Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Song by Nirvana | ||
| from the album In Utero (European pressings) | ||
| Released | September 21, 1993 | |
| Recorded | March 1993 at Pachyderm Studios, Cannon Falls, Minnesota | |
| Genre | Grunge rock | |
| Length | 7:34 | |
| Label | Geffen | |
| Producer(s) | Steve Albini | |
| In Utero (European pressings) track listing | ||
| All Apologies (12) |
"Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" (12 - hidden track) |
|
"Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" is a song by the American rock band, Nirvana. It is the thirteenth and final song on European versions of the band's 1993 album, In Utero, beginning 23 minutes and 59 seconds into track 12 (20 minutes and 9 seconds after the end of "All Apologies").
[edit] History
"Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" was recorded in January 1993 by Craig Montgomery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (as opposed to the other In Utero songs, which were recorded the following month by Steve Albini in Minnesota). It was sent out as a promo single in the UK to promote In Utero later that year, and in 2004 was re-released on the band's box set, With the Lights Out. The song is not known to have ever been performed in concert, but was played at a soundcheck on January 23, 1993, at the Hollywood Rock Festival in Rio de Janeiro.
[edit] Meaning
A loose and lengthy song by Nirvana's standards, "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" originated as a jam after a demo take of Very Ape, as evidenced by the bootleg "Rio Tapes", in which the two are embedded as one track. As such, the largely spoken word lyrics are probably improvisational in nature; at one point, singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain even asks drummer Dave Grohl to help him come up with them.
The song makes several references to the menstrual cycle, with Cobain singing about his mate being "five months late", and promising to "pet her flow". It also contains a reference to the late fashion designer Perry Ellis, who died of AIDS in 1986.
[edit] Trivia
- "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" is listed as "Devalued American Dollar Purchase Incentive Track" in the In Utero liner notes, in reference to the fact that Americans had to spend extra money to obtain the song by purchasing import copies. It is referred to as an "Exclusive International Bonus Track" on the album's cover stickers.
