Facts About the Nevermind Album:

• Released on September 24, 1991 by the David Geffen Company
• Recorded at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California
• Produced by Butch Vig
• The album became successful from singles like "Smells like Teen Spirit," "Come as You Are," "Lithium," and "In Bloom."
• By February of 1992, it reached #1 album on the Billboard charts, even knocking down Michael Jackson's album Dangerous
• It's a concept album because the songs have lyrics about being your own person and not fitting in with the rest of society and the loneliness that comes along with that. Cobain and his band members felt alienated in life from their peers.
• Music experts felt that this album really spoke to the current generation of young people and started a musical revolution of sorts about rebelling against the norm. Their style continues to influence current music.

Track Listing and Time Stamps on Nevermind:

• "Smells like Teen Spirit" (5:01)
• "In Bloom" (4:14)
• "Come as You Are" (3:39)
• "Breed" (3:03)
• "Lithium" (4:17)
• "Polly" (2:57)
• "Territorial Pissings" (2:22)
• "Drain You" (3:43)
• "Lounge Act" (2:36)
• "Stay Away" (3:32)
• "On a Plain" (3:16)
• "Something in the Way" (3:46)
• Bonus track- "Endless, Nameless" (6:42)

Song Analyses:

• "Smells like Teen Spirit"-

This driving rock anthem resonated with teenagers everywhere, and acts almost as an explanation as to why teens are the way they are- reckless, fun-loving, and carefree. This song can also be seen as a call to parents to listen to their teens, no matter how difficult they are. The drum kit seems to be the focus of this track, and Cobain's vocals give the raw, grungy edge that this band is known for.

• "In Bloom"-

This track is about being true to yourself. The lyrics express how people might try to fit into a group, but they don't know the true meaning of what they're getting into. The band leans a little more into the pop spectrum here, but still has Cobain's raw vocals and strong drums and guitar.

• "Come as You Are"-

Riding on the idea from the last song, this track echoes the need for people to be honest and true to yourself. Cobain supposedly didn't like posers and people who were trying to fit in where they weren't truly into it, so these lyrics were about his honest thoughts. Instrumentally, this piece is a little bit softer, and a little bit more introspective about Cobain's personal thoughts about being true to himself.

• "Breed"-

This hard rock song is very fast and heavy and guitar and drums. Cobain's vocals are not as prominent in this song, but he still manages to deliver a catchy chorus. The raspy, raw sound that Cobain gives here gives the song the grunge punk edge that the band is known for. The message here is not caring about what you're doing and not needing to do what others expect you to do. There are stereotypes about you need to do in your life, and this song talks about taking your own path.

• "Lithium"-

This song is about accepting loneliness and doing what you want without caring what others will think. Cobain and his fellow band members often didn't feel that they fit in anywhere, so these lyrics explore those feelings. These lyrics are also schizophrenic in the ideas they pose, so this song is probably also talking about the drug lithium because it can be used to calm people and avoid mood swings. The catchy guitar part and constant drums will make this song stick in your head.

• "Polly"-

This track is acoustic style and much more subdued than any other song on the album. There's only light guitar along with some vocal harmonies, which we usually don't see anywhere else on this album. Supposedly, this song was inspired by a true story about a girl who got abducted a few years prior to this album being made. It's at least about using someone and making them do whatever you want them to, so this could also be talking about being in an abusive relationship, which Cobain has admitted to being a part of. Because this song is slower and only has an acoustic guitar and no drums, it crosses over into the progressive side of things rather than their typical hard rock sound.

• "Territorial Pissings"-

By the end of this song, Cobain is screaming instead of singing, almost like he's getting more angry with himself as he repeats the chorus. Everything about this song is aggressive, so this song is not for the faint of heart. The lyrics here are about finding a way to figure out where you belong and trying to find a path for yourself to follow. The title is probably referring to how animals like to mark their territory by urinating on their land, so people have got "to find a way" to find their own territory where they feel like they belong. This song is more on the punk side of the band

• "Drain You"-

The focus goes back to being on Cobain's vocals here. About halfway through, there's a break with a psychedelic guitar solo and an interesting percussion part, which is a different sound for the band unlike other songs on this album. Maybe this song lyrically goes back to the idea of being in an abusive relationship and the control and obsession someone can have with another person.

• "Lounge Act"-

Cobain again goes from regular singing to eventually yelling on this track. Instrumentally, the bass guitar comes to the forefront of this song, having a solo in the intro and a distorted chord to end it. This song references back to "Smells like Teen Spirit" with a line in the chorus- "I still smell her on you." This song seems to be about getting too deep in a relationship and having to put up emotional walls when you know you're going to get heartbroken by your partner.

• "Stay Away"-

This track questions everything about mainstream culture and instead of going along with it, going against it. Cobain thinks we need to "stay away" from joining everyone else and we shouldn't copy things that everyone else does. He specifically points out how he is against popular things when he says he'd "rather be dead than cool"- status doesn't matter; be your own person instead. The drums are constant and driving here, with guitar and bass in the background.

• "On a Plain"-

This is another track that sounds typical of the band, except at a slightly slower tempo than their other songs on the album. Cobain's vocals are very even here, and don't become strained. The song ends with harmonized singing and no instrumentals, which is different for them. This song is pretty much a basic hard rock song, and doesn't seem to cross any lines into more punk or grunge. This track is about self-acceptance and loving yourself, and not being controlled or swayed by anyone else.

• "Something in the Way"-

This piece doesn't sound like what you would expect from this group at all. It's slow and subdued, with only 2 different verses that are repeated to make up the lyrics. Even Cobain's vocals are much softer here. The guitar is a gentle acoustic guitar at first. The drums only come in on the verse that gives the song its name, and then a soft electric one joins in with the drums. This song, like the earlier track "Polly," crosses more into being progressive than punk or grunge. The lyrics refer to what it feels like to have something stand in the way of your happiness and not being able to live the life you want.

• "Endless, Nameless"-

The band added this track to come 10 minutes after the final song on the album. They probably added this to act as their final thoughts about the album, as it feels very cathartic. Cobain screams the vocals for the first part of the song, so the words are indistinguishable. The second part of the song focuses on bass and drums, which are all over the place; they seem to be doing whatever they think feels right, again adding to the idea of being an emotional release for the band. This makes sense because this album is full of emotion and inner thoughts, with most of them on unhappy topics like loneliness and finding yourself and self-acceptance.