13 November 2020 - Nirvana - Heart-Shaped Box

Thus far, we have avoided In Utero, Nirvana's followup to Nevermind.

That was not purposeful.  Nirvana had a short catalog, but it was deep, and so it's hard to fit everything into one week.  We're trying, though.  

This song wasn't actually a single, because DGC, their record label, didn't want to cannibalize album sales.  Nevertheless, the song got an awful lot of airplay.  But what's it about?  It is said that it is about children with cancer... but some, and by some, we mean Courtney Love, think the song is about her.... and her vagina.  

Kurt's not here to tell us what this song is about, but he did leave the song behind for all of us to question and ponder.... and enjoy.

Let's look at the song live, where you can really hear Kurt belt the song. More apparent here are Dave Grohl's harmonies (with Pat Smear adding some vocal assistance).   Most apparent to me is Kurt's reluctance to be in the spotlight.    

12 November 2020 - Nirvana - In Bloom

By the time "In Bloom" was released as a single, Nirvana was about ready to give a middle finger to corporate rock and roll.

Except they were corporate rock and roll.  So that posed an issue.

This video was their temporary solution.

Longtime fans of Nirvana know that this was the 2nd time they had recorded the song.  It was originally released as a single - with this video - in 1990.  The song was originally recorded before Dave Grohl joined the band - and the video recorded right after.  Whereas the later single and Nevermind version includes Grohl on harmonies - the scream going into the chorus and the chorus itself is actually two voices - this version contains no such harmony vocal.  

11 November 2020 - Nirvana - Sliver

From the B-sides compilation Incesticide, this song was a great single all by itself.   

Let me say that again.

This was a non-album single, not deemed good enough for Nevermind.  It was a throwaway song.  It's also a perfect Nirvana song - showing the time before the band got so large.   

Two notes on the video.  First, the song doesn't actually feature Dave Grohl on drums, as it was recorded before he joined the band. Rather, Dan Peters from Mudhoney was the drummer on this single.  Second, and cutest, that's Frances Bean Cobain dancing at the beginning of the video.

Enjoy!

However, just because Dave Grohl didn't appear on the original single, it doesn't mean he didn't perform the song......

10 November 2020 - Nirvana - About A Girl

Most of you know this version of this song.  It was recorded before Kurt Cobain's death as part of an MTV Unplugged special, and released as a single in late 1994, after his death.  It's a pretty sounding song....

.....that was actually on their debut album, Bleach, in a very different version.  What I find amazing, though, is that the same emotion shines through in BOTH versions.  

9 November 2020 - Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

It's been a long time since we've used the Hall of Fame label.  

I decided that Nirvana deserved it.  

I don't usually open a Hall of Fame week with a band's biggest hit, but this one was so intensely genre-breaking I wanted it to go first.   I want to put it in 1991 context, though.

In 1991, when Nirvana made this video, which completely mocks music videos in general, they were big in Seattle, but not really anywhere else.  They had major label money, but they didn't spend a lot of money on this video, in relative terms.   And we know the day the video was made - August 17, 1991 - because they advertised for it.

Actual casting call for "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Turns out this little video, which Kurt called his attempt to "rip off the Pixies", struck a chord with the youth of America, including me.    Here's the song that started it all.   

7 November 2020 - Miley Cyrus - Party In The U.S.A.

We rarely post on Saturday.  But when a decade-old song reenters the Billboard charts..... well, we notice.  

And, according to Variety, that's exactly what's happened today   The song last was on the charts in 2009, when it peaked at #2.  We will be watching closely to see how high it goes this time.  

Now, it's important to note that we are not posting this song as a political statement (feel free to PM this page if you want to know how we voted.  We are not shy), but we DO recognize that a lot of people are happy about today's news, so we're happy to share music we enjoy.

And, because we love the song (written by a Brit, Jessie J, no less!) and we love live alternate versions, here you go.

28 October 2020 - Lena Katina - Never Forget / No Voy a Olvidarte

Frequent readers of Totally Covered already know who Lena Katina is.  Longtime readers of this blog know she's been here before.  

For the rest of you - Lena Katina was one half of a Russian duo named t.A.T.u., who played up a public lesbianism that wasn't real (evidenced by her bandmate's deeply homophobic statements about a decade later).  After t.A.T.u. went on hiatus to pursue solo careers in 2009, Lena took full advantage of the shot and made some really good pop music.  

I don't think it takes a genius to know that this song is about the death of t.A.T.u.  No, Yulia, her bandmate, isn't dead - but they didn't end on great terms (but did reform in 2014 for the Winter Olympics). The song, from 2011, was Lena's debut single and her biggest hit to date.  The video itself is a funeral for Lena and Yulia, as a symbolic and respectful end to t.A.T.u.   It became a worldwide hit.   

 

Of course, this being a member of t.A.T.u., there is an uncensored version of the video.