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Nirvana's surviving members perform with Post Malone at SNL 50th anniversary concert
The iconic group's surviving members Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear performed 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' at the event.
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About This Track
Originally titled 'Formula', 'Drain You' was written in 1990 and first recorded in spring 1991 when Kurt Cobain and drummer Dave Grohl visited Melvins drummer Dale Crover in San Francisco on their way to the sessions that became Nevermind. According to Cobain, the song was written about a dorky, old-fashioned kind of love, and it became one of his favourite tracks from the album.
The lyrics adopt the voice of mutual dependence taken to grotesque extremes. Cobain sings "It is now my duty to completely drain you" and describes pre-chewing meat and passing it mouth to mouth, the imagery of infection and fluids reframing intimacy as something parasitic and oddly tender at once. The chorus lands on the plainest declaration possible after all that viscera: "I like you."
Performed at most Nirvana concerts from its composition until the band's breakup, 'Drain You' remained a live staple, its instrumental breakdown and riffing sections giving the song a looser, more volatile energy onstage than the studio version suggests.
"Drain You" is a track by Nirvana, released 24th September 1991. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 1 article about Nirvana.
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