“Come As You Are” was the first Nirvana song that I remember hearing. It was easy to get the guitar intro stuck in your head or the image of Kurt Cobain swinging from a chandelier. It’s one of the most iconic grunge songs, after all. The rest of it was a mystery to me, not least the unsettling lyrics of the chorus. It remained so for a while, and even after hearing and being blown away by “Nevermind,” the group’s poppy and punk ticket to platinum success.
What do the lyrics of “Come As You Are” actually tell us about Cobain? What is the story of this iconic song and video? It’s my mission today to try and to reveal this.
Nirvana’s Journey to Making “Come As You Are”
Had Nirvana never recorded the “Nevermind” album, what would the group’s legacy be? Would Cobain be a complete unknown? No, “Bleach,” the group’s debut, has “cult band” status written all over it.
And while Nirvana was an underground punk band struggling to find some success, “Nevermind” was a massive step forward. Songs like “Come As You Are” were constructed for maximum commercial impact. And, yes, Cobain probably regretted part of his manoeuvring, I think.
The Meaning of the Lyrics to “Come As You Are”
I know, having read so much about the man, that a good deal of the stories about Kurt Cobain are simply myth. The inexperienced musician was a great rock star. That was not only because of his talent, but also, I think, the result of a keen eye for fashioning stories and manipulating the media.
One myth that is, however, confirmed by anecdotes as well as song lyrics is Cobain’s disgust with norms, mainstream society, and, yes, commercial expectations. “Come As You Are” was written on the brink of Nirvana becoming famous and is a song about the anticipation that comes with it.
I suppose that, like Morrissey in The Smiths, a band that Cobain both ridiculed and admired, Cobain also reviled the working life and adult responsibilities. The song’s lyrics, “Take your time, hurry up,” likely refer to the way that people in all walks of life are made to behave a certain way.
Cobain is supposed to have said about the song that it is: “About people, and what they’re expected to act like.” It is, like many of the songs on “Nevermind,” a punk-rock manifesto, albeit one written by a confused young man.
Of course, many of Cobain’s lyrics from the time are stream-of-consciousness writing. The repeated lyric of “I don’t have a gun,” was destined to shock post-1994 listeners. It likely means precisely what you think it does.
Cobain also, as he did on “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” tosses in phrases he’d seen in advertisements. “Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach“ is a play on a slogan used in a Seattle campaign meant to help heroin users quit. The original line of advice was “If doused in mud, soak in bleach.”
I don’t think that history ought to forget just how ambitious Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl were. The group’s success was no fluke.
Writing “Come As You Are”
This was the first Nirvana song that I particularly liked. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was already overplayed, and “Lithium” entered my sphere of interest later.
It was a sentiment shared by others in the Nirvana camp. Producer Butch Vig loved the song and spent a lot of time developing the verse part’s chorus-pedal-produced guitar sound.
Cobain also noted this as a favourite and one of the band’s most representative songs. It was the only “Nevermind” era song that he chose to perform on the “MTV Unplugged” session.
But what did legendary post-punk group Killing Joke think about the song? After all, the famous intro of “Come As You Are” bears more than a striking resemblance to 1985’s “Eighties.” The band is said to have considered suing, but then decided it was not worth the trouble. Did Cobain know of the original? Very likely! Cobain was a student of pop-rock music.
Music Video
The music video for “Come As You Are” solidified Nirvana’s success and their love-hate relationship with MTV. Kevin Kerslake, a director with plenty of music video experience, shot the promo.
I like the result. I think it’s easy to tell that this was storyboarded by Cobain himself. According to interviews, Cobain received the creative control over the band’s image that he’d always wanted.
The Legacy of “Come As You Are” and Nirvana
The single was a hit and not only in the U.S. or the U.K. The single itself sold more than 5 million copies and helped “Nevermind” move even more units. Geffen, who feared “Smells Like Teen Spirit” may have been a one-hit wonder, needn’t worry. Nirvana mania was a real, enduring phenomenon.
And while “Come As You Are” and Nirvana have achieved quasi-legendary status, I think that it’s worth reminding ourselves where this all came from. It began with one kid’s creative vision and endless basement jam sessions. That in itself is life-affirming and something worth celebrating.
