10 Song Lyrics That Nobody Understands
8. I Wish I Could Eat Your Cancer When You Turn Black - Nirvana
Kurt Cobain was never one to dwell on his lyrics for too long. As has been stated by his former bandmates, Cobain's main focus for a song was a melody, with the words being thrown together much later in the writing process. Given the more abstract writing tools, "Heart Shaped Box" started off being fairly straightforward.
The chorus' lament of people waiting for a new complaint seems to be a direct jab at the paparazzi storm that was following the band around at the time. The verses seem to tell a different story, offering up more romantic sentiments that are both sexual and devotional at the same time. However, the line about eating cancer seems to bring a weird ominous turn to the song's love theme. Could it be talking about taking away pain or could Cobain be talking about literally eating a malicious disease?
Unfortunately, Cobain is no longer with us to comment on the matter. Over the years, many people close to Cobain have tried to explain it further, offering up everything from his unwanted celebrity status to his wife Courtney Love's...ahem...sexual organs. Whether it be vulgar or just innocent wordplay, the tune never fails to instill strange sonic pictures in your mind.