Today’s Track Of The Day is a deep dive into a pool of reminiscing.. back to the 90s, grunge, and Nirvana, a three-piece from Seattle: Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl.
I have memories of being spellbound in front of Nirvana on MTV Unplugged (and all of its many replays on VHS), and having cassette tapes full of Nirvana tracks, including ‘the weird ones’ like “Molly’s Lips”. To me, Nirvana has always had a sense of mystery and mystique around it, with beautiful moments of rawness.
“All Apologies” is a snapshot of Nirvana, with simple yet iconic riffs, matter-of-fact yet ambiguous lyrics, the beauty of cello, as well as guitar distortion and heavy drumbeats.
“What else could I write?
I don’t have the right
What else should I be?
All apologies”
Lyrically “All Apologies” feels like an expression from Kurt of confusion with who he is and how he’s supposed to be; literally apologising for himself and his existence. You could read his questioning as an attempt to adjust himself, or justify why he doesn’t.
Kurt refers to the sun as being a relief of that frustration, inspiring in him a feeling of being ‘as one’; the ‘in the sun’ sections feeling noticeably lighter and free-er than the heavy angst and questioning of the verses. The hint at oneness also being repeated in the closing of the track.
“All in all is all we all are”
Such an amazing track, and I for one am grateful that music lives on.. a piece of creativity left behind even if the human that made it couldn’t stay.
