THE UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES OF GROWING OLD # 1

OK I'm not a parent  - came close but no cigar - but I'm aware of many of the issues that arise when bringing up children, particularly when they become teens and near adulthood.

I was listening to that excellent Patti Smith album Twelve today and in particular the Nirvana song Smells like Teen Spirit.

Now this song has been touted as an anthem for a generation of disaffected youth (1990's Millennials) and I must admit that I've always liked it - both the Nirvana version and Smith's who has absolutely cracked it but.........

...... What the fuck is it all about?

I'm sure that there are lists of songs that no-one knows what the meaning is (Macarthur's Park,
My Gentle Giant, (just kidding it doesn't have lyrics - Hey! Maybe Robert could wrote sum), anything by Paul McCartney when he had the Wings group, All of Rihanna's songs, The Ying Tong Song etc.)

What came to mind when listening to this was:
 "what does the woman, who was say 18 when this song was released (1991) and saw herself as  the new generation rebelling against the old fogeys who went before, say to her children now who are perhaps between 15 and 20?"

If they ask her:
"Mum, what's that all about - that song that you liked and that history says is the anthem of youth?"
What the hell is she going to say?

"It wasn't me"

You work it out.

"Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Load up on guns, bring your friendsIt's fun to lose and to pretendShe's over bored and self assuredOh no, I know a dirty word
Hello, hello, hello, how low? [x3]Hello, hello, hello!
With the lights out, it's less dangerousHere we are now, entertain usI feel stupid and contagiousHere we are now, entertain usA mulattoAn albinoA mosquitoMy libidoYeah, hey, yay
I'm worse at what I do bestAnd for this gift I feel blessedOur little group has always beenAnd always will until the end
Hello, hello, hello, how low? [x3]Hello, hello, hello!
With the lights out, it's less dangerousHere we are now, entertain usI feel stupid and contagiousHere we are now, entertain usA mulattoAn albinoA mosquitoMy libidoYeah, hey, yay
And I forget just why I tasteOh yeah, I guess it makes me smileI found it hard, it's hard to findOh well, whatever, never mind
Hello, hello, hello, how low? [x3]Hello, hello, hello!
With the lights out, it's less dangerousHere we are now, entertain usI feel stupid and contagiousHere we are now, entertain usA mulattoAn albinoA mosquitoMy libido

PATTI SMITH VERSION

NIRVANA VERSION

I just had a thought - Kurt Curbain, writer of the song and lead guy in Nirvana was in his early years a caretaker/cleaner at a high scholl (hence the cleaner sequences in the video). Maybe Second Fiddle could shed some light on these lyrics.