On what would have been Kurt Cobain’s 54th birthday (for seven more minutes anyway, it’s nearly midnight as I type this) I would like to share with you the legendary sleevenotes for the 1992 compilation, Incesticide. I also hope you enjoy the oil painting of Kurt by Todd Bienvenu (above) & the video for early Nirvana single, Sliver. Much love.
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Day 23. Here’s another excellent cover of a Cure song by an American Indie Rock heavyweight. This time it’s Dinosaur Jr’s rollicking version of Just Like Heaven. The romantic Pop brilliance is translated smoothly into the band’s fuzzy, Grungey style & Lou Barlow’s screaming chorus elevates it into another realm entirely. & If you’re not sold by that, & the awesome video, surely J Mascis’s incredible guitar work should win you over.
Show me, show me, show me how you do that trick
The one that makes me scream she said
The one that makes me laugh she said
Threw her arms around my neck
Show me how you do it and I’ll promise you
I’ll promise that I’ll run away with you, I’ll run away with youSpinning on that dizzy edge
Kissed her face and kissed her head
Dreamed of all the different ways, I had to make her glow
Why are you so far away she said
Why won’t you ever know that I’m in love with you?
That I’m in love with you?You, soft and only, you lost and lonely
You, strange as angels
Dancing in the deepest oceans
Twisting in the water
You’re just like a dream
You’re just like a dreamDaylight licked me into shape
I must have been asleep for days
And moving lips to breathe her name
I opened up my eyes
And found myself alone, alone, alone above a raging sea
That stole the only girl I loved and drowned her deep inside of meYou soft and only
You lost and lonely
You just like heaven
Looking for some great music? Check out the Song of the Day (Covers) Spotify playlist.
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Day 9. Little Roy’s 2011 album Battle For Seattle consists exclusively of covers of Nirvana tunes in a deep, traditional Roots Reggae style. While I enjoyed the whole album, for me Very Ape was the surprise sleeper hit for me. The one song on the album which shouldn’t have worked but somehow ended up being the standout.
I am buried up to my neck in
Contradictionary lies
I take pride as the king of illiterature
I’m very ape and very niceIf you ever need anything please don’t hesitate
to ask someone else first
I’m too busy acting like I’m not naive.
I’ve seen it all I was here firstOut of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the dirt
Looking for some great music? Check the Song of the Day (Covers) Spotify playlist.
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Day 30. The link today is actually the recording studio. Yesterdays Pearl Jam tune & Them Bones by Alice In Chains were both recorded at London Bridge Studios in Seattle.
Them Bones is downtempo Grunge done to perfection. Atmospheric, Black Sabbath riffs, driving rhythms & fantastic vocal harmonies combine to create an oppressive & expressive atmosphere. For me personally, Them Bones takes me right back to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It’s inclusive on the rock stations fairly short playlist ensuring that I’ve probably heard it hundreds, if not thousands, of times in that particular setting.
I believe them bones are me
Some say we’re born into the grave
I feel so alone
Gonna end up a big ole pile a them bonesDust rise right on over my time
Empty fossil of the new scene
I feel so alone
Gonna wind up a big ole pile a them bones
Toll due bad dream come true
I lie dead gone under red sky
I feel so alone,
Gonna end up a big ole pile a themI feel so alone
Gonna end up a big ole pile a them
I feel so alone
Gonna end up a big ole pile a them bones
Keep up to date with the Song of the Day (The Chain) Spotify playlist.
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Day 29. From a song about an American teenager opening fire on her school to a song about another kind of American school shooting. Jeremy is about a 15 year old boy, Jeremy Delle, who committed suicide in front of his English class by self inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Interestingly, the same set of circumstances seemed to contribute to Delle’s suicide as many more famous school shootings. Chiefly that Delle, like many school shooters, was mercilessly bullied by his classmates.
Pearl Jam wrote Jeremy in a bid to increase awareness of gun violence (specifically in schools), teen suicide & the dangers of unchecked bullying. As the description to the YouTube video states, “the themes of Jeremy highlighted by Pearl Jam in 1991, have sadly only become more relevant in the intervening 30 years as gun deaths continue to increase.”
At home drawing pictures
Of mountain tops
With him on top
Lemon yellow sun
Arms raised in a VDead lay in pools of maroon below
Daddy didn’t give attention
Oh, to the fact that mommy didn’t care
King Jeremy the wicked
Oh, ruled his worldJeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Clearly I remember
Pickin’ on the boySeemed a harmless little fuck
But we unleashed the lion
Gnashed his teeth and bit the recessed lady’s breastHow could I forget
And he hit me with a surprise left
My jaw left hurtingDropped wide open
Just like the day
Oh like the day I heard
Daddy didn’t give affectionAnd the boy was something that mommy wouldn’t wear
King Jeremy the wicked
Ruled his worldJeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class todayTry to forget this (try to forget this)
Try to erase this (try to erase this)
From the blackboardJeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in
Spoke in
Jeremy spoke in
Spoke in
Jeremy spoke in class todayUh uh uh uh (spoke in, spoke in, spoke in)
(Spoke in)
Uh uh uh uh (spoke in, spoke in, spoke in)
Whoa oh (spoke in)
(Spoke in, spoke in)
Whoa oh (spoke in)
Whoa oh (spoke in, spoke in, spoke in)
Ah ah ah yeah
Ah ah ah ah (spoke in, spoke in, spoke in)
Yeah yeah ah ah ah (spoke in, spoke in, spoke in)
Ah ah ah ah ah
Keep up to date with the Song of the Day (The Chain) Spotify playlist.
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Day 26.I’m rolling with the production angle here. Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor was also heavily involved with producing most early Marilyn Manson albums, up until Antichrist Superstar.
Tourniquet is a kind of Grunge/Goth combination, with Art Rock & Industrial colouring. Far from the pummelling Metal onslaught the hype & hysteria would have led you to believe. From the vantage point of 2020, it’s easy to forget how much reactionary christian & conservative groups were frightened by this. It’s absurd. Almost like they had nothing else to worry about.
I caught you watching me under the light
Can I be your line?
They say it’s easy to leave you behind
I don’t wanna try
Come and take that test
Hold courage to your chest
Don’t wanna wait for you
Don’t wanna have to lose
All that I compromised to feel another high
I’ve got to keep it down tonight
And oh, oh, oh
I was a king under your control
And oh, oh, oh
I wanna feel like you’ve let me go
So let me go
Don’t you remember how I used to like
Being on the line?
I dreamed you dreamed of me calling out my name
Is it worth the price?
Come and take that test
Hold courage to your chest
Don’t wanna wait for you
Don’t wanna have to lose
All that I compromised to feel another high
I’ve got to keep it down tonight
And oh, oh, oh
I was a king under your control
And oh, oh, oh
I wanna feel like you’ve let me go
So let me go
Yeah
Let me go
Just let me go
Let me go
Keep up to date with the Song of the Day (The Chain) Spotify playlist.
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Scruffy Theory 