THE PERFECT SWAN SONG | The anatomy of Kurt Cobain's final performance

An analysis of the convoluted history behind the final song at Kurt Cobain's final performance.
00:00 - Intro
02:14 - Part I: MTV Unplugged
04:27 - Part II: The Longest Train
07:31 - Part III: In The Pines
09:53 - Part IV: Black Girl
12:24 - Part V: Where Did You Sleep Last Night
18:52 - Outro

[@sorrymomimfloppy7117]

Even if it was not NIRVANAs Final performance, this was the Funeral for Nirvana, the setting, the songs, everything, this was the Final Real Performance of Kurt Cobain

[@lisaisgrig7636]

It was the FUNERAL OF HIS MARRIAGE! Are you so blind you can't see... and are you so deaf you can't hear?? I totally DISAGREE with your hypothesis.

[@Easy-cg1it]

you're being melodramatic

[@scozier2539]

I love these people that make videos and don't have their facts right

[@nomenbeb5747]

Bro they did several concerts after this one, many fine really well, some of the best ones in my opinion are from late 93' and early 94' also they even recorded an other song, Kurt had projects and also wanted to reinvent the Nirvana sound

[@thoonalia]

​​@@lisaisgrig7636damn relax, why so aggresive

[@CoyoteCrush]

Trust me, Kurt was not suffering from withdrawal during this performance. He was hours before the show, but he got what he needed. You can see it in his eyes, dude had more than a decent buzz that night.

[@seanmckelvey6618]

Yeah man, his pupils are pretty pinned. If he was withdrawing as badly as stated there's no way he would have been able to go on stage.

[@SchizoPantheon]

The video states he was withdrawing DURING the rehearsals, which is the reason they couldn't rehearse as much as they wanted to. I never stated he was withdrawing during the performance itself. There is literally a line in the video stating that "[w]ithout heroin or a suitable replacement, he wouldn't have been able to get through the performance at all" The question is whether he got heroin or Valium, as some of the people involved with the performance have said. No one is claiming he was sober.

[@chittyluv2651]

​@@SchizoPantheonI heard a MTV staff member was tasked with finding him a valium???????

[@CoyoteCrush]

@@chittyluv2651 the video didn't make it clear, it just said he was withdrawing. And yeah that article said MTV sent a runner out for Valium, but Kurt had his own runner bring him "something ".

[@neighborhooddentist2121]

U can hear it in his voice, he was feeling good for that couple hours😢

[@Baalzz302]

I found the Nirvana version of "Where did you sleep last night" at a karaoke bar one night. As one of my favorite songs ever done by Nirvana, I had to sing it. Afterwards I had an old woman come up to me and start telling me the history of the song, I had no clue it was song nearly as old as dinosaurs! What a beautiful song.

[@upsidedownguitarist6803]

The Kurt Cobain version I sing at karaoke I am a musician and I can sound like Kurt when I sing so I always get shouted free beers after doing song's like this in a Kurt Cobain vocal

[@Baalzz302]

@@upsidedownguitarist6803 damn, wish I coulda got free beers!! The only thing I ever got was admiration and an American Idol champ certificate lol

[@whatabouttheearth]

What the narrator doesn't seem to understand is that "the pines" is an old term for coffins

[@ViAndareKV]

Part V - In the Pines... in 1990 Mark Lanegan and Kurt Cobain enregistered In the Pines, and the last lyrics were "shiver night through".... so, there's a bit of speculation in here. Please confirm the winding sheet album in case of doubt.

[@phillspunt9992]

You know, the reason he sighed like that is because someone's pager went off. They used to have the unedited version on youtube

[@mikeholmes7021]

This is the best song Kurt Cobain has ever done and I’m happy others feel the same. His beautiful guitar that screams anger and sadness and his voice that screams desperation. This song has stuck with me ever since I’ve heard it.

[@markxv2267]

Not his best song by a long shot

[@ssherrierable]

Nobody feels the same

[@mikeholmes7021]

sad face@@ssherrierable

[@lilmuff69]

Don't disrespect the dude saying his best song is a cover lol fuck outta here

[@kampaa1985]

People hate me when I say I love this song

[@ediedisorder7144]

This MTV unplugged was phenomenal,, the Meat Puppets were amazing, and the covers they chooae were implicitly genius. How could anyone not appreciate this performace?, even if one is not into Nirvana. Thanks for reading I am old enough and live in the northwest so I got to see them a few times.

[@torxxx1]

I agree, Unplugged was one of their best performances. Kurt was not sick during the show, can tell by looking at him that he got better before he came out on stage

[@bseaken]

Yeah I'm not sure what he was watching but disastrous was definitely something it was not

[@masonladouceur1453]

Absolutely amazing! There was always something spooky about Kurt and Nirvana's music, something haunted. You hit the nail on the head with everything in this video. You deserve more subs and more views.

[@ScottDerkez]

You have a point with the word “haunted,” not in a overt way like gothic music but in a very real sort of haunted feeling that just sucks you into it; specifically the home demo of “You Know You’re Right” and any version of “Something In the Way”

[@roguehouse8336]

I’m sorry but he completely missed the “nail on the head” bcuz everyone who followed Nirvana knows he was set up and killed ! Geez, do ur research people and stop spreading this huge lie.

[@whatabouttheearth]

Pines is an old term for coffins, think about that. And to a heroin addict "black girl" would be associated with black, which is a term for heroin. The heroin addicts have all the code words, black, gold, Jesus, cross, death, dirt, gun, fly etc. It's all about heroin, the cover of In Utero is a needle 💉, the lyrics to alot of the songs such as the real In Bloom lyric "Sell TO kids for food", are about Heroin. Man in the Box by AIC is about heroin, Jesus Christ is the junkie, the box, like the one found next to Cobain when he died, is a dope kit, "he who tries will be wasted" means getting high. H songs are freaking everywhere. 'Quicksand Jesus' by Skid Row, and on and on. Don't ever do junk, it's a destroyer of worlds.

[@arcane6465]

I remember the first time I saw nirvana live on a bootleg of the Holland 1991 this was not just music something very unspoken was happening something haunting.

[@masonladouceur1453]

@@arcane6465 I agree 100%

[@nannettefreeman7331]

This video is fraught with inaccuracies, but clearly a heartfelt attempt by a genuine fan to analyze this amazing performance. ✌🏼

[@D_Boone]

Can you share what they are?

[@CallMeChemical07]

Yeah dude can you share some the inaccuracies?

[@KrispyChurro]

Lmao I’ll never understand people who cry and then give no reason as to why they’re crying.

[@kittykat55088]

God, does anyone else find this heartbreaking? Great video tho

[@Garbagepalekidslover918]

it is criminal that only 200 something people viewed this, it probably is one of the best video essays ive seen in a while. keep up the good work man 👍

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thank you so much! That means a lot

[@jonnyfavors7585]

It is criminal that the narrator thinks kurt killed himself...I always say this in 3's...El Douche, Allen Wrench, Courtney Love.

[@ohwellwhateverr]

@@jonnyfavors7585 I know! I cringed at that. Otherwise a brilliant video essay.

[@Devious480]

Only 200 viewed it but millions claim they where there lol

[@CrystalShadow]

Love had a hand in Kurt’s death.

[@bennorheim9316]

This was the best first upload I’ve seen on KZbin in years, maybe ever. I love the storytelling format and the creativity to come up with this idea/theory, also I found it because of your KZbin short preview so just know that it works.

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thank you, that means a lot. I'm also happy to hear that there's people here from the short. I decided to make the short last minute on a whim and had no idea if it was going to draw anyone in

[@huntertardiff8115]

You did an incredible job with this. This song hit hard already, but now my ears hear it in an even darker way. It’s not often I get goosebumps, but this performance does it every time

[@aishasch1998]

This is the most heart breaking view on this song I've heard. Its even sadder that it totally makes sense. May kurt rest in peace 🕊️❤

[@jessehickman668]

There’s a moment at the end of the song when the music stops, he opens his eyes and exhales before finishing…and you really can see the pain he’s in in that split second. He’s emotional, but he’s not enjoying playing. Very sad and powerful. I always get goosebumps. Now i gotta listen to it again. Great video, very thorough. I didn’t know all the backstory of the song. Btw, if you watch the rehearsal, you can see Kurt is very high on Heroin. He’s mostly sobered up by the time the performance started. Not really high, but not in withdrawal either… just normal. Layne from Alice In Chains is so SOOO high during their show… both slowly dying of addiction and high as hell, both of them gave one of the best albums ever. Nirvanas my favorite and unplugged might be my favorite album. Tied with incesticide. Great video

[@iii2187]

Brilliant documentary, i'm struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts right now but this type of videos give me strenght to endure, to overcome this sour ideas in my mind to stay alive and well, thank you for this ❤

[@theghosttourmusic7156]

Relatable. I hope you hang on and things get better.

[@mulliganstew72]

H.O.P.E= hold on pain ends 😊

[@lala4461]

@@mulliganstew72That’s false! It doesn’t always end. We need to stop with toxic positivity.

[@theghosttourmusic7156]

@@lala4461 but it does.

[@georgittesingbiel219]

😢 I'm struggling with suicidal ideation as well

[@Lardt86]

I can't believe this video only has about 250 views. This was a great analysis and beautifully edited. It definitely helped me see the song in a different light. Way to go!

[@alessandrobeltrando6182]

What a great job you have done with this video, one of the best i’ve seen on a Kurt’s performance This deserves millions of views 🤟

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thank you so much, that means a lot!

[@hcaz0834]

This was one if not the best video essay I've seen and perfectly summed up Kurt Cobain's best performance

[@ianhale4466]

You need to fact check. Nirvana rehearsed on the road while playing shows, there is a version of man who sold the world where kurt plays even better than mtv, that was done live on tour, they knew what they where doing. Kurt was having problems with herion but nothing a couple of vicadin won't curb for an hour to get by. Kurt also didn't arrange the set, a guy who had the vision kept asking kurt and kurt just didn't give a shit and kept saying yeah go for it, the only thing he really arranged was he chose that office chair over everything else that was offered lol

[@RideTheLightning18]

and also it wasn't the final Nirvana performance hahaha

[@tommydugas1125]

They played where did you sleep last night years before that show too

[@brandocalrissian3294]

Also, in alot of interviews with people who were close to him then they say he wasn't depressed and was actually happy and optimistic and his daughter changing his outlook on life and making an actual attempt to get sober. People love to romanticize the depressed and troubled artist cliché.

[@RideTheLightning18]

@@brandocalrissian3294 Amen. Terribly created video, no research at all.

[@ianhale4466]

@stevensvideos5918 the band doesn't ever mention it. It wasn't a thing till a decade later

[@6daysago167]

I’m so thankful that I got to see them play October 18 1993 here in Phoenix, it was awesome and me and my friends snuck in. I was 14 and it’s an awesome memory 👍

[@coldloner7453]

I always knew the depth about the song and performance but seeing someone layout all the pieces like this in a video is something else. Thank you.

[@Natalie-Smith-1111]

Kurt made this song his own. Haunting and beautiful, gives me chills. I miss him so much 😢

[@SeptemberOftheDead]

This is truely an amazing mini-doc. You made this perfectly. I hadn't connected the meaning of the song to real life. This is awesome.

[@MatchaMonsoon]

For a while i was never really a fan of live albums/songs (i have no idea why), but this Unplugged album easily became not only one of my favourite live albums, but ALBUMS ever - for the same reasons mentioned in this video; I think the track list is perfectly selected, and the performance is phenomenal.

[@freebird4603]

Best doc I've seen yet! & believe me I have watched them all. Great job!

[@SenXu]

This is a great video essay. Thank you for sharing and also digging of some musical history

[@PoofayeC]

Absolutely priceless!!!! Thank you!!

[@straqberryskone_7914]

this was such a tragic and chilling story and you did a phenomenal job at telling it from the script to the editing of the video

[@Karrie732]

Thank you for this! Your hard work & dedication shines through loud!

[@recorderboi1]

Great video!! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well done!

[@spacemanproletariat4279]

How does this only have 2k views? This is incredibly edited and spoken, so interesting. Thankyou.

[@deathstar754]

Just came from your short. What an awesome video. I love how historical and rich this is. Keep it up!

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thanks for checking it out! I'm glad you enjoyed it

[@kennycartier]

amazing video and i’m not the type to comment but wow amazing editing job and amazing analysis and i loved every second. thank you. ❤ Rest in Peace, Kurt. your name will never die.

[@flamingsocks1323]

amazing video, good job, i enjoyed every second of it

[@FriedPotatoes15]

what a great video, thank you, you deserve more than what you have

[@JOB5150]

So well done, thank you for this! That song just had a erie undertone to it all along, and your research solidified ones thoughts.

[@aronkelley8634]

WDYSLN was shot at Courtney. Perfectly crafted in heartache and sadness. Thank you KC for sharing your gift with us. You are greatly missed. 💙

[@golfer0422]

Great vid. Thanks for covering the dive into this sing and its history. I had no idea and I can't believe it's been this long and I've never seen another video on the topic.

[@danielbutlermusic]

Awesome job on this video!

[@reubenisaac702]

Wow, Dude. This was really good and definitely deserves way more views. I'd like to see more vids like this. It would be interesting to see a video about Alice in Chains doing unplugged and more specifically about the song Nutshell. I think because of where Layne was in life, the song became more haunting. That or a video about Johnny Cash performing at Folsom Prison and explore what it was about Cash that made his performance feel authentic compared to other people who attempted the same thing. Great Video!

[@leighariney9089]

Excellent video!! Great analysis

[@wingsofadventure]

Very interesting take on this amazing performance. Loved it thanks

[@s13180sxSR20DET]

This analysis is incredible. Thank you for the insight.

[@askersatz]

Wow! What an incredible work of research and writing you did! Bravo, bravo!

[@lithane]

Amazing work!

[@risboturbide9396]

Great piece of work, man! 🍻🍻

[@ajkelly415]

Wow! That was an excellent video. Thank you 🙏. You are talented. ✌🏼

[@mikemcburney4316]

This is the story I have been waiting to hear for over 20 years 😮 Fantastic video! So well done! For real. This is my favourite KZbin video ever.

[@ebreuk]

Great video!!

[@jasonwhite2050]

Love your video. Very good.

[@paulogore]

What a wonderful video! I literally have no enough words to express how amazing this mini documentary is! This needs to be seen by any music lover ever, and i also can't wait to see your next videos. I'm sure other Nirvana songs would be great topics for videos as well! Hope you keep making em. Amazing work really

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm definitely going to keep making videos. They aren't all going to be focused on music, but I already have plans for a few music history themed videos, both for other Nirvana songs and unrelated artists

[@JACOBHIMSELF]

Great video, i never knew the song had that much history behind it but you did a great job breaking it down, it really hit me in the feelings about him just wanting the family he never had, very relatable.

[@legatoleyte5387]

I was 17 yrs old watching MTV nirvana unplugged, it was a great performance but the final closing act of song was a masterpiece, that was my favorite of all.

[@larscoolen9557]

Very, very well made. Great analysis very well doen research. Hats of to you, onze of the best Nirvana related video’s I’ve Seen in a while!

[@audio_acoustic_engineering]

Amazing video. Loved this.

[@linkridgeshelties7413]

Great video, I thought I knew everything about this performance but here I am learning more!

[@kennethsalter9998]

Dude you did such an amazing job on this doc !! Bravo!! Pat yourself on the back!!

[@tommybokelman5565]

Dude powerful video Thank you

[@cathywright6558]

❤❤❤WOW! Thank you so much for this. I learned so much❤

[@nancygleason8702]

So many opinions you stated as facts.... I agree about Courtney, she was the worst thing that could've ever happened to Kurt! But, Nirvana performed several more times after this! Several! I loved Kurts take on this song, I loved how the whole band pulled the performance together. There are facts documented, for real that Kurt and MTV thought that maybe with the drum banging Dave acoustically he might not be able to keep his sound low enough...so 1 of the producers gave Dave a couple sets of specialized drum sticks. It made the difference. Also, it was Kurts idea for those specific flowers and black candles but when the set director asked him what he meant he replied "not sure, just my vision" so she asked him "you mean like a funeral or something" and Kurt smiled and said "yea kinda like that!" This performance that night showed the world who Kurt really was..what Nirvana was capable of. Heart and soul shined through the withdrawals, anxiety and nerves. They~Nirvana made history that night and were finally given the respect they'd always struggled for. Acceptance.. RIP Kurt ✌❤

[@srldwg]

He said last "recorded performance"? Am I missing something?

[@ohwellwhateverr]

He also states that Cobain killed himself. Which is dubious.

[@kadiss3512]

Its also pretty dubious to put any faith in the homocide conspiracies, as there have been numerous re-investigations by Seattle police, each time coming to the same conclusion, that it was in fact a suicide @@ohwellwhateverr

[@TheDarkSide11891]

​@@srldwgNo, there was an entire leg of a European tour recorded after this. His final performance was actually in Munich in March 1994, of which there is a fair amount of recorded footage online.

[@peterdeck5472]

That was really well done. Thankyou xo

[@Rockslag1]

Great video! Damn

[@brandonburroughs7128]

Very interesting analysis!

[@haleyvandieren6266]

This is an absolute honourable masterpiece. Thank you, Filip Cain.

[@alfredthethird5202]

Really amazing video

[@Ryther1990s]

I love this video so much

[@GabrielRodriguesYT]

I hope you continue to make videos. This insanely well done.

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thank you, I most definitely will!

[@stay_trippy]

amazing video

[@kdub9918]

Excellent job on this video I really enjoyed it. thanks

[@brandibueche6623]

I just want to thank u for making this video. I have always felt the vocals of this song deep in my soul every time I have heard it. I have loved nirvana since I was 13 yrs old in 93. This video brought tears to my eyes. I listened to the song immediately after watching this video and I feel like kinda understand my deep feelings of this song.

[@RaritaBrony]

this video is just wow. I missed this feeling dude, youtube is trash nowdays and seeing something so different is like the old days of youtube, thank you

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thank you so much, man, that means a lot

[@user-ur1wi1bj7x]

WoW great details I really like your timing

[@silvergirl7810]

This was done really well- you’re not getting enough recognition

[@neelpatkar3446]

Man, this video hits in so many ways. Excellent job!

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thank you so much! That means a lot

[@disappointmentpotato9408]

great video

[@syn-1994]

Love this video

[@georgimankov6697]

Great analysis

[@ValhallanFieldMarshalRobert]

brilliant analysis

[@jasonmcalister5282]

So awesome how many different versions there are and all of them are great just a different story lines! I know it was a old song but this old all so many stories! WOW! GREAT JOB!

[@nautilusmagellan7263]

Interesting take. Well done.

[@HaroldZiebold]

Damn. Hit home for me. Thank you.

[@IggyVans.1]

Very well done dissection of the original song & all it's iterations & cultural relevance. Impressive. Also I had never connected the dots that you have about why that last performance was so crucial even though I've had most of the same information. Much appreciated. I was already a fan of Huddy Ledbetter's music. In the Pines is a chilling song.

[@davo1100]

This is phenomenal production. Filip you are an amazing editor. I subscribed!

[@laopiniondeunboomer2307]

This videoessay is awesome. Congratulations, pal.

[@Gabriel__moreira]

That's good stuff man

[@Rrob06]

great video.

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thank you!

[@SanniGD]

Such a good video 👏👏👏👏

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thank you!

[@Maxaldojo]

Wow! Fantastic explanation. You threw me with the Bowie song, but hooked me with Where Did You Sleep Last Night... Good weaving the history of the songs and elements into Kurt's final performance. He literally couldn't do better. Thanks for this...

[@D0nnyMate]

so words needed.💋🤌

[@aliosciaalvazzi1498]

great job

[@thedeathandthestrawberry]

amazing analysis

[@valqr_1252]

beautifully produced and formed video, super surprised to see that you have less than 1k subs. super underrated work, huge respect and wishes for your future endeavours

[@sthego3970]

Never thought of it like this. Woah

[@YoungDeathWish]

hey man, nirvana historian here. Great video, but just a few little things I noticed. number 1 is that he was no longer suffering heroin withdrawal during performance. The MTV staff went out and scored oxycontin for him, and while they were out getting it, he scored some H himself. So he had plenty of opiates to prevent further withdrawal. But he WAS withdrawing earlier in the day. Also Nirvana's final release was actually, You Know You're Right, which wasn't OFFICIALLY released until 10 years after his passing, though it had been floating around in bootlegs for a while. I also think it's kinda funny how kurt says "lead bellies estate wants to sell me lead bellies guitar for 500 thousand dollars" when the guitar he's holding would later sell for 6 million lol loved the video bro!!

[@SchizoPantheon]

Hey, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! As for the withdrawal part, the video states he was withdrawing during the rehearsals, which is the reason they couldn't rehearse as much as they wanted to. There is a line in the video stating that "[w]ithout heroin or a suitable replacement, he wouldn't have been able to get through the performance at all" The question is whether he got heroin or Valium, as some of the people involved with the performance have said. I definitely should have made that part a lot clearer in the video though

[@YoungDeathWish]

@@SchizoPantheon you're right man, you did say that. I commented before I realized. lmao. loved the video like your other ones too. keep it up bro

[@oakenleif]

I miss him so much to this day.😢 you brought me to tears

[@damianmorfin1506]

Wow 👏 👏 👏 amazing history work of art u put together . Thank you for sharing such light into the world.

[@TsetsiStoyanova]

I researched the same things before I stumbled upon your video and thank you

[@alanashworth9414]

Still my most cherished performance they ever did. I remember watching it on a old B&W TV as we couldn't afford a colour one in every room like today but I instantly bought the album and the the unthinkable and a loss to the entire world. RIP Kurt, you are missed but never forgotten.

[@GodismyJudge47]

This little documentary was masterfully done. I learned a lot I didn't know before.

[@melboro8745]

This is not at all the final recorded performance, this was recorded in November 1993 and there are recordings of performances from 1994 even on youtube

[@SchizoPantheon]

Yes, but those are recorded by audience members. This is the last performance that was intended to be recorded rather than being recorded by random people in the crowd.

[@X0XChevyX0X]

@@SchizoPantheon nice video, love the work you put into it. but im sure there were later official recordings of performances. like the Tunnel, Rome, italy in 1994. this was not recorded by audience members and was intended to be recorded for TV, and believed to be their last TV appearance.

[@SchizoPantheon]

@@X0XChevyX0X After looking more into it, you're right, there are a few official performance recordings after this, so I was wrong about that aspect of the video. The song analysis and the history of the song still stands though

[@X0XChevyX0X]

@@SchizoPantheon for sure, and great analysis. you did a great job on it. never seen anything like it from that perspective.

[@SchizoPantheon]

@@X0XChevyX0X I'm glad you enjoyed it despite the small error, thanks for checking it out!

[@comfortablebloodshed7494]

this is gonna blow up excellently made and produced

[@SchizoPantheon]

Thanks, that means a lot. It's already blowing up by my standards hahaha, it went from being stuck on 250 views to what it is now in about a week.