl's Generation.
The vast majority of the acts you named are broadly "rock" acts that were big in the 70s and 80s, with a few white bread musicals and operas thrown in for "culture". And Yanni. Not exactly my go to person for an opinion on the merits of music made post 1989.

I can see why some people dont like Nirvana. And there seems to be a lot of bitterness that this homeless looking kid who "who couldn't even sweep pick" ended up killing off some of their favourite bands from the 80s. But there's a reason why Nirvana's songs are played alongside all the bands you mentioned, on classic rock stations around the world.
Kpip! - Martin 2018


  • leaponover
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Re: Nirvana's 20 greatest songs
« Reply #19 on: August 06, 2019, 11:30:45 am »
Where Did You Sleep Last Night is a Leadbelly song.  cobain sings the hell out of it, but they didn't write it.

Thought this was pretty much common knowledge since he  tells everybody during the unplugged performance who the song is by.  Several of the songs on the unplugged album were covers, like one of my favorites off that album Lake of Fire.