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cheerios · Sep 17, 2001, 12:10 AM

Ok, so I finally got my hands on some Nirvana mp3's. the Nevermind CD, to be exact. I'm listening to it, and "Polly" plays...the lyrics were so odd, I had to look up exactly what they were, and now my question is... what the heck is that song about??? here'r hte lyrics:

Album: Nevermind, Incesticide [as "(New Wave) Polly"]
Time: 2:57

"Polly wants a cracker
Think I should get off of her first
I think she wants some water
To put out the blow torch

Isn't me
We have some seed
Let me clip
Your dirty wings
Let me take a ride
Cut yourself
I want some help
Please myself
I've got some rope
You have been told
I promise you
I have been true
Let me take a ride
Cut yourself
I want some help
Please myself

Polly wants a cracker
Maybe she would like some food
She asks me to untie her
A chase would be nice for a few

Polly says her back hurts
And she's just as bored as me
She caught me off my guard
It amazes me, the will of instinct"

Lyrics from :
Nirvana Lyrics

vega24 · Sep 17, 2001, 11:29 AM

Kidnap, rape, and torture.
A really big pet parrot.
Or kidnapping, raping, and torturing a really big pet parrot.

Ah, Nirvana, the greatest misunderstood band, ever.

davesimondotcom · Sep 17, 2001, 12:14 PM

Cobain wrote some really wierd lyrics. But it seems like many were cries for help, and we were all missing the point.

I think there were only two songs on Nevermind that didn't mention a gun...

Basically, you can probably assume that his lyrics had something to do with:

Drugs
Depression
Suicide
Alienation
His Mom
Not fitting in
Fear of Barbers

I can't believe it's been 10 years since... oh well, Nevermind...

vega24 · Sep 17, 2001, 12:48 PM

You mean, it didn't have nothing to do with a parrot.

Their unplugged album is my fav. It's full of Kurt's emotions and watching it on TV is like getting a little sneak peak at what he was hiding or holding back the whole time and it feels almost like what you're watching and what you're hearing is something that's too private or it wasn't really meant for your viewing pleasure. If you know what I mean.

[ 09-17-2001: Message edited by: vega24 ]

cheerios · Sep 17, 2001, 01:04 PM

Yeah, I know what you mean... listening to it at all is kinda a personal thing... like he can't be heard, any other way, and this is the only way to scream his agony, and then people are PAYING him to do it, like it's a good thing. God, that's got to have sucked... Such mindblowing music, too

Patrick · Sep 17, 2001, 08:25 PM

Originally posted by cheerios:
Yeah, I know what you mean... listening to it at all is kinda a personal thing... like he can't be heard, any other way, and this is the only way to scream his agony, and then people are PAYING him to do it, like it's a good thing. God, that's got to have sucked... Such mindblowing music, too

Suffering, like many experiences, has always been an inspiration to artists (I recently graduated with a BA in music, and have read plenty of stuff on this). Classic example: Beethoven's 5th symphony, in the early 19th century. Or the song collection Carmina Buranna, written in the 12th century and set to music in the 20th (and used on plenty of action movie soundtracks). Modern example: Nirvana, and a whole lot of rock artists influenced by them and the grunge movement (Korn, Tool, Staind, etc.). Or for that matter, the whole genre of blues music.

But it's not that people pay them to do it - artists do this to express themselves. People like (or dislike) what they hear, and they might be willing to pay for it.

velocipede · Sep 17, 2001, 09:04 PM

and now my question is... what the heck is that song about???

I seem to recall hearing that the song was based on real event. Apparently Cobain wrote it after reading about a woman who had been kidnapped and raped. She escaped after being held for three days by psychologically outmaneuvering her captor. Apparently the song is mostly about her will to survive, mostly. Not too sure about the parrot, though...

Demonhood · Sep 17, 2001, 09:19 PM

Originally posted by velocipede:
and now my question is... what the heck is that song about???

I seem to recall hearing that the song was based on real event. Apparently Cobain wrote it after reading about a woman who had been kidnapped and raped. She escaped after being held for three days by psychologically outmaneuvering her captor. Apparently the song is mostly about her will to survive, mostly. Not too sure about the parrot, though...

That sounds plausible.

There is no mention of a parrot anywhere in the song. Just a nice game of wordplay with crackers, Polly, and wings. Cobain knew his way around words.

MikeM32 · Sep 17, 2001, 09:54 PM

Isee no reference to a parrot in the following at all:

Polly wants a cracker
Maybe she would like some food
She asks me to untie her
A chase would be nice for a few

Polly says her back hurts
And she's just as bored as me
She caught me off my guard
It amazes me, the will of instinct"

I mean the whole thing about being untied, her back hurting, and being bored. Nothing about a Parrot, just that old chich� "Polly wants a cracker".

Mike

vega24 · Sep 17, 2001, 10:30 PM

I was just kidding about the parrot.

brock76 · Sep 18, 2001, 06:16 PM

Originally posted by velocipede:
and now my question is... what the heck is that song about???

I seem to recall hearing that the song was based on real event. Apparently Cobain wrote it after reading about a woman who had been kidnapped and raped. She escaped after being held for three days by psychologically outmaneuvering her captor. Apparently the song is mostly about her will to survive, mostly. Not too sure about the parrot, though...

Ya, I remember hearing that it came from a Seattle newspaper. Kurt, like he masterfully does, put some great lyrics to that story. So yes, "Polly" is based on a true story from his home area.

cheerios · Sep 18, 2001, 07:20 PM

Originally posted by brock76:


Ya, I remember hearing that it came from a Seattle newspaper. Kurt, like he masterfully does, put some great lyrics to that story. So yes, "Polly" is based on a true story from his home area.

Cool, I was thinking first about the Polly Klass kidnapping case, but the timing wasn't right for that... thanks for the info!

chris_h · Sep 18, 2001, 09:40 PM

Originally posted by Nirvana:

I think she wants some water
To put out the blow torch

Does that creep anyone else out?
Jesus H.

:shudder:

-ch

Demonhood · Sep 19, 2001, 01:24 AM

*favorite part in blue

Nirvana- Dumb

I'm not like them
But I can pretend
The sun is gone
But I have a light
The day is done
But I'm having fun

I think I'm dumb
or maybe just happy
Think I'm just happy
my heart is broke
But I have some glue
help me inhale
And mend it with you
We'll float around
And hang out on clouds
Then we'll come down
And have a hangover... have a hangover

Skin the sun
Fall asleep
Wish away
The soul is cheap
Lesson learned
Wish me luck
Soothe the burn
Wake me up

I'm not like them
But I can pretend
The sun is gone
But I have a light
The day is done
But I'm having fun

I think I'm dumb
-----

i think if i had a time machine, i would put "save cobain" near the top of my list. such a waste.