I Hate Myself and Want to Die

"I Hate Myself and Want to Die"
Song by Nirvana
Released 1994 (B-side to "Pennyroyal Tea")
Recorded February 1993 at Pachyderm Studios, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
Genre Grunge
Length 2:42
Label Geffen
Writer Kurt Cobain
Producer Steve Albini

"I Hate Myself and Want to Die" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana. Two different versions have been released.

History

Kurt Cobain originally intended to call the band's third studio album (In Utero) I Hate Myself and Want to Die.[1][2] Cobain changed his mind due to fear that the dark humor of the title would be lost on some critics and fans,[3][4] and after being convinced by fellow Nirvana member Krist Novoselic that the band might end up with lawsuits if Cobain stuck with the originally intended title.[5] In October 1993, Rolling Stone writer David Fricke had a conversation with Cobain, one of the subjects was "I Hate Myself and Want to Die"; Cobain said the song wasn't meant to be taken literally,[6] and only as a joke.[3]

During the original song, Kurt Cobain reads the following from Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey: "Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can make a child look like a deer." However, the demo features a solo in its place, in addition to a feedback-laden intro also not present on the original version.[7]

Recording and release history

The song itself was left off the In Utero album but was included on the The Beavis and Butt-head Experience compilation album.[8]

In an interview with Guitar World, Kurt Cobain said that it was dropped from In Utero because Cobain thought there were too many noise songs in a row. "It was just a typical, boring song," he says. "We could write that song in our sleep. There was no point to putting it on the record. If you look back on the record, there are so many noise songs all in a row that it makes it seem like it's nothing but a noise record. It's really not; there are plenty of soft spots to it."[9]

It is also possible that the commercial single of "Pennyroyal Tea" was withdrawn after Kurt Cobain's death because the B-side was "I Hate Myself and Want To Die," and it would seem like the record label was profiting from his death.[10] Although it was released in April 2014 as part of Record Store Day.[11]

Date recorded Studio Producer/recorder Releases
January, 1993 BMG Ariola Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Craig Montgomery With the Lights Out (2004)
February, 1993 Pachyderm Studio Steve Albini The Beavis and Butt-head Experience (1993)
Pennyroyal Tea (1994)
In Utero (deluxe) (2013)

Covers

A parody of the song, titled "I Love Myself and I Want to Live" was released by The Blackout in 2009.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Cross, Charles R. (2002). "That Legendary Divorce". Heavier Than Heaven: The Biography of Kurt Cobain (Paperback ed.). Sceptre. p. 262. ISBN 978-1-444-71389-3.
  2. ↑ Crosbie, Lynn (27 September 2011). "Twenty years after Nevermind, Cobain's candle still burns". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Fricke, David (27 January 1994). "Kurt Cobain: The Rolling Stone Interview | Music News". Rolling Stone. p. 3. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "Hidden Track » The B List: 8 Rejected Album Titles". Glidemagazine.com. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Cross, Charles R. (2002). "Heart-Shaped Coffin". Heavier Than Heaven: The Biography of Kurt Cobain (Paperback ed.). Sceptre. p. 268. ISBN 978-1-444-71389-3.
  6. ↑ Bentley, Tiffany (28 March 2012). "David Fricke of Rolling Stone magazine tells intimate rock stories during talk at Allentown Art Museum". lehighvalleylive.com. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  7. ↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/no-apologies-all-102-nirvana-songs-ranked-20140227/44-i-hate-myself-and-want-to-die-0019939
  8. ↑ Critic's Notebook; Reflections on Cobain's Short Life, Jon Pareles, The New York Times, April 11, 1994. Retrieved 7 November, 2013.
  9. ↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/no-apologies-all-102-nirvana-songs-ranked-20140227/44-i-hate-myself-and-want-to-die-0019939
  10. ↑ Pennyroyal 3 - Pennyroyal Tea single. crimson-ceremony.net. Retrieved on March 10, 2013.
  11. ↑ http://www.recordstoreday.co.uk/exclusive-products/2014/?p=10
  12. ↑ Vikkeh (4 November 2009). "Daily Music Dose: The Blackout on Vikkeh~'s Blog - Buzznet". Vikkivendetta.buzznet.com. Retrieved 21 November 2012.