"In Bloom"
Single by Nirvana from the album Nevermind
B-side	"Sliver (live)"/"Polly (live)"
Released	October 1992
Format	CD, 7", 12"
Recorded	May 10, 1991 at Sound City, Van Nuys
Genre	Grunge
Length	4:14
Label	DGC Records
Producer	Butch Vig
Nirvana singles chronology
"Lithium" (1992) "In Bloom" (1992) "Puss/Oh, The Guilt" (1992)
Nevermind track listing
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" (1) "In Bloom" (2) "Come as You Are" (3)

"In Bloom" is a song by the grunge band Nirvana. The song originally appeared on their 1991 breakthrough album, Nevermind, from which it was the fourth single in 1992. It would later appear on the band's greatest hits album, Nirvana in 2002. Cover of Nirvanas single, In Bloom. This image is the cover of an album or single. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... For other uses, see Nevermind (disambiguation). ... “B-Sides” redirects here. ... Sliver is a song by the band Nirvana. ... Polly is a song by the American rock band Nirvana. ... 1992 was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... CD redirects here. ... A gramophone record, (also phonograph record - often simply record) is an analog sound recording medium: a flat disc rotating at a constant angular velocity, with inscribed spiral grooves in which a stylus or needle rides. ... A gramophone record, (also phonograph record - often simply record) is an analog sound recording medium: a flat disc rotating at a constant angular velocity, with inscribed spiral grooves in which a stylus or needle rides. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Van Nuys is a district within the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Grunge music (sometimes also referred to as the Seattle Sound) is an independent-rooted music genre that became a commercially successful offshoot of hardcore punk, thrash metal, and alternative rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... DGC Records was a subsidiary of Geffen Records, founded by David Geffen on March 20, 1990. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Butch Vig (born Bryan David Vigorson, August 2, 1957 in Viroqua, Wisconsin) is both a record producer and the drummer of the popular rock band Garbage. ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... Lithium is a song by the grunge band Nirvana. ... Puss/Oh, The Guilt is a split-single from the American rock bands The Jesus Lizard and Nirvana. ... For other uses, see Nevermind (disambiguation). ... Nevermind track listing Smells Like Teen Spirit (1) In Bloom (2) Smells Like Teen Spirit is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, and the opening track and lead single from the bands 1991 breakthrough album Nevermind. ... For other songs and uses of the phrase, see Come as you are. ... In Bloom is an upcoming 2007 film directed by Vadim Perelman and starring Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood. ... For other uses, see Song (disambiguation). ... Grunge music (sometimes also referred to as the Seattle Sound) is an independent-rooted music genre that became a commercially successful offshoot of hardcore punk, thrash metal, and alternative rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... See also: 1991 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1991 Record labels established in 1991 // 1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. ... For other uses, see Nevermind (disambiguation). ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Nirvana is a best-of compilation album from the American grunge band, Nirvana. ...

Lyrics and meaning

This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (September 2007)

Written by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, the song was meant to be an insult to the many people who ignored the meanings behind songs. It was originally titled "Knows Not What It Means". Rumor had it that Cobain specifically wrote the song about his best friend, Dylan Carlson. The band had a dislike for arena rock, and were disgusted that some of those who listened to that form of music were now fans of their music. Truth to be told, many fans of Nirvana didn't know what the lyrics to their songs were about; however, this was not just because of apathy but also because many fans had trouble understanding Cobain's then-unusual vocals (a fact famously parodied in "Weird Al" Yankovic's song "Smells Like Nirvana"). Still, some fans were apathetic to the lyrical content of Nirvana's songs, and instead listened to their music for the melodies and instrumental content. Kurt stated himself, as seen in the video Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!, that 'Music comes first, lyrics are secondary'. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. ... Earth are an American doom metal band who were pioneers of the minimalistic, bass-heavy, drum-less form of doom sometimes known as drone metal. ... Arena rock, also called stadium rock or anthem rock, is a loosely-defined term describing a rock era. ... This article is about the musician himself. ... Smells Like Nirvana is a parody of Nirvanas Smells Like Teen Spirit written and performed by Weird Al Yankovic. ... front cover Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! is a VHS/Laserdisc home video released by the grunge band Nirvana on November 15, 1994. ...

Given this, Nirvana was able to easily parody the less lyrically concerned fans in "In Bloom" without backlash. The song's lyrics, about an unintelligent man who doesn't understand what songs are about (according to the song's chorus: "He's the one/Who likes all our pretty songs/And he likes to sing along/And he likes to shoot his gun/But he knows not what it means, And I say/He's the one..."), were accepted by fans whether they understood the meaning of the song or not. Ironically, some fans would even sing along to the lyrics at concerts, an activity that was also parodied in the song. In contemporary usage, a parody (or lampoon) is a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author or fictional voice of the parody, or another subject. ...

Video

The music video that accompanied the song would also show the band's sense of ironic humor. Parodying The Buddy Holly and The Crickets appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in January 26th of 1957, the video starts off with an unnamed variety show host (played by former's The People's Court host Doug Llewelyn) introducing Nirvana as being "nice and decent fellows." Like in other performances from that era, the video frequently cuts to shots of hysterically screaming girls in the audience. Their non-stop screaming is heard throughout the entire duration of the song. As the video progresses, the band begins destroying their instruments, showing themselves to be more like the grunge musicians of their own time. The video would also switch back and forth between scenes of the band playing while wearing business suits and scenes of them playing in dresses. This video won "Best Alternative Video" award at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards. The Ed Sullivan Show was an American television variety show that ran from June 20, 1948 to June 6, 1971, and was hosted by former entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. ... Judge Joseph Wapner, who presided over cases from 1981 to 1993. ... Judge Marilyn Milian, the current judge, has presided over cases since 2001. ...

Other versions

The band previously made a video in 1990 for a different earlier version of "In Bloom", recorded while still on Sub Pop Records. This was released on the Sub Pop video compilation Sub Pop Video Network Programme 1 and later featured on the DVD on the 2004 boxset With the Lights Out. Sub Pop is a record label in Seattle, Washington that achieved fame in the 1990s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the local Seattle music scene. ... With the Lights Out is a box set, containing 3 CDs and 1 DVD, from the American grunge band, Nirvana. ...

There are also three different edits of the "Ed Sullivan" version. The original version, in which the band is in suits for the entire video, was never released. The more popular version features the band switching back and forth from a conservative performance in suits, and then to a more violent performance in dresses. The less popular version, credited as, "Version 1 - Dresses," is just one long take of the destructive performance in drag.

Track listing

The following songs appeared on the single (Nevermind version):

1. "In Bloom" [LP Version] - 4:17
2. "Sliver" [live, O'Brien Pavilion (Del Mar, California) 1991.12.28] - 2:06
3. "Polly" [live, O'Brien Pavilion (Del Mar, California) 1991.12.28] - 2:47

All songs written by Kurt Cobain. Sliver is a song by the band Nirvana. ... Polly is a song by the American rock band Nirvana. ... Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. ...

Personnel

• Kurt Cobain - Vocals, Guitars
• Dave Grohl - Drums, Backing vocals
• Krist Novoselic - Bass
• Butch Vig - Producer
• Andy Wallace - Producer

Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... The classical guitar typically has nylon strings. ... David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969, in Warren, Ohio) is an American rock musician and songwriter. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... A backup vocalist is a vocalist that sings in harmony with the lead vocalist, with other backup vocalists, or alone but in the background of a song. ... Krist Anthony Novoselić II (born May 16, 1965) is an American rock musician best known as the bassist for Nirvana. ... A sunburst-colored Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... Butch Vig (born Bryan David Vigorson, August 2, 1957 in Viroqua, Wisconsin) is both a record producer and the drummer of the popular rock band Garbage. ... In the music industry, record producer designates a person responsible for completing a master recording so that it is fit for release. ... Andy Wallace is a Grammy Award-winning music studio engineer with a long track record of successful productions, beginning with the early 1980s production of the Run-DMC/Aerosmith collaboration on Walk This Way. Following this breakout success, Wallace went on to work with Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Slayer, Sepultura, Nirvana...

Chart positions

The Mainstream Rock Tracks chart is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music but are not modern rock (that is, alternative) stations, which are counted in the Modern Rock Tracks chart. ... The Irish Singles Chart is the Irish music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. ... Polish Radio and Television (Polish: Polskie Radio i Telewizja) is a public-service broadcaster in Poland. ... Recording Industry Association of New Zealand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... “British Hit Singles” redirects here. ... The Mitä hittiä chart was started in Finland in August 1992 even though there was already an existing Official Finland Singles Chart. ... The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. ... MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of charts, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. ...

Accolades

• Ranked #16 in NME's "Top 20 Nirvana Songs" (2004).
• Ranked #407 in Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" (2004).
• Ranked #65 in Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos (2007).[1]

For other uses, see NME (disambiguation). ... This article is about the magazine. ... The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone magazine published in November 2004. ... Two issues of Guitar World featuring Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix on the covers, and the accompanying CDs (May 2005, October 2005) Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. ...

Rock Band appearance

"In Bloom", as a master track, will be appearing, along with many other songs, in the upcoming Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Playstation 2 music video game Rock Band. The PlayStation 3 , trademarked PLAYSTATION®3,[3] commonly abbreviated PS3) is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment; successor to the PlayStation 2. ... It has been suggested that Xbox 360 Elite be merged into this article or section. ... PS2 redirects here. ... Rock Band is an upcoming music video game under development by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games, and to be distributed by Electronic Arts Partners scheduled for a North American release during the 2007 holiday season. ...

Nevermind will also be available for download. For other uses, see Nevermind (disambiguation). ...

External links

• Music Video of In Bloom