Unplugged Series is Flawless. Nirvana's "All Apologies" under vocal analysis by Opera singer!

[@TheCharismaticVoice]

Sign up on the waitlist for my upcoming course on Grunge! thecharismaticvoice.com/great-grunge-course-interest/

[@addrenry784]

Elizabeth, I think you should check out Hocus Pocus - Focus (take the midnight special version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/farbhKmQhMesa5Y) for a reaction video some time, I doubt you will regret doing it!

[@raymondgray7747]

I would like to suggest IN WINTER by KITTIE

[@raymondgray7747]

I would like to also suggest THE AGONIST DANSE MACABRE current vocalist and VOID OF SYMPATHY original vocalist

[@MusicPlayingPeon]

My favorite Nirvana album. In an interview I heard him say he didnt want to know anything about music theory, because he felt it would limit him. I still praying for the David Wayne ,"Watch the Child

[@pokawolf24]

Seether one cold night!!!!

[@nairobie755]

Nirvana was asked to play their most popular songs but they refused, eventually MTV agreed to let them play their less popular stuff. Then Kurt had further demans that there should be lots of flowers and candles to make it feel like a funeral. Resulting in one of the, if not the, best unplugged performance.

[@jasonstacy5587]

Brilliant performance, but AIC's unplugged is almost painful to watch knowing how sick Layne was that night and it also winds up being his last performance with the band. It's literally a funeral.

[@justaguy5770]

Alice in Chains' unplugged is IMO the best. I respect your choice and put Nirvana at number 2 but it's gotta be AIC for number 1

[@CoryJohnson0424]

It should be in the conversation for one of the best live performances ever too.

[@sirsancti5504]

They also performed covers, not all, but some by less-known bands they wanted to introduce to a vast public.

[@Gary-zt9cp]

Not bad for sprucin' up a warehouse at pier 28. Great sound. Also see: Hype! The motion picture soundtrack. soundtrack

[@toohighstrung]

Dave Grohl said before they went on Kurt was sick because he was worried people would find out he was a fraud and couldn't sing. He had horrible stage fright over this and 30 minutes before the show he tried to cancel it in a panic. If only he knew how important his "unpretty" voice was to us.

[@donnisraines]

That’s part of the tragedy. He was loved, he was validated, by everyone but himself.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

To me, original "grunge" always seems like emotional mumbling.

[@AurelienCarnoy]

Dang. So relatable.

[@ryansteele2677]

He was nursing hot tea that night bc of his throat... Funny to think it may have been psychosomatic and not actual illness...

[@stereosympathy]

His "unpretty" voice was my emotional anchor in the tempestuous waters of my youth. This sound defined me as a person.

[@thegoatchild3545]

What made grunge so special and powerful? The honest, raw emotion in the voices of Cobain, Staley, Cornell, Vedder etc. They didn't shy away from the ugly sides of life, in voice and lyrics and in the process helped many of us to feel less alone.

[@jahchild99]

Yessss, not alone, someone saw us and understood us in our pain; it was beautiful, healing, needed...

[@smarttvhome335]

Well said.

[@happydude2163]

Metal bands had been doing this for a while also, but metal had become very stale by this time. Grunge kept the movement going paving the way to Nu-metal afterwards - although nu-metal was somewhat more commercial. Then came Tool and Korn reminding us that shit is real and nasty and merging elements of grunge, nu-metal and old school metal + other influences. Thrash, evolved into a whole new generation also leading to the likes of Pantera, Machine Head and Sepultura - a much heavier, angrier form of metal fused with elements of death. Heavy, raw, dark, deep emotional music always seem to resurrect like a Phoenix every few years washing away the BS.

[@Jaaron91]

Yea but alot of it was fake. I mean Staley was in an 80s band. It was solid music, but don’t think the powers that be didn’t “allow” it to happen then profit from it. The real music is still underground and will never be given a review.

[@milas3892]

Absolutely agree, but Chris Cornell was an extraordinary singer.

[@Gregory11811]

“Where Did You Sleep Last Night” is another must from this performance.

[@grahamcarrison6412]

She's reacted to it already 😊

[@fernandogalindo5370]

That was her 1st or 2nd reaction from Unplugged In New York

[@jeremybrown7075]

Probably my favorite besides lake of fire

[@davejones4946]

Absolutely, even more so that this one. That one is extremely personal, painful, and raw.

[@nirvanagrrl1]

My favorite song from their performance.

[@dp471]

His authenticity, the raw emotion he evokes, is what made his voice so beautiful.

[@George_C-e4v]

I stopped watching this when she said his voice was not pretty. Dude was basically belting raspy F4s with that crazy good yodel/voice crack at the end (wich btw means good technique and trained singer - even if self-taught). I don´t really know about a lot of singers that can yodel when singing with that much compression. That is "pretty" in my book, but yeah.

[@TheGreat_Kramer1]

@@George_C-e4v Part of Kurt's deal was to not be pretty.

[@George_C-e4v]

@@TheGreat_Kramer1 That´s BS, Kurt planned all of it. If you read his journals you will see he was actually a perfeccionist. Sadly he was ashamed of it because it was "against punk culture" and that stuff also messed him up coupled with the drugs. I hate the snobism around music overall because of that, it only does harm Technically speaking his vocal display on this song and on almost the whole MTV unplugged is amazing for students because dude was a master at mixing his many voices. Not every singer can belt F4s with an yodel at the end.

[@chassidyharris1954]

@@George_C-e4v I did too, that comment made me sick and I just couldn’t finish the reaction.

[@cluberti]

@@chassidyharris1954 You probably should have - she explained her reasoning and why she thought it was powerful that it wasn't in lots of instances including this one. Unfortunate that you didn't watch further, because you missed a bunch of introspection she had about her own thoughts because of Kurt's voice and the way he used it.

[@banixoidle]

I think, speaking as someone part of GenX, born in 1972, Grunge encompassed the very sad feeling of the first generation with the biggest number of divorced parents/single parent homes, we were latchkey kids, and kids who roamed the streets with other kids, and left to our own devices. Within Grunge, there was also a fashion often made up of clothes we wore as children: Baby doll dresses, barrettes, shirts with cartoon characters and 1960's/1970's tv characters, grandfather sweaters, and mismatched ensembles- like when little children pick out their own clothes. Our traumatized inner children were running around as teens and twenty-somethings. There was a deep sadness, loneliness, and a generation that faced the darkness of life at a very young age. I think we were exposed to the grit of the world, to the reality that "happily ever after" doesn't seem to exist. We had "McJobs," we were the "slackers," and many of us were crying, often subconsciously, for the parents who abandoned us.

[@JarredStover]

How did we live the same life?

[@MichaelPatrick-c2u]

Also lots of anger hence moshing

[@NWOslave]

while much of what you say i can relate to as far as growing up, i hated grunge and mourned the "end" of heavy metal.

[@dianacarpio8383]

🎯

[@Erika-bu1nl]

So true...I was born in 70, and lived in Tacoma when grunge was becoming a thing.........

[@cirrustate8674]

Unplugged is by far one of the best things to come from MTV. And this performance is arguably the best Unplugged performance. Kurt isn't a great singer by any stretch, you're right, but the emotion, the power, the pathos, in his voice were unmatched. And as a lyricist, he was impeccable.

[@user-xd1ze4jf6e]

I think the unplugged format was absolutely the pinnacle of MTV performances. Would love to see this come back. The closest I’ve seen since, are the “Tiny Desk Concerts” on NPR.

[@dawhipsi]

This and Jay Z are the pinnacle

[@whenitrains2777]

Unplugged and “Pop Up Video “ 😂

[@amireal5458]

He was a horrible lyricist. Amazing vocalist though.

[@ashscott6068]

Great is whatever you say it is. Actually, that's not true. It's whatever I say it is. But from your point of view, you ARE I, so yeah, it's whatever you say it is. If you genuinely love a thing, you can never be wrong saying it's great. The only people who are wrong, are people who worry about what other people will think, and who let that influence what they like

[@Bp79-or4kp]

When I was 14 my 21 yearold brother killed himself a month after Kurt. I found him in our shed with Nevermind playing on repeat and in his letter the last words were "all apologies" Nirvana was the only thig we shared and it was awhile before I could listen to them again. There were a lot of suicides after Kurt died that referenced him and im not sure the current generation will ever be able to understand the effect nirvana had.

[@manonthemoog]

Dude, I feel for you. When we all found out about Kurt, I was up all night as were many many others. It was a very weirdly national vigil but isolated in our shock, mostly in our homes staring at MTV. I clearly remember thinking this was going to trigger some people to follow in Kurt's footsteps, and I wasn't wrong. Hell, I thought I was dead. Its crushing it was your bro. I am sorry and I hope I can convey what it was like at the time. Nirvana was just about EVERWHERE. This is why it was such a shock. Its pretty rare that someone dies at their peak. We were dealt a double blow, too. About 99.5% of the population assumed it was an OD. It took a couple of days for the truth to come out despite everyone's desperate denial and disbelief, we were clubbed a second time with the painful truth. It was a fucked up time.

[@ICExMikey]

Lived at also. Seemed like a shared part of alot of our souls

[@kevsim70]

Like Boomers with the Kennedy assasination, I still *vividly* remember where and when I heard about Cobain’s suicide. I was in the living room of the house I shared with 2 friends, and Kurt Loder came on MTV breaking into regular programming to announce that Cobain had been found dead, and that he’d taken his own life. I yelled at my friends to get their asses down there, and we watched, zombified, for hours.

[@ZacCostilla]

@@kevsim70I was in the barracks at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi. It hit a bunch of us really hard, and we went out to the gazebo in the squadron courtyard and it was kind of eerie, because nobody really talked but nobody wanted to be left alone.

[@Spiceyspiney]

Oh my, I am so so sorry to hear this. I cannot begin to imagine how tough it was hearing those songs again after this trauma 😢

[@robgoblin_]

I’m starting to really enjoy this channel. So many lessons not only in vocal coaching but in the realm of therapy as well. Loved how you connected the “all in all is all we are” line to the stories we tell ourselves in our heads

[@owlbuquerqueturkey]

There's a line in the song "Bittersweet Symphony" that says, "I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah". That's what I believe grunge is to my generation. It was expressing the pain and emotions that a lot of us were feeling at the time. We were coming of age to a broken American dream.

[@loriredwood2269]

Not only your generation but anyone going through pain.

[@owlbuquerqueturkey]

@@loriredwood2269 certainly not just my generation, but I was commenting on the feelings at the time. When grunge was brand new. Why it became instantly popular with my generation.

[@briangriffin5524]

That's an ironic thing to say. He achieved the American dream, his band sold millions of records. Instead he chose heroin and a death spiral.

[@Michael-dj6pd]

@@briangriffin5524 That's a very very hindsight thing to say.

[@angelitri]

"Lake of fire" is the most amazing performance in this unplugged.

[@Jimmy1982Playlists]

Almost. That would be the finale, "Where did You Sleep Last Night?"

[@Ljb13]

​@@Jimmy1982PlaylistsI was just gonna say this!

[@rodrigoc.8044]

Hell yeah!! A great cover

[@rqu3-b2m]

Please! Please! Please! React to Lake of fire

[@theconductor20]

Can’t argue with that but personally I think “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” takes it. Especially knowing that performing that song took a pretty big toll on his body that night

[@johnnyeproductions]

Kurt's voice was raw, emotional, it cut through as harsh, but still was a work of art. It was against the Norm, against society's rules, rebellious, and it made you FEEL, not just Listen!

[@pwh4130]

I just started but had to comment. Grunge was great because it was emotional, soulful and the singers meant it. While not alway technically good singing, they meant it. That honesty was genuine. There are many people who sing properly or have a great voice but it's empty and doesn't touch you inside. Same thing with Janis Joplin. You both hear and feel it.

[@DasWandbild]

It was such a counterpoint to the 80s glam-rock/hair metal excess, both in style and substance.

[@AceAnnie1-7]

Spot on 👍

[@o0Donuts0o]

What is “good singing”?

[@bglass616]

I love that you are classically trained, but love grunge. I attended a college that was known mostly for their music program during grunge era, and most of my musical friends hated this type of music. It is nice to see someone with a musical background and an open mind to all types of music. I feel there is just so much emotion in the music during this time.

[@neilish13]

Thank you for covering this song. I was a freshman in high school when grunge hit the big time & Nirvana, PearlJam, & AIC were leading the way. Grunge reminded us we didn’t need perfect production, synths or long guitar solos to feel great music!

[@ener11454]

Sorry but those bands were following the leaders. Mother Love Bone, Green River, Mudhoney and even Soundgarden paved the way. The next generation of these bands is who made it famous.

[@daviddunrud9228]

"You Know You're Right." Perfect capstone on Kurt's legacy. Amazing vocals. Plus, it has amazing depth in a simple structure...serious music theorists love it.

[@dantreadwell7421]

Gods that is an amazing song. Chills every time. Going to have to listen to it again after this. . .

[@johnphillipsjr7238]

Garbage

[@DarkenSeyreth]

@@johnphillipsjr7238 Fantastic band

[@Bramble451]

I love that song. I agree, perfect capstone.

[@generalgrievous92]

I agree, it's a very bitersweet song also he says "Hey" not "pain"

[@Sir_Osis]

I went to Lollapalooza in 1994 just after Kurt died. A lot of us when we bought tickets had been under the assumption that Nirvana would be named to headline it. Unfortunately that obviously didn’t happen. Before the actual headliner came on and the whole time their stage was getting put up, the crowd continually sang “All in all is all we are” for about 20 min. I remember feeling bad for them at the time. So much pressure to come out to that and have to perform. Ended up being a great show but I definitely missed not getting to see Nirvana.

[@jamesleyda365]

I was at 1994 Lollapalooza in the Gorge at George WA 🤘

[@Sir_Osis]

@@jamesleyda365 Nice! I was in Los Angeles.

[@tjarnhold]

I was at the Philly '94 show where Courtney came on stage before the Pumpkins headline set. This was unannounced, and a surprise to apparently even to the production crew. It was her first time (I think?) performing since she lost Kurt as well as Kristen Pfaff earlier that summer. She played 2 songs by herself and then asked for a moment of silence for Kurt.

[@Sir_Osis]

@@tjarnhold Oh shit. I didn’t know that was a thing. Kurt must’ve just died a couple months before so she was probably a mess. When I saw them it was at the end of the tour in September. 2nd to last day of the tour I believe. Pumpkins were okay. Beasties crushed it.

[@damnitsrob]

New Orleans Louisiana Lollapalooza in 94! They actually did a 30 minute pause of Nirvana music before Beastie Boys came on! It was sobering. They were DEFINITELY being sought out to headline that year, but once the Rome incident happened, everyone questioned what would happen. That SAME concert introduced me to GreenDay! I was standing in line, waiting to get through the gates of the Lakefront outdoor Arena, when "Welcome to Paradise" started up. I got chills!! I kept asking, Who the **** is that?!?! I enjoyed the hell out of watching George Clinton on stage!

[@williams.1130]

Charismatic voice and Rick Beato crossover needs to happen.

[@Bramble451]

Beato's video on why Boomers and Gen X generally hate today's pop music so much is still one of my favorite videos of all time.

[@nirvclub]

Thanks for returning to Nirvana! I can't wait to watch your analysis. I've run a Nirvana website for 28 years and while it's no longer being updated, the band continues to hold a big place in my heart, so thank you for this video!

[@jasonremy1627]

I remember watching this when it first came out, back when I was on high school. It felt special then, and it still does today.

[@Seeyatellite]

I already have so many reasons to respect, appreciate and adore you, Elizabeth. Learning how your heart connects with Kurt’s message... thank you for your efforts to share the splendor of all music and the souls of artists. Your empathy is powerful... charismatic, one might say. “It's okay to be human”

[@Cadinho93]

I've always loved, "I wish I was like you, easily-amused." I know it's probably more to do with his darkness, but it sounds like a fun way to call someone simple-minded. Also, a lot of people hate on Nirvana and Kurt Cobain's talent. They can't reconcile how good he was doing very little. The music is uncomplicated, but undeniably very good. People would sell their souls for their rapid and atmospheric success. Nirvana didn't just change music, it changed style. Women in the '90s gave up spandex and big teased hair for low rise skater jeans, tanks, flannels and flat combed hair.

[@pfenton9315]

The easily amused line is in reference to his infant daughter

[@silphv]

It's an interesting line, and I think both meanings are meant in a way. He often thought most people in the world were idiots, but at the same time had a lot of compassion for people, and was genuinely envious of people who led simpler lives believing in something, which he couldn't do. Similar to the song Lithium, which is partly inspired by his friend's religious family, who took him in at one point when he was homeless, and were genuinely kind to him and functional in a way he'd never seen in is own family. He had a disdain for religion but this family was so good to him and each other. He just saw something he could never be.

[@andrewryan6876]

@@pfenton9315this song and lyric was written in 1990. His daughter was born in 1992.

[@CheekmeatChannel]

I always thought that lyric was speaking to/reflecting on "here we are now, entertain us"

[@hutuguru81]

i like to think he was writing to his baby in that line. the way a child is easily amused by simple things

[@Tinkerbell9332]

Ohhhh my god my favorite is " where did you sleep last night" That stealy gaze as he hits that note at the end😍 I love Kurt! ❤️

[@hanskneesun123]

I agree, that song was the highlight of an amazing set.

[@danholmesfilm]

She did it already

[@Andtherewasguitar]

Good Leadbelly cover.

[@ScottHThoughts]

I got chills on my arms just by reading this...about "that" gaze...

[@Tinkerbell9332]

@@ScottHThoughts I get that every time I watch it! I love it!!

[@carborundorum]

"It was something that this generation needed to hear." This statement really resonated with me. Grunge, and especially Nirvana, was so integral to my adolescent psyche. Looking back, grunge seems to have held all the pain and anger inside of me that I couldn't express or contain. Interesting connection you make with the mouth shape. I think grunge came from a place of hopelessness, despair, and ultimately the exhaustion that results from having the fight kicked out of you day in and day out. Who has the energy to enunciate even? Nirvana Unplugged still brings me to tears after all this time. Kurt was beautiful. All the beauty in the world can't save you from the insipid beastliness of demons - whether your own or someone else's. He would have been beautiful still. Love you, Kurt.

[@joncollins2228]

I really appreciate the seriousness and respect you approach your analyses. Artists like Nirvana really deserve it. Would love to hear your analysis of Portishead. There is a live recording of them playing Roseland that would fit your format perfectly.

[@iamsquatty]

Man, this was the BEST mtv unplugged. Even to this day, its just so good. I love when kurt does the little yodel flip when he sings. 😊💜

[@richiecabral3602]

Well, since you brought it up, there's an Unplugged performance that nobody reacts to, but that I think you would like, of 10, 000 Maniacs doing a cover of "Because The Night", which was a song that Bruce Springsteen had partially written, but couldn't figure out what to do with, so he gave it to Patti Smith who finished it, and had a big hit with it. If I'm being honest, I don't really know much of anything about 10, 000 Maniacs as a band, but I've just always loved this performance.

[@neilish13]

AMAZING performance! Love that version!

[@clarisaexplainsitall79]

Yes!

[@Argy_V]

I have on cd this Unplugged. They were amazing

[@dryzalizer]

I agree with you Elizabeth, Kurt's voice sounds sarcastic, disillusioned, and depressed because he and many of us feel that way. We relate with the honesty of his voice, you might say he's the "voice of a generation." Maybe more than one generation since the societal problems that cause those feelings have only gotten worse since, a big part of why Nirvana is still so relevant today.

[@LogicalNiko]

It's great that you found something in this from your perspective. The idea of saying you need to possibly revisit what you would consider coaching someone about is quite fascinating. As you are right, the artist may want to present imperfection. They may want to express something that is honest and not honed or sounding practiced. And in the end it is their message in that art. That is the sign of a very talented expert to say that sometimes the right and most beautiful choice to make is not the most technically correct move, but the most human move.

[@driesstvn5397]

Im 36 now, back when I was 15 I discovered Nirvana and for about two years I listened to them endlessly. Almost to the point that I find it hard to listen to them today since I heard every song about a couple 10k' times. But the emotion, the lingering pain, the melancholy is just so in your face... It has been a while since I heard them play, it once again made me emotional. That voice man... Just cuts through you doesn't it? Probs to this channel btw, it's a joy to see her react to what's going on. Authenticity is hard to come by these days so cherish it where it still exists.

[@fireball6094]

I love the voice of Kurt. Would be cool to listen to "Heart-Shaped box" someday.

[@ClaireBevan-gm3vf]

My favourite

[@MobiusBandwidth]

absolutely that should be next for this channel

[@Bill-fv8bq]

I just want to say “Thank you for covering this one.” I hope you have a good day TCV✌🏼

[@darknes7800]

Kurt, Shannon, Layne, Chris, Scott......some of the greatest vocalists of the grunge era.......RIP.

[@tallonmetroids271]

Gotta throw some love to Mike Starr, alongside Layne. Not a vocalist, but still. Sticking to vocalists, gotta honor Andy Wood, too.

[@sharoncarlisle9453]

And Mark

[@lisatiberi7448]

Cool to see somebody mention Shannon Hoon. I still listen to Blind Melon weekly. I listen to Change constantly. Such a beautiful, triumphant song.

[@Cbodfl]

Lol, I just made a comment about how she should check out Blind Melon

[@neil993]

@@sharoncarlisle9453 Mark is criminally forgotten sometimes, Lanagan is my personal favourite, of any genre

[@IamMusicNerd]

Their unplugged version of ‘Where did you sleep last night’ is even more impressive in how he projects intense pain in his singing. You need to react to that one!

[@toppmz8315]

She did already

[@kdlrenterprises]

It comes from the authenticity of a tough upbringing coupled with the darkness of drug addiction. He was courageous and creative enough to share it with us.

[@THAILANDCANUCK]

Seeing Nirvana on Unplugged was my first experience hearing them, and it made me dive deeper into their music.

[@RabbiSteve1]

That’s basically what happened to me too. Wasn’t really into them, until I watched them on UNPLUGGED

[@foreveralone11w]

I was in high school in the early 90s, so I lived it. Grunge is more about emotion and FEELING the music than their technical ability. But they're still some of the best ever! ❤

[@andyschnell58]

My brother, who worked for Tower Records, was at this incredible concert. We had different tastes in music but agreed on Nirvana.

[@Nimno74]

Wow, you're finally learning something that i learned as a young teenager during the 80s. ....Being heartfelt/sincere, is vastly more important than perfect structure or tone. That music is infinitely more than just sounding pretty or perfect. It's about being real. It's about stripping away all pretention and contrivance, and appealing to universal emotion (which is often anger or pain).

[@prototypechannel6975]

Wow.. Lady.. You are incredibly on the mark across the board on this one. Thanks very much. It was a great conversation.

[@WDKWCDT]

Funny thing is, by most accounts of people who really knew him, Kurt Cobain was a funny guy, a prankster who liked to joke around and who laughed a lot. “Here we are now, entertain us” was something he would announce when arriving to a party or gathering (which famously made its way into Teen Spirit’s lyrics). People thought he was fun to hang out with. I saw one of his last interviews, and the interviewer was intimidated by his reputation, his piercing eyes and noted distaste for interviews. Kurt immediately diffused the situation by cracking wise in this kind of self deprecating but really funny way. If you want to get a whiff of that check out the interview where he finds out what other artists at his level charged for tickets vs what he thought were fair prices for a concert at the time. 😂

[@tsg_frank5829]

This live concert was a literal once in a lifetime event, if we think of Unplugged now we think of Nirvana, that's how big the legacy of this set was, so I'm glad to see a new analysis on the channel. All Apologies has one of the most deeply resonating riffs Kurt has ever wrote, and the sense of honesty with which he sings here is incredibly compelling, i really enjoy looking at the ending where all the instruments are dropping out one by one and the voice is left repeating the main motif, Kurt letting himself slip away into the music, feeling out the moment. I hope you'll cover more Nirvana tracks, and i would absolutely recommend You Know You're Right, which is the last song ever recorded by Nirvana and features absolutely gut wrenching sounds from Kurt.

[@kennethsmith6942]

Hi Elizabeth. I'm so glad your listening to unplugged live . Easily top 10 off all time.

[@radman123]

It’s super rad watching you review and react to these songs. Music appreciation is my gift, but hearing someone listen with new ears, allows me to go back and understand the songs on a much deeper level than I assumed I knew already. So thank you for doing what you do! You’ve made me a better listener.

[@joshuasullivan7894]

You said so much cry in that sound. That’s the best description that I’ve heard applied to him. That’s why he’s touched so many. Even this newest generation. Timeless. And imo this is one of if not the greatest recordings in the history of music

[@Gusramosferreira]

What I wrote in the Doors "The End" video... " just let it happen..." We may just find out something about ourselves... When grunge broke out with this guys, it was a breath of fresh air in music, some truthfullness instead of false glamour and vanity... That is what we have today in music, to much vanity and shallowness, - we need another grunge movement, back to reality...

[@Daldaren]

Unplugged was truly an amazing series, sad that we don't have that anymore.

[@johnjapuntich3306]

It's not only Dave Grohl that was in Nirvana but also Foo Fighter's guitar player, Pat Smear was also the guitar player for Nirvana that you see in this video...

[@alanlafond9705]

Yes!! I came into the comments specifically looking for someone to point this out! I always find Pat Smear is always underrated. He never really got recognition as the 4th member of Nirvana, as so many fans would view them as a trio for their entire career just because they were a trio at the time of Shells Like Teen Spirit. Also, I love the tri-colour pattern on Pat's guitar here. Really stands out, and looks cool!

[@xephyrxero]

Tbf Pat Smear was an on again off again member, but yes

[@cohort6159]

​@@alanlafond9705When I watched this back then and saw the guitar, I said to myself, "Hey, that's Buck Owen's guitar!". My family watched HeeHaw when I was a kid.

[@donolinger6904]

What about The Smithereens? He was in that one too.

[@donolinger6904]

I don't think Chris Cornell kept his jaw locked much but he probably might have done that some. The way he belted out songs with enough power and volume to fill a stadium made me think he could.do that without amplification. I think Linda Perry could probably do that too. Johnette Napolitano could do it too if you ask me. Tom Jones was that way as well. There are others I could name. Some people just have powerful voices that bellow out amazing songs.

[@Easyasinstallations]

Wow. Never thought about grunge like that. But you’re spot on. So well put. Grunge was/is life. I connect to this time of music more than any other. I’m lucky to have been 12-20 while is was what it was. Thanks :-) ❤️

[@saby5075]

You are so great! Thank you for your comments and analysis, made me think about this era of music. Thanks!

[@Meecha623]

I was grunge back in the day. Grunge came in with a message and a movement. Singing technique was something grunge wasn't going to be put in a cookie cutter shape.

[@ramiro5595]

The push-pull voice and instruments for grunge started with the Pixies. Kurt confessed to stealing it from them. Influenced many grunge bands. “In 1988, the Pixies sounded like no other band. By 1991, every band sounded like the Pixies.”

[@marksienicki1253]

Good call. Do a Pixies tune Liz...hard to pick one. Just saw them again last summer...lots of good tunes

[@MattVogt2]

@@marksienicki1253 Debaser!

[@olli__]

Just re-watched your first take on Nirvana with Man Who Sold The World and was genuinely thinking that you should do this song. Hoping also for more studio versions, would love to hear your thoughts on songs like Heart-Shaped Box, Scentless Apprentice, Drain You or On A Plain

[@DoktorDevious]

Bowie described the song as having two mystical states one at the time he first wrote it when he was 19 and a second time when Kurt played it during that set.

[@timothyjewell9642]

I love the respect and reverence you show to the artists that you review! I feel like I could bring you any song in existence and you'd analyze it wonderfully. I would 1,000% take a class if you taught one!

[@motherpanic4265]

youve taught me so very much and i love the things you see in the music always. hope you have a great week!

[@jamessweet5341]

This was the first broadcast where I gained genuine respect for Kurt Cobain. Rough and ragged voice with real passion underneath the raggedness. We lost a fine talent here. But he gave us this gem!

[@AmberA52]

"It's okay to be human"... for those of us who struggle with our own demons and nightmares, that statement is so powerful.

[@isurfnerd]

Dave & Pat look sooooo young in this clip...awesome!! 😎

[@Robsan40]

I'd love to see you analyze the performance by Brandi Carlile and her song "The Story". That song has been covered by many great (even legendary) artists, but for some reason NOBODY can hold a candle to the original Brandi Carlile version. Definitely one of the top 3 vocal performances I've ever heard.

[@shipperwolf7090]

Nirvana and Kurt will always have such a special place in the history of music. And in our hearts. ❤

[@BionicleJackson]

I like to believe Kurt would be pleased he was able to touch someone who has been locked in the box, finally able to see beyond the confines ❤

[@johnferrara5249]

Listen to every song in that Unplugged set. All amazing songs.

[@iggy880]

This Unplugged is one of the greatest in that whole series. It showcases why Nirvana was amazing better than almost any other. Lake of Fire is my favorite from that, it is a transformative cover

[@John_Locke_108]

The way he sings "see 'em again till the fourth of July" is so wonderful. That little crack in his voice is perfect.

[@foreveralone11w]

Agree it's great, but disagree it's the best.

[@jeffreyvanhouten1239]

Alice In Chains was the best “Unplugged” MTV performance.

[@Dr.Claw_M.A.D.]

Best is subjective nine times out of ten. Who had the biggest audience? Who made the most money? Which show became part of popular culture? Which was the most technically proficient? Who had the most expensive shoes?

[@foreveralone11w]

@@Dr.Claw_M.A.D. bet you're fun at parties 🙄

[@wojopf88a]

Lady, your videos no longer get played on my phone unless out and about! Now they are played o a 25 inch flat screen LG TV! Terrific! You look great on the flat screen!

[@tbust926]

Nirvana, and Kurt Cobain specifically, was my generation’s The Doors. This music expressed, better than any other, how I felt then, and still feel today. Kurt Cobain’s passing was one of the most tragic things that happened in my life, as he wrote songs that truly put to music my world.

[@RxJeffery]

You have to listen to the last song of the night, "Where did you sleep last night" by leadbelly. The song still gives me chills to this day. Kurt's last live performance and he gives it everything he has. That pause, is so amazing

[@teeebeee]

She already did a couple years ago, you can find it on the channel

[@datadivanet]

That half second he opens his eyes before the last 'night long' is just so haunting

[@chaw_mean]

This!

[@TheTrequarista]

It was not his last live performance at all! He died 6 months later, they went to Europe for the In Utero European Tour after the unplugged and played some great shows until the last one in Munich. On KZbin you can even find a masterpiece with the "Nulle part ailleurs" tv show in Paris, on february, 2 months before his death. I think they even put it on the Nirvana's channel.

[@dust4magnet]

Grunge, like Punk, was a reaction to the "perfection" of the previous decade. Current music needs a similar revolution, but I fear it will not happen. We're stuck in a digital hell, where every sound is adjusted to a click track, and vocals are cleaned up.

[@beyondnow1600]

💯

[@seanroy3241]

The beautiful thing about the massive scope of the digital age is that all things can exist simultaneously. There are fantastic raw indie acts making excellent music. There's mind-bending prog rock bands busting out album-length songs. There's electronic artists making bangers with sounds that we've never heard before. There's hip hop artists flowing pure poetry through the hardest beats. When you turn off the radio and do a deep dive on your own the feast is bountiful.

[@RabbiSteve1]

@@beyondnow1600yep

[@RabbiSteve1]

And not only that, but apparently, they are even doing auto-tune on old classics, and live performances. Wings of Pegasus just did one on a Bee Gees live performance, that was recently auto-tuned.

[@RealGrover]

When the grunge stuff became popular it was kind of an old hat for some of us already, just that suddenly everybody was into it for a while. And at the same time the rigidly polished music didn’t go away either. It’s always trends living next to each other, bubbling up and down in the mixture. We do have heaps of music right now that‘s raw and dirty existing right around the next corner. If you want it you‘ll find it.

[@AKNeal81]

Two things hit me out of the gate: 1. Going back and watching the Unplugged series is cool and all but growing up with it was amazing! 2. Growing up during this era has made my ear associate Kurt's voice as legit pretty. Another side effect of Grunge 🎶 🎸 Bonus: Foo Fighters are our Beatles(I'll die on this hill)

[@bloodboughtsaint777]

FACTS!

[@flor9389]

Kurt was Lennon. Dave was McCartney. Not in the band structure but in the style sense.

[@stephbutler8704]

A wonderful and thoughtful analysis. For me, grunge voices our pain in the raw, with total self honesty, then at the same time it kind of rocks and comforts you, like a lullaby. There's acceptance and a kind of healing in this. It's the inner pain out loud and the salve I feel this with Stain'd powerfully too. The power of grunge, there's an incredible emotional connection if you see live audiences , people really identify with the lyrics and message

[@shaun_177]

I first heard Nirvana when I was 10 (34 now) . My dad put on Smells like Teen Spirit- fell in love with them from that day on. Kurts voice is just so raw and his lyrics are even more so. The dude had a lot of pain mentally and physically and portrayed that in his music so well. RIP Kurdt. 67-94

[@MichaelGarcia-ql7mc]

As you go on your Grunge journey, you're going to discover Mad Season... Was a super group of Seattle musicians including Layne Staley and Mike McCready. I always remember Mike explaining their music and he said it was their version of the blues...

[@petereyndhoven104]

Heck ya! What song do you think she should start with? Album or Live at the Moore?

[@MichaelGarcia-ql7mc]

@@petereyndhoven104 I would say thr album, although the live one is as good as it gets...

[@laurawatters914]

"WAKE UP" WOULD BE A GREAT START AND THEN "LONG GONE DAY" WITH MARK LANEGAN SO ELIZABETH CAN EXPERIENCE MARK LANEGAN. MAD SEASON AND PEARL JAM ARE MY FAVORITE! LAYNE AND MIKE FREAKIN MCCREADY 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. 😊💓✌️🤘

[@MichaelGarcia-ql7mc]

@@laurawatters914 Mike is my Hendrix... Best, most underrated guitarist.

[@laurawatters914]

@@MichaelGarcia-ql7mc MIKE FREAKIN MCCREADY IS MY FAVORITE LEAD GUIATIST SOOOO UNDERRATED! 🎸🔥🔥🔥

[@jkelly2110]

I would love to hear your analysis of Jane’s Addiction

[@LuckyTabbyKitten-pv6tz]

Jane says, I'm done with Sergio!!! He treats me like a ragdoll!!!

[@petereyndhoven104]

I agree. What song were you hoping that she analyzed?

[@jkelly2110]

Was thinking Jane says or been caught stealing. You know start with the radio hits. But I’d love to hear her take on Idiots Rule or 3 days.

[@ainslieporter9767]

Classic Girl

[@misterwirez7731]

Have you seen my wig around??

[@KingLoggFrogg]

I’d love to see you analyze some Smashing Pumpkins form this era

[@liryns]

Hi. As a person who was deep in the grunge movement, you are absolutely correct that this song - and parts of it - mean different things to different people, and even at different times of our lives. You described the "all in all is all we are" as cyclical... for me, when I was a teen, I described it as a spiral - especially with the progressive slowness of it. I felt it as the inevitable unraveling of what we perceive as a perfect life... we all feel it coming, we see it happening, and all we can do is get swept up in the realization that nothing is and ever will be perfect. We are all flawed and imperfect. Life is messy, and emotions are messy, and relationships are messy. And that's OK. It's OK to be mediocre, to be normal, to not want a mansion and a high-paying job. We are still valid. That's what grunge gave us.

[@AdelaideBen1]

I've watched many of your analyses.... however, I actually did a double take on your very personal message (about the stories and narratives that we create and surround ourselves with). That seemed such a personal message, and I think it was beautifully said - as was your plea to be kind to artists (especially IMO singer-songwriters who perform sometimes the hardest parts of their life, for our pleasure). I think that was a very genuine message - and one that I appreciated so much, in this time when mental health is something that is everyone's concern, and also with the realisation that often art can come from places of pain and despair that are implicitly not healthy for the artists themselves as people).

[@dust4magnet]

I love Kurt's voice. It cut deep into my soul, and hundreds of millions of others. His vocals, his guitar, and Nirvana as a whole broke all the rules, and made a spectacular impact on listeners, and the whole music industry. No, he didn't have the technical prowess of other grunge singers like Chris Cornell, but he connected to the whole world. I liken him to John Lennon: a talent for melody and lyrics, and a raw quality that touched your heart. If you want "more perfect" vocals, check out the studio versions. But the Unplugged performances are deeply imperfect and deeply moving.

[@flatnicable]

Speaking of acoustic sessions. Since you're a big fan of Devin Townsend, he has a full set of acoustic versions on yt called CBC First Play. Just Devin and hi ls guitar in front of a small audience. It's incredible and shows even more his diversity. Thank you for what you do!

[@HeavyArrowArcher]

The Queensrÿche Unplugged set is epic. Geoff Tate at his finest.

[@DavidDatura]

I think that was Nirvana’s appeal over other Grunge bands…they were very relatable to a lot of (young) people of that era.

[@JesseT-w5z]

Grunge is needed now more than ever. "It's okay to be human" is what everyone struggling today need to hear, and I don't think Tiktok and brainrot are really conveying that message. Especially post-pandemic, people are mentally miserable. We need grunge.

[@369motoman]

You can feel the pain in is voice, 5 months later he was gone 😢

[@McMUDDY-BUDDY]

The Meat Puppets were the special guests on Nirvanas Unplugged, They were Kurts musical heros. I recomend the song "Oh Me", which was one of 3 Meat Puppets covers. The other two songs were "Plateau and Lake of Fire". Cobain performed these with Chris and Kurt Kirkwood of the puppets. Pat Smear from the punk band Fear is the other guitarist.. Krist Novaselic from Nirvana and Kurt Kirkwood from the Meat Puppets did a project together and had the band "Eyes Adrift" after Nirvana. Krist, Nirvanas Bass player went on to go to law school and became a lawyer. If you explore the Meat Puppets music, I suggest starting with the album "Up on the Sun". The 3 Meqt Puppets covers on Nirvana unplugged, are from the Meat Puppets 2nd album. Cheers

[@christiandaugherty6339]

Pat Smear was from The Germs.

[@DaydreamNative]

Yesssss

[@DavidJacobsvo]

I agree with what someone else said, you need to start getting into Nirvana fully electric to really understand the raw power of the band. It’s a different experience.

[@violetventur824]

The Bleach album is still the one for me

[@RabbiSteve1]

While I agree with this, I have to admit, that it was *this* performance and recording of it, that got me to want to have that deeper experience by listening to their music. I didn’t like them when I first heard them (and that was on me). But hearing them “naked” like this, pushed me to go back and listen more to their full power and texture. Nevertheless, there’s something about going back to the roots of music like this, that still stands out and lasts.

[@toddmori79]

​@violetventur824 great, now I have "Sliver" stuck in my head

[@rgac24]

Nirvana legendary bands. R.I.P. Kurt. But your music lives on forever.

[@EdmondRomero-k9s]

It's not for everyone luv. But the ones that are blessed to be fans it's the world to this day

[@staggerlee7301]

Kurt wrote and played as a punk musician who loved John Lennon. The lyrics, melodies, vocal delivery, and even rhythm guitar playing all make more sense when viewed through that lense. At least, that’s the conclusion I’ve come to over the years

[@MobiusBandwidth]

ton of Beatle influence in this track, the neo Indian melodicism, the cello...

[@staggerlee7301]

@@MobiusBandwidth oh absolutely. I think In Utero is where The Beatles influence really came out in full force. I mean, it was always there but on this album Kurt just kinda went for it

[@burntmarshwigglestudio597]

It wasn't solely the message that made grunge big - it was the authenticity. It was a word thrown around a LOT in the 90's. Most of the grunge bands were people who were do-it-yourselfers, who drove around in broken down vans playing music because they needed to - whether they were good at it or not. It was a big deal when we saw them making money, because we saw them and said to ourselves "If they could do it, so could I". Then grunge became fashion. And the machine took the visual and audio trappings of the people who made grunge and promoted with it. And people knew the difference. Music in the 90's was similar to the 60's. It was all over the map, and hard to define. Nobody cared who you were or what you made, as long as it was what YOU wanted to make, not what corporations wanted you to listen to. It all got mixed together in the end. And then....we got the Internet

[@ScottSpenceNoneTheRicher]

Agree, I'd add to yours and her comments with Grunge probably lasted at best 5 years. However it didn't die, it flourished into 50 styles you'd hear on Alternative Radio up to now as well as helping push forward "College Radio/Counterculture" bands like REM that had been around a while but didn't achieve their biggest success and popularity until after the early 90s.

[@justinblumberg8101]

If we want to continue down this 90s rock rabbit hole I'd suggest "Touch Me I'm Sick" by Mudhoney. Also consider a lesser known band of the Seattle scene Tad.

[@jenh9221]

I’ve been saying this for like a year. Grunge =mudhoney.

[@imfree26]

All Apologies is my fav Nirvana song, the sorness, the hurt in his voice, the raw feelings. it's not just a song, it's an emotion.

[@wusaint]

Totally missed the Unplugged series. Many times I find myself going back and listening to STP, LL, Nirvana, and so much more. What a beautiful time in music and television that created the Unplugged series. Closest thing we have today is NPR's Tiny Desk Concert. I miss the way Mtv used to be 😢

[@user-scott-pearce]

suggestion time, there are still more Nirvana songs to check out so may I suggest Lake of Fire

[@HansdeVriesHK]

Listen with your heart.

[@jackiecote203]

Exactly. The ears hear but the heart feels.

[@chadjones6074]

I like this version of “All Apologies” but you HAVE to hear the studio rendition. It’s gut wrenching, especially considering it was the final track on In Utero, the last record Nirvana released while Kurt Cobain was still alive. When I hear that song, it gets to me. I sometimes want to take a break from listening to music for a little, almost to digest and appreciate that beautiful, yet heartbreaking, song.

[@michealriseley6261]

Technically "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip" is the last song on In Utero, but it is a hidden track 🙂

[@metris5135]

What a beautiful analysis, finding the beauty in the flawed nature of the vocals but tapping into the emotion of the song.

[@scarlettcook]

One of the greatest albums of all time and my very first WHY I became a songwriter. Absolutely love Nirvana. Thank you for covering this. The music’s greatness has sadly been overshadowed by the tragedies for many. ‘Punk rock should mean freedom. Liking and accepting anything you like, and playing whatever you want. As sloppy as you want, as long it’s good and as it has passion’ ~ Kurt Cobain ♥️♥️♥️

[@marinemomma62]

Love the Unplugged series.

[@kineticstar]

The Oasis Unplugged was epically bad and entertaining. I was there with my cousin, and it was so awkward when Liam and Noel had that fallout.

[@VirgoKing89]

What a great video to react to and it’s on my birthday! 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈

[@AceAnnie1-7]

Happy Birthday!

[@AceAnnie1-7]

Happy Birthday!

[@VirgoKing89]

@@AceAnnie1-7Thank you!

[@midkingsteve]

I want Elizabeth and @rickbeato to join forces in a video that talks about grunge so bad. They would kill it.

[@xmathmanx]

beato is a boomer clown, always telling us how modern music is so bad when he knows nothing about it

[@matthewneufeld8854]

What a wonderful reaction. I have always wondered about the inspiration for the cello being there but love the sound it adds to this song