Downer (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Downer”
Song by Nirvana
Album Bleach
Released June 15, 1989
Recorded January 23, 1988 at Reciprocal Recordings in Seattle, Washington
Genre Grunge
Length 1:42
Label Sub Pop
Writer Kurt Cobain
Producer Jack Endino
Bleach track listing
"Big Cheese"
(12)
Downer
(13)


"Downer" is a song written by Kurt Cobain for his band Fecal Matter. It was later performed and recorded by Cobain's later band Nirvana. It was first featured on the CD American versions of their debut album Bleach. The same version was used on the "odds-and-sods" compilation album Incesticide which was released in 1992.

In an Incesticide press release, Cobain said in reference to the song "I may have grown a bit as a lyricist since writing this." This song is described in Kurt Cobain's biography, Heavier Than Heaven, as Cobain's attempt of describing the sorry state of human existence, and that this is shown most in the lines "hand out lobotomies, to save little families". Downer is one of the three Fecal Matter songs that were later performed by Nirvana live, the others being "Anorexorcist"and "Spank Thru".

[edit] Other versions

A live version is found in the 2004 box set With the Lights Out. Said version was recorded on January 23, 1988 at the Tacoma, WA Community World Theater. It features Dale Crover on drums and was recorded the same day as the Incesticide version.

The original Illiteracy Will Prevail demo was partially leaked onto the internet in March 2006. It would later be leaked in full in November 2007.

Languages