Seattle of all places, – the green, livable, cosmopolitan city in the far northwestern corner of the United States, on the Pacific coast near the Canadian border; home to Boeing engineers, IT pioneers, academics, and universities: Seattle was the birthplace of the new style of popular music known as grunge.
Of course, teenagers in Seattle were angry and confused too – perhaps just a little more sensitive in their anger, a little more reflective in their confusion than elsewhere. In 1989, England first took notice of Seattle’s unique music scene, though at the time it was still an underground phenomenon. Just a few years later, however, grunge had become the biggest thing in pop music – and Seattle the center of the rock universe. This blend of punk energy and metal heaviness marked a major turning point in pop history – the sound of Generation X. These were “big, seismic shifts,” as “Weird Al” Yankovic later put it.
The band that triggered the great grunge earthquake was Nirvana. Their debut album, Bleach, had barely cracked the U.S. Top 100 in 1989. But two years later, everything suddenly fell into place. They had found the right drummer (Dave Grohl), the right label (DGC, the David Geffen Company), the right producer (Butch Vig), and the right studio in Los Angeles. Above all, they had found the right musical formula. It wasn’t just the heaviness of metal or the anger of punk – it also included a touch of pop sensibility: compact, singable melodies. Kurt Cobain, the band’s creative force, wanted his music to combine “Led Zeppelin, extreme punk rock, and really whiny pop songs.” His biggest inspiration was the Boston band Pixies – he identified with them so strongly that he could imagine joining them. Instead, he made Nirvana’s second album. It became one of the most successful albums in music history, earning thirteen-times Platinum certification in the United States alone.
Nevermind and its first single, Smells Like Teen Spirit, were released in September 1991. During the subsequent European tour, it became clear that something extraordinary was happening.
Cobain’s raspy voice, the melancholy lyrics, the dramatic contrasts between quiet and loud passages, between clean and distorted guitars – this Nirvana formula struck like lightning. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” became the anthem of an entire generation. All three band members – Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl – spent a long time perfecting the song’s tempo. The title came from a remark made by one of Cobain’s friends; he himself did not realize that “Teen Spirit” referred to a deodorant brand. The product had only recently been introduced in 1991. The single, too, sold millions of copies.
The album cover originated from one of Cobain’s whims. He had seen something on television about water births or infant swimming classes. A photographer was hired and went to a swimming pool with a friend and the friend’s four-month-old baby, taking a series of photographs. The image of the baby with outstretched arms (the dollar bill, of course, was added in post) became world-famous. Thirty years later, however, the former baby filed a lawsuit over the image, alleging child pornography. The case has been dismissed multiple times, but the dispute continues. Kurt Cobain surely never anticipated such consequences. In 1994, he took his own life, bringing Nirvana to an end while also cementing the band’s legendary status. At least Cobain lived long enough to see the tribute from “Weird Al” Yankovic. For his album cover, Yankovic himself jumped into the water – wearing swim trunks.
Yankovic is America’s uncrowned king of musical parody. He loves recreating pop songs with remarkable accuracy while replacing the original lyrics with humorous new ones. His specialty is food – eating, overeating, and gaining weight. He turned Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” into “Eat It” and “Bad” into “Fat.” When Jackson released “Black or White” in late 1991, Yankovic wanted to parody it as “Snack All Night.” Jackson was a fan of Yankovic, but he considered that song too important to be turned into a joke and withheld permission. Nirvana’s breakthrough hit arrived at just the right moment. Yankovic reached Cobain by telephone, assured him that the parody would not be about food, and received his blessing. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” became “Smells Like Nirvana” – a song about how difficult the band’s lyrics were to understand purely by listening. To mimic Cobain’s mumbling vocal style, Yankovic reportedly stuffed cookies in his mouth and gargled water while recording. The members of Nirvana are said to have laughed heartily at the result. Cobain himself was reportedly a particular fan of “Smells Like Nirvana.” Once that parody existed, it was almost inevitable that Nevermind would serve as the template for Yankovic’s album cover. The entire CD booklet imitates Nevermind. Yankovic’s music video was likewise modeled on the original “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video.
There is even more comedy on Yankovic’s album Off the Deep End, including a parody of MC Hammer’s rap hit “U Can’t Touch This” and another spoof incorporating songs by Milli Vanilli. The album also features a polka medley containing more than a dozen popular choruses from a wide range of artists, including Metallica, Janet Jackson, Suzanne Vega, and Billy Idol. In addition, there are several original Yankovic songs that merely imitate the musical styles of various influences. Thanks in part to its connection with Nirvana, Yankovic’s album also became a major success, eventually earning Platinum certification in the United States. In concert, Yankovic always performed “Smells Like Nirvana” wearing a platinum-blond Kurt Cobain wig.
Nirvana – Nevermind (DGC, 1991)
“Weird Al” Yankovic – Off the Deep End (Rock ’n’ Roll Records, 1992)
Find Nirvana – Nevermind on discogs.com.
Find “Weird Al” Yankovic – Off the Deep End on discogs.com.