10 Worst Hard Rock Lyrics Of The '90s

Ever since he started writing songs, Kurt Cobain was always more concerned with a melody than anything else. Born in the old tradition of John Lennon, Cobain always threw together as many great melodic phrases he could, all while writing the lyrics at the last minute. That spontaneity did end up giving us gems like "In Bloom" and "Lithium," but other times you get tracks like "Blew."

Coming as the first song on Nirvana's debut record Bleach, the song doesn't really say much but instead goes for a vain attempt to be early stoner rock. With a detuned riff and a vocal melody following the guitar, Cobain sings like he is deliberately trying to sound blitzed out of his mind. Though the song eventually picks up in the chorus, the lyrics behind the aggressive guitar stabs are not anything to write home about.

Each respective sentence feels like Cobain trying to find different rhymes that go together, with questions about "stains" being undercut by "stress and shame." Once we've gotten too confused, Cobain lets us off the hook by saying "here is another word that rhymes with shame," as if he's breaking the fourth wall of songwriting. The line does seem pretty funny after you've heard it the first time, but when you start listening further, you realize this is just one great tune with lyrics that are just taking the piss.