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Nirvana's back catalogue Top Ten: editors' choices

Mike_Diver by Mike Diver [Edit this content] ▾ 82 comments 14:38 June 4th, 2008
Nirvana b/w

With Foo Fighters about to Do A Muse and rock Wembley for two consecutive nights – on June 6 and 7 – DiS is delving once more into our past, personal and professional (we did this with Björk, remember?), to dig around the roots of the band that made the stadium-filling megastars what they are today: Nirvana.

Nobody needs the whole Nirvana story telling again – there are more than enough books available on the subject – so we’ll skip on all but the essential details, which are: band, at its core vocalist/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic, forms before settling on the name Nirvana in 1988; band records debut album for very little money and releases it through influential label Sub Pop; band gets picked up by Geffen for commercial breakthrough sophomore, settling on permanent drummer Dave Grohl after toying with hired hands after the departure of founder Chad Channing; commercial breakthrough sophomore makes band one of the biggest bands in the world; singer freaks out, marries another vocalist with problems, has child, continues to have personal problems; band releases third album to great critical acclaim; third album addresses the conflict of new-found fame versus punk-rock integrity; singer commits suicide before band tours third album in UK, on April 5, 1994.

Dave Grohl formed Foo Fighters in 1995, and the band’s self-titled debut album was released the same year. The drummer had begun to display his own songwriting skills while in Nirvana, but now fronting his own band his abilities reached a far wider audience. That audience is now big enough to fill Wembley for two nights. Good work, Grohl.

To celebrate this achievement, we’re presenting our Top Ten Nirvana tracks, from across the band’s limited, but hugely influential, back catalogue.

 

10. ‘Aero Zeppelin’, from Incesticide (1992, Geffen)

Drums that sound like they’re fighting a losing battle against an earthquake, Cobain squealing like a little pig trapped under the wheels of a Hummer, and the sort of frenzied fret mangling that would later characterise In Utero’s finest tracks. A great departure from the polish of Nevermind, released on the outtakes/sessions compilation that followed a year after the band’s breakthrough.

9. ‘Oh The Guilt’, from split single with The Jesus Lizard (1993, Geffen/Touch & Go)

A scrappy, In Utero-era thrash-about recorded in 1992 by Barrett Jones, producer of Foo Fighters, and later polished by Adam Kasper (who also worked on Foo Fighters LPs) for release on 2004’s With The Lights Out boxset. The single – a split with The Jesus Lizard’s ‘Puss’, peaked at 12 on the UK singles chart.

 

Video: ‘Oh The Guilt’ (original mix)

    • -

8. ‘Lounge Act’, from Nevermind (1991, Geffen)

A highlight of Nevermind even after so very many plays, sinister of tone when wedged between the breezy pop-infected offerings ‘Drain You’ and ‘Stay Away’ on its parent LP. The line “I still smell her on you” is both subtle of touch and graphic of delivery, and the song’s atmosphere of paranoia, of distrust and anxiety, was the perfect full stop to Cobain’s writing about ex-lover Tobi Vail (of Bikini Kill) before he fell for Hole’s Courtney Love.

7. ‘All Apologies’, from In Utero (1993, Geffen) / Unplugged In New York (1994, Geffen)

A chink of light through the heavy storm clouds of In Utero, probably best remembered in its Unplugged guise (a posthumous collection was released in November 1994, seven months after Cobain’s suicide), which can be seen below. Simple of lyric, it’s a total sing-along (which entered the UK top 40 on release), exhibiting Cobain’s pop sensibilities at a time when his world was, quite clearly, beginning to unravel about him.

 

Video: ‘All Apologies’ (MTV Unplugged version)

Video: ‘Aneurysm’ (Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!! version)

    • -

6. ‘Aneurysm’, from Incesticide (1992, Geffen) / ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (1991, Geffen)

Available on Incesticide but initially released in the UK as a b-side to smash hit ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (although the two versions differ, the former a BBC session recording), ‘Aneurysm’ was a live favourite rightly voted amongst its makers’ best-ever songs in a 2000 BBC poll. A live version was released as a promo CD, with an accompanying video, in 1996 to mark the release of live LP From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah_.

5. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, from Nevermind (1991, Geffen)

It was always going to feature in this top ten, somewhere. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ is the band’s most successful single, and catapulted them into the limelight. Its video dominated MTV, it sent Nevermind to the top of the Billboard chart in the US, and tuned millions of kids around the world into ‘alternative’ music like never before. The industry truly would never be the same again. It’s one of the few Nirvana songs to be credited to all three members on a writing front.

 

Video: ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (official promo)

    • -

4. ‘Scentless Apprentice’, from In Utero (1993, Geffen)

For those opening drums, for the crunching, grinding riffs, for Cobain croaking like a man absolutely on the edge; for Steve Albini’s lack of spit and polish, for the wail of “Get Aaaaaway”, for the line “I lie in the soil and fertilise mushrooms”; for every bit of brilliance bizarre or bombastically bedazzling in this song, DiS offers several thumbs up.

3. ‘Lithium’, from Nevermind (1991, Geffen)

‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ might get a raw deal in rock clubs from those who’ve heard it a shade too many times (and can’t bear the bouncing babies littering the dancefloor, punching the air to a song they weren’t even born in time to see released), but The Other Hit from Nevermind (number 11 in the UK) is a wonderfully ‘dumb’ sing-along (lyrically it may be to do with bi-polar disorder) that received such a treatment at the 1992 Reading Festival. It’s probably the most fun Nirvana song on this top ten, and certainly feels pretty light hearted even beside surrounding Nevermind album tracks.

 

Video: ‘Lithium’ (Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!! version)

    • -

2. ‘Serve The Servants’, from In Utero (1993, Geffen)

In Utero’s opening song, with the opening line: “Teenage angst has paid off well, now I’m bored and old”. Never was there a more obvious indication that Nirvana’s third albums was defiantly not another Nevermind. The verses hit harder than the song’s chorus, reversing the band’s usual style, and the lyrics tackle not only Cobain’s disillusionment with fame but also his blossoming relationship with Love and the press treatment the pair were receiving, and his fractured communication with his father. It’s perhaps the best opening song on a truly magnificent album, ever.

1. ‘Heart Shaped Box’, from In Utero (1993, Geffen)

Reaching number five on the UK singles chart, ‘Heart Shaped Box’ is the DiS office’s preferred Nirvana standalone; it might have been tweaked after Albini’s original production by REM collaborator Scott Lit, but this is still a raw affair with an iconic video from Control director Anton Corbijn. The clip won two awards at 1994’s MTV Video bash, after Cobain’s death; Grohl, Novoselic and Pat Smear (later of Foo Fighters), who’d played second guitar at late-period Nirvana live appearances. Fifteen years after its release, still the song strikes a chord.

 

Video: ‘Heart Shaped Box’ (official promo)

    • -

DiScuss: Fill in the blanks, readers… what are your favourite-ever Nirvana songs? Did you ever think Foo Fighters would become the stadium-playing act they are today after hearing that 1995 self-titled LP? Are you off to Wembley? Will you buy me a souvenir?

Nirvana Foo Fighters
From the archive

no

radio friendly unit shifter

tut tut

funkymp | 4 Jun '08, 14:43 | X | Reply

Let's say...

...it's about number 13, 14.

Love it.

It was quite tempting just to put In Utero tracks at 10 - 1.

Mike_Diver @funkymp | 4 Jun '08, 14:44 | X | Reply

I like how...

...you've managed to demean the two day Wembley event of the Foo Fighters spectacularly in just one article! :)

redsleepingrichey | 4 Jun '08, 14:46 | X | Reply

Nothing from 'Bleach'?

Even 'Negative Creep'?

SeymourMBA @redsleepingrichey | 4 Jun '08, 14:52 | X | Reply

Good odds.

SeymourMBA @Mike_Diver | 4 Jun '08, 14:53 | X | Reply

or About A Girl

SHOCKER.

Mike_Diver @SeymourMBA | 4 Jun '08, 14:56 | X | Reply

About a Girl

Dumb
Drain You
Pennyroyal tea
Breed

And I love In Bloom

Piwi | 4 Jun '08, 15:00 | X | Reply

Oh and how could you forget

Sliver!

Piwi @Piwi | 4 Jun '08, 15:02 | X | Reply

Didn't forget it.

Just limited this to ten.

Mike_Diver @Piwi | 4 Jun '08, 15:06 | X | Reply

My favourite three?

Probably 'Heart-Shaped Box' (which Courtney Love wrote in its entirety, obviously), 'School' and 'In Bloom'.

tom_edwards @Piwi | 4 Jun '08, 15:08 | X | Reply

I'm

On A Plain

foxhawk | 4 Jun '08, 15:18 | X | Reply

Are you deaf?

Aero Zeppelin? Scentless Apprentice? Tuneless guff.

Nevermind minus Stay Away + Something in the Way = Nirvana Top 10

HurricaneTommy @tom_edwards | 4 Jun '08, 15:19 | X | Reply

While you're never gonna win

formulating a list like this...to completely over look Bleach is crackers.

Aero Zeppelin and Oh The Guilt were the 'cool' picks - the proof you know your Nirvana back cat. You had to balance out the inevitability of SLTS and Lithium - that's understandable...

...but no Mr Moustache, School, Negative Creep or even About a Girl?

That is just insane.

themighty @Mike_Diver | 4 Jun '08, 15:19 | X | Reply

^this

BoyNamedTim @foxhawk | 4 Jun '08, 15:37 | X | Reply

I was pretty shocked at that too

Negative creep is an awesome song. I remember covering it with the first band I played in when I was 13 or 14 :D

twentyhertz @SeymourMBA | 4 Jun '08, 15:38 | X | Reply

I'd have considered

Breed, Sliver, and MV before Aero Zeppelin.

Apart from that, good list.

Teepee_uk @BoyNamedTim | 4 Jun '08, 15:45 | X | Reply

moist vagina...

...i wouldnt include that song in this list, its how i'd describe the editor.
except for scentless apprentice.

id also have the mtv unplugged version of something in the way.
thats fucking awesome.
and downer.

devastation | 4 Jun '08, 15:49 | X | Reply

I concur

Mr Moustache, School, Negative Creep, About a Girl.

4 of their best - don't see how bleach can be so ignored.

Didn't rate Insecticide highly at all.

Liked the posthumous 'You know you're right' though.

greenstone @devastation | 4 Jun '08, 16:03 | X | Reply

I think given Nirvana's hardly imtimidating back catalogue

An album summary with 3 'highlights' from each would've made more sense!

But anyway, good call on Scentless Apprentice and Aneurysm, no Polly? Seconds for On A Plain. #10 & #9 are odd choices if you ask me. I can see the 'cult' appeal but they don't really deserve top 10 status. Am I the only person who likes Know Your Rights? Quite possibly. I always liked Blew as well. Heart Shaped Box is a justified #1!

follup | 4 Jun '08, 16:04 | X | Reply

?sliver?

:(

too_black_too_strong | 4 Jun '08, 16:08 | X | Reply

Milk It

I was offered a ticket today to see the Foos on Sat. £60? No thanks. I've see them a bunch of times before, best ever was at the Astoria after Reading 2002.

starshaped | 4 Jun '08, 16:12 | X | Reply

Return of the Rat

Anyone? I love the simplicity of that song.. and I just do not understand Foo Fighters.. I didn't like them when I was 13-14 I still don't like them 10 years later!

I've even given them a chance live... utter pants.

Anthonyc | 4 Jun '08, 16:25 | X | Reply

Foo Fighters: Ah, they were sharp when they started

but gradually lost their edge. That first Reading show was incredible. It's been diminishing returns since the second album and no mistake.

Teepee_uk @Anthonyc | 4 Jun '08, 16:28 | X | Reply

aneurysm

so glad to see that song made the list

can't believe "about a girl" or "downer" (or anything off of bleach, for that matter) didn't make the list.

as for obscure nirvana tracks, "opinion" is definitely #1!

cherrycola | 4 Jun '08, 16:31 | X | Reply

My top 10

Alright after a little bit of thought no where near long enough for a proper one but here goes...

10. Territorial Pissing
9. Sliver
8. Return of the Rat
7. Aneuryism
6. Lounge Act
5. Heart Shaped Box
4. Lithium
3. Rape Me
2. About a girl
1. Scentless Appretice

... What do you think?

Anthonyc | 4 Jun '08, 16:35 | X | Reply

I very much like this,

and 'Heart-Shaped Box' (no hyphen, wut?) at number 1 is great but no 'Tourette's'! S'where i got my name from and everything.

moderaterock | 4 Jun '08, 16:35 | X | Reply

I completely agree

with number 1 and 2. Heart Shaped Box has always been my favourite, truly awesome, and Serve the Servants is an incredible opening track for the reasons stated above. One of those tracks- I think it was Heart Shaped Box had a much darker solo in the Albini version apparently, would be interested to hear that. Would have included Breed personally. Also love the cover of Where did you sleep last night.

Buck_Rogers @Teepee_uk | 4 Jun '08, 16:36 | X | Reply

a big fan of

Rape Me

jollyrogers @Anthonyc | 4 Jun '08, 16:46 | X | Reply

Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle

surely?
Bleach wise. Always been my favouite Nirvana album. Saw them twice on the Bleach tour supporting Tad. They were rather good back then. Whatever happened to that Nirvana band? Must be time for a come back soon.

So my 10 would be for the litle thats its worth:
Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
School
Floyd The Barber
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Milk It
Scentless Apprentice
Negative Creep
Breed
Sliver
PennyRoyal Tea

cheers

Smallstone @cherrycola | 4 Jun '08, 16:49 | X | Reply

Im heading to Wembley

to hear some good old fashioned sing along stadium rock on Friday! I can't keep up with all these new type bands with their boy girl singers, crap names, shit hair, and poxy casio keyboard noises!
Bah!
Animal Rolo Buttons or whatever??! Nah!!

jammin | 4 Jun '08, 16:54 | X | Reply

Seen the Foos twice

First time at V97 (great), second time at the O2 last November (not so great). They're just a cabaret act these days, aren't they? Seeing Dave Grohl presenting a bunch of links during the MTV awards show was the final nail in the coffin for me.

spiritofjazz @jammin | 4 Jun '08, 17:07 | X | Reply

No no no...

Negative Creep MUST be on there,
why no live tracks From The Muddy Banks?
Breed particularly...

Mind you I saw them at Reading in 1992, so I don't really care what you put cos they were a live band, not a studio band. ha haaaa!! *disappers up own arse for a shuffle around*

Wombat | 4 Jun '08, 17:15 | X | Reply

Gingers don't go grey!

We skip straight to white.
I plan to look like Billy Boswell from bread by the time I'm 60.
WIth a long white beard:)

Smallstone @Mike_Diver | 4 Jun '08, 17:40 | X | Reply

^ ^

More like it.

themighty @Smallstone | 4 Jun '08, 18:12 | X | Reply

I

quite liked very ape off in utero.

fargher | 4 Jun '08, 18:27 | X | Reply

That solo...

...on the original mix of Heart-Shaped Box sounds nasty. It's WAY too loud and has this obscene vibrato effect on it. Interesting to hear though definitely, as is the whole unmastered version of In Utero, which you can get on the mis-pressed 2004 vinyl reissue on Universal :-)

wordsfromrob @Buck_Rogers | 4 Jun '08, 19:05 | X | Reply

Never liked Teen Spirit

swap-in Come As You Are and I'm good. And I seem to remember (mostly Rolling Stone-ish critics mind) an equal number of In Utero haters as lovers at the time.

oceanRain | 4 Jun '08, 19:10 | X | Reply

All Apologies is a bit Hey Jude.

I prefer Dumb.

harru | 4 Jun '08, 19:18 | X | Reply

Spank Thru

is my favourite song by far, followed by Lithium, Verse Chorus Verse, Opinion, Aneurysm... Hmmm. Good list though, captures all angles of Kurt's greatness - styles etc.

Farrally | 4 Jun '08, 19:37 | X | Reply

or Blew

That bassline!

Crackity @Mike_Diver | 4 Jun '08, 19:47 | X | Reply

Even In His Youth & D7

Probably pointless to post now but I would vote on these two choices.

freezingthecat | 4 Jun '08, 20:40 | X | Reply

Good list

Top marks on Oh, The Guilt.

I'll do my top 10 in a bit..

JoeDiddly | 4 Jun '08, 20:42 | X | Reply

territorial...

pissing!

madsquirrel | 4 Jun '08, 21:02 | X | Reply

I love that song too,

Wipers cover :)

As for Foo Fighters, they're utter shite these days, but check out the debut self titled album, thats really good, I like to think of it as sounding like Beach Boys meets Dinosaur Jr :)
But yeah, everything there after is ballady shite unfortunately :(

julian_in_public @Anthonyc | 4 Jun '08, 21:10 | X | Reply

thought

that was where your got yer name fae :D

julian_in_public @moderaterock | 4 Jun '08, 21:12 | X | Reply

D-7

is a Wipers tune, as is Return of the Rat. Just saying, like. Surely that disqualifies them, as good as they are?

Anyway, fuck that - where's Dive, Diver? You've really pissed in my chips by not including that, you and your own personal taste.

Where are those Albini versions at? I heard they surfaced online some time ago, or was this just lies?

Hugo_A_GoGo @JoeDiddly | 4 Jun '08, 21:17 | X | Reply

whoopah

the albini mixes album, tis here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?12jr3tcu1yw

i'd imagine everyone on here has bought a copy of the original anyway, but do remove this post if it offends.

Seal @Hugo_A_GoGo | 4 Jun '08, 22:30 | X | Reply

Are you fucking mental?

Courtney Love's never written anything in her life. Apart from Kurt's suicide note.

markmywords @tom_edwards | 4 Jun '08, 22:46 | X | Reply

Oh my god

I've never heard this. Intense.

Thanks!

themighty @Seal | 4 Jun '08, 22:58 | X | Reply

School

Won't you belive it, it's just my luck!

madtmadt @madsquirrel | 4 Jun '08, 23:02 | X | Reply

ha

yeah it feels odd listening to it, skewed, after all this time of hearing and expecting certain things, something totally mundane pops up, like a couple of extra guitar chuggs or something, and throws you. i do love these versions, though sometimes the melodies kinda get lost in all the racket.

Seal @Seal | 4 Jun '08, 23:17 | X | Reply

Seal

Sod Adamski, you are awesome in your own right.

Hugo_A_GoGo @madtmadt | 4 Jun '08, 23:27 | X | Reply

sod Adamski?

you don't mean that.

Seal @Hugo_A_GoGo | 4 Jun '08, 23:37 | X | Reply

"Rabbits are comforting me insiiiiide..."

Well, that's what I thought it was.

plank201 @Smallstone | 4 Jun '08, 23:47 | X | Reply

^^This^^

Along with Lounge Act (good call), probably my favourite.

plank201 @fargher | 4 Jun '08, 23:49 | X | Reply

Milk It

that riff. the way Kurt screams on that...It's just immense. I'm not saying it to be cool or anything either, i fell in love with that song instantly like i did with no other Nirvana song. I hope if this was a top 11 it would of held that last spot.

other favourites include Serve the Servants. Pretty much agree with what is said about this by Mr Diver, including it's position inside the top 10.

I love Silver as well. Just a great little pop song.

pip_ | 5 Jun '08, 04:25 | X | Reply

Paper Cuts

is a song that has many many many fronts on and many many mnay emotions and is pretty fucking amazing.
The vocals are untouchable to this day.

I think.

He also says "Nirvana" for extra points..

Toni_Montana | 5 Jun '08, 07:30 | X | Reply

ahahahahaha

serious LOL

Toni_Montana @markmywords | 5 Jun '08, 07:36 | X | Reply

Am I alone for not really liking Heart Shaped Box and Scentless Apprentice?

I liked Nirvana a lot back in the day but I was very disappointed with In Utero in the main - the songs not the recording - and I still struggle to find too many gems on it.

saps | 5 Jun '08, 08:03 | X | Reply

one more solo?

cyberdemon @alcxxk | 5 Jun '08, 09:35 | X | Reply

Another vote for le 'tache

Mister Moustache is brilliant.

Good list, SLTS had to be on there just for it's sigificance in the band/music at the time but I could have taken Lithium out of there quite easily.

I know Servants has a great opener, but I think the line "I tried hard to have a father but instead I had a dad" is brilliant.

As for the Foo Fighters, I want DiS to stick it's neck out and do a Foo's list as well! Go on I dare thee!

darkanddivine @saps | 5 Jun '08, 09:43 | X | Reply

this one

knows it. milk it. concur fully.

karla9 @starshaped | 5 Jun '08, 10:10 | X | Reply

Am I alone

In thinking Nirvana weren't actually that good?

dragonhead | 5 Jun '08, 10:44 | X | Reply

Probably not

I don't listen to them now, but I loved them back in the day, and they definatley changed my music taste.

Shocked there's no 'School' in here, that song is brilliant.

steveholt @dragonhead | 5 Jun '08, 11:32 | X | Reply

DFA1979

The best foo's gig i went to was at the astoria a few years back (before reading I think i was)...purely for the fact DFA1979 were supporting! yeahhhh.

the_milkiest_jag @steveholt | 5 Jun '08, 11:46 | X | Reply

My top ten would be (actually is)…

• Dive
• Even In His Youth
• Sappy (criminal that this was overlooked)
• Very Ape
• Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
• Talk To Me
• Oh, The Guilt
• Heart Shaped Box
• Negative Creep
• Lounge Act

And I'd have 'I Hate Myself and I Want To Die' as a hidden bonus track ;)

forenamesurname | 5 Jun '08, 14:08 | X | Reply

any excuse

to say I was at Reading 92 for the "grunge" day, highlight of my life that... my top ten:

1) tourettes
2) smells like teen spirit (outcesticide version with flea chili pepper on trumpet)
3) milk it
4) all apologies (reading 92 version)
5) floyd the barber (that riff!)
6) drain you
7) frances farmer will have...
8) big long now (yes, dirgey but great)
9) aero zeppelin (awesome riffathon too)
10) something obscure, probably one of kurt's acoustic demos that sound like charles manson :D

amyblue @forenamesurname | 5 Jun '08, 14:29 | X | Reply

yeah

im not impressed at all.
a mate jus text sayin he had a spare ticket.
"do you want it, or are you working?"
"neither" was my reply, i just dont want to spend all that money on travel, ticket and booze just to see an average guitar band and their sweaty gamesworkshopping fans.

devastation @Anthonyc | 5 Jun '08, 14:39 | X | Reply

Sounds like

a beast of a gig.

Farrally @the_milkiest_jag | 5 Jun '08, 15:11 | X | Reply

Breed

yeah!

st_nick_ @Teepee_uk | 5 Jun '08, 15:27 | X | Reply

Beach Boys meets Dinosaur Jr

you mean Floaty, yeah? ;-)

st_nick_ @julian_in_public | 5 Jun '08, 15:28 | X | Reply

^this

in utero = a massive heart emoticon

henrybenryo @Mike_Diver | 5 Jun '08, 17:39 | X | Reply

You Know You're Right

may well be on my list... what does anyone else think of this song? I like it alot.

henrybenryo @henrybenryo | 5 Jun '08, 17:43 | X | Reply

Covers

Thought their cover of Where did you sleep last nite and Love Buzz were pretty good too. And I'm a fan of Sliver and Been a Son.

QM79 | 5 Jun '08, 20:28 | X | Reply

rip it up and start again

do a top 50, with dis readers voting.

a_ghost_is_bored @QM79 | 6 Jun '08, 13:38 | X | Reply

There was this other Nirvana album called Bleach

pm me and I'll tell you how to get a copy

rue_the_day | 7 Jun '08, 21:13 | X | Reply

radio friendly unit shifter

would replace scentless apprentice in my list. and 'i hate myself and i want to die' in place of 'oh the guilt'.

marke | 8 Jun '08, 10:49 | X | Reply

Shocking

that hardly anyone thinx that Come as you are should be here.

frankenchrist | 8 Jun '08, 18:02 | X | Reply

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