Territorial Pissings

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"Territorial Pissings"

Song by Nirvana
from the album Nevermind
Released	September 24, 1991
Recorded	May/June 1991 at Sound City, Van Nuys and Devonshire, North Hollywood
Genre	Grunge
Length	2:23
Label	DGC Records / Sub Pop
Producer(s)	Butch Vig
Nevermind track listing
"Polly" (6)	"Territorial Pissings" (7)	"Drain You" (8)

"Territorial Pissings" is a song by the 1990s grunge band, Nirvana. It is the seventh song on their 1991 album, Nevermind. The lyrics were written by Kurt Cobain, and the music by Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl. Some people think the lyrics are about how Kurt would fantasize about being an alien when he was a child.^{[citation needed]} It contains the phrase: "Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you", which is a variation of a cynical phrase by conspiracy theorist Robert Anton Wilson.^{[citation needed]} The opening lines are a subtlety twisted mock-out of "Get Together" by The Youngbloods.

[edit] Other versions

The song was frequently the occasion of the band's instrument smashing at live shows, one such performance occurring on an episode of Saturday Night Live.

A live performance of the song can be found on the band's 1994 VHS home video Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! taken from two shows. The first part is from the Jonathan Ross show in the UK where Nirvana were introduced to perform their latest single Lithium but instead played Territorial Pissings. The second part is from a Nirvana concert in 1991, in Amsterdam Holland.

Another live performance of the song from 1991 at the OK Hotel in Seattle was included on the DVD of the 2004 box set With the Lights Out.

[edit] Covers

In 2006, it was covered by American heavy metal band Ill Niño.

It was also covered by American experimental band, Mr. Bungle, during a live (April 1, 1992) version of their song Slowly Growing Deaf.^{[citation needed]}

The Offspring has covered it live.