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This article is about the Nirvana song; for the herb, see Pennyroyal.

"Pennyroyal Tea" is a song by the American Alternative band Nirvana. It is the ninth song on their 1993 album, In Utero. It was scheduled to be released as a single in April 1994, but after the song's author, Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain, was found dead that same month, this plan was abandoned, owing to the fact that one of the B-sides is called "I Hate Myself and Want to Die". Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... 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. ... In Utero is the third and final studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana, released on September 21, 1993 by DGC Records. ... “B-Sides” redirects here. ... I Hate Myself And Want To Die is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... Where Did You Sleep Last Night, also known as In The Pines and Black Girl, is a traditional American folk song which dates back to at least the 1870s, and is believed to be Southern Appalachian in origin. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... CD redirects here. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... there is noo armenian language!! O u dumbb ppl!! ... This article is about the unit of time, angle and right ascension. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as one third of UMGs Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group. ... 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. ... Scott Litt is an American record producer who mostly works with artists in the alternative rock genre and is probably best known for producing six R.E.M. albums (Document, 1987; Green, 1988; Out of Time, 1991; Automatic for the People, 1992; Monster, 1994; and New Adventures in Hi-Fi... This article is about the American grunge band. ... In Utero track listing tourettes (11) All Apologies (12) (Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip) (12 - hidden track, only European pressings) All Apologies is a song by the American rock band Nirvana. ... In Utero track listing Rape Me is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... About a Girl is a song by the American grunge band, Nirvana. ... In Utero is the third and final studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana, released on September 21, 1993 by DGC Records. ... Milk It, a song from the 1993 album In Utero by Nirvana, was taken for release as the B-side to the single Heart-Shaped Box. The song, with its murky, freewheeling sound, was described by Kurt Cobain as the new Nirvana. ... Radio Friendly Unit Shifter is a song by the American rock band, Nirvana. ... MTV Unplugged in New York is a live album by the American grunge band, Nirvana. ... The Man Who Sold the World is an album by David Bowie. ... Dumb is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... Binomial name L. The herb Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, family Lamiaceae), is a member of the mint genus; an essential oil extracted from it is used in aromatherapy. ... The term alternative rock or alternative music1 was coined in the early 1980s to describe bands which didnt fit into the mainstream genres of the time. ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... In Utero is the third and final studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana, released on September 21, 1993 by DGC Records. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. ... I Hate Myself And Want To Die is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. ...

Meaning

The herb Pennyroyal is sometimes used as an abortifacient. Some have speculated that it was written, at least partially, about Cobain's stomach pains (later discovered to be caused by a pinched nerve). The lyric "I'm on warm milk and laxatives" may have been about Cobain's heroin abuse, since addicts sometimes consume laxatives in order to combat constipation resulting from use of the drug. Pennyroyal tea could also be a metaphor for Cobain's reasons for using heroin. "Sit and drink pennyroyal tea, distill the life that's inside of me" could refer to pennyroyal's use as an abortifacient, which is used as a metaphor for ridding the problems that he was dealing with at the time. For other uses, see Herb (disambiguation). ... Binomial name L. The herb Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, family Lamiaceae), is a member of the mint genus; an essential oil extracted from it is used in aromatherapy. ... An abortifacient is a substance that induces abortion. ... What is Pinched Nerve? The term pinched nerve describes one type of damage or injury to a nerve or set of nerves. ... For other uses, see Heroin (disambiguation). ... Constipation or irregularity, is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or animal) experiences hard feces that are difficult to egest; it may be extremely painful, and in severe cases (fecal impaction) lead to symptoms of bowel obstruction. ...

An alternate explanation is that the song is just what it seems about at face value: a person "sitting and drinking pennyroyal tea." In Cobain's Journals, there is an entry where he explains (as much as possible for someone who said that his songs did not have a single meaning) the tracks on In Utero. The explanation simply reads: "herbal abortive... it doesn't work, you hippie." Journals is a collection of writings and drawings done by Kurt Cobain, lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana, from the late 1980s until his death in 1994. ... In Utero is the third and final studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana, released on September 21, 1993 by DGC Records. ...

History

According to Michael Azerrad's 1993 Nirvana biography, Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, "Pennyroyal Tea" was written by Cobain in 1990 in an Olympia, Washington, apartment he shared with Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. "Dave and I were screwing around on a 4-track," said Cobain, "and I wrote that song in about thirty seconds. And I sat down for like half-an-hour and wrote the lyrics and then we recorded it." However, the song didn't receive studio treatment until 1993, when it was recorded by Steve Albini for In Utero. A remix by Scott Litt appears on the censored Wal-Mart and Kmart versions of In Utero; this remix is also available on the band's 2002 best-of compilation, Nirvana, and is, incidentally, the same mix that was to appear on the single (see below). Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... Coordinates: , Country State County Thurston Incorporated January 28, 1859 Government  - Mayor Mark Foutch Area  - Total 18. ... David Eric Grohl (b. ... Multitrack recording (multitracking or just tracking for short) is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole. ... Steve Albini (born July 22, 1962, Pasadena, California) is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. ... Scott Litt is an American record producer who mostly works with artists in the alternative rock genre and is probably best known for producing six R.E.M. albums (Document, 1987; Green, 1988; Out of Time, 1991; Automatic for the People, 1992; Monster, 1994; and New Adventures in Hi-Fi... Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ... For the Australian department store chain, see Kmart Australia. ... In Utero is the third and final studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana, released on September 21, 1993 by DGC Records. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Nirvana is a best-of compilation album from the American grunge band, Nirvana. ...

Director Anton Corbijn was asked to direct the video for Pennyroyal Tea. He refused stating that he felt he couldn't make a video better than Heart-Shaped Box. Jeffery Plansker then signed on as the new director. With Cobain's death though this was ultimately scrapped.^[1] Anton Corbijn (pronounced ) (born May 20, 1955) is a photographer from Strijen, the Netherlands. ... In Utero track listing Scentless Apprentice (2) Heart-Shaped Box (3) Rape Me (4) Heart-Shaped Box is a song by the American Grunge band Nirvana. ...

Other versions

A solo, stripped down performance of "Pennyroyal Tea" appears on the acoustic MTV Unplugged in New York album. An acoustic demo (recorded in 1993) appears on the 2004 Nirvana box set, With the Lights Out. The box set DVD includes yet another solo rendition of the song, from a live concert at the OK Hotel on April 17, 1991. A steel string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound. ... MTV Unplugged in New York is a live album by the American grunge band, Nirvana. ... For other uses, see demo. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A box set (sometimes referred to as a boxed set) is one or more musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related things that are contained in a box. ... With the Lights Out is a box set, containing 3 CDs and 1 DVD, from the American grunge band, Nirvana. ... With the Lights Out is a box set, containing 3 CDs and 1 DVD, from the American grunge band, Nirvana. ...

Covers

"Pennyroyal Tea" has been covered by the following artists:

• American rock band Hole (fronted by Cobain's widow, Courtney Love).
• American rock musician Kristin Hersh.
• American alternative rock band The Flaming Lips.
• Welsh rock band the Manic Street Preachers.

// Hole has released three official albums, Pretty on the Inside, Live Through This and Celebrity Skin. ... Courtney Love[1] (born Courtney Michelle Harrison on July 9, 1964) is an American rock musician. ... Kristin Hersh (born August 7, 1966) is a prolific American singer/songwriter who performs solo acoustic concerts; she also has performed as lead singer and guitarist for alternative rock group Throwing Muses and currently leads the hardcore punk-influenced power trio 50 Foot Wave. ... The Flaming Lips (formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983) are an American alternative rock band. ... This article is about the country. ... Manic Street Preachers (often known colloquially as The Manics) are a Welsh rock band often associated with the Britpop scene, who gained mainstream popularity in the UK in the late 1990s. ...

The single

Though most copies of the Pennyroyal Tea single were withdrawn from the market, some were sold. The majority were ordered to be destroyed at the BMG pressing plant in Germany but copies were essentially stolen to later find themselves in private collections or on various auction sites. The single has been heavily bootlegged, some better than others.

1. "Pennyroyal Tea (Scott Litt Remix)"
2. "I Hate Myself And Want To Die"
3. "Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (Unplugged)" (Lead Belly)

The latter song is not included on the vinyl release of the single. I Hate Myself And Want To Die is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... Promo single from the 1994 album MTV Unplugged in New York. ... For the film, see Leadbelly (film). ...

The book In Utero by Gillian G. Gaar states that, Cobain had no input into the artwork for 'Pennyroyal Tea', which was scheduled for release in April 1994; the track had been remixed by Scott Litt at Bad Animals on November 22, 1993. Playing off the songs title, the sleeve pictures a cup of tea on a table, next to an ashtray filled with cigarette butts and a rooster-shaped cream pitcher, with a few animal crackers scattered around. "we got it done and I don't know that Kurt was around to approve it or not", says designer Robert Fisher. "I think it might just have been shot to management to approve or something." In Utero is the third and final studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana, released on September 21, 1993 by DGC Records. ...

Chart positions

The Latvian Airplay Charts first began in April 1994. ...

Accolades

• Ranked #8 in NME's "Top 20 Nirvana Songs" (2004)
• Ranked #2 in Q's "10 Album Tracks That Should Have Been Singles, But Weren't" (2004)

For other uses, see NME (disambiguation). ... Q is a music and entertainment magazinepublished monthly in the United Kingdom. ...

References

1. ^ Pennyroyal Tea Video Script. Crimson-ceremony. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.

• Azerrad, Michael. Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, Doubleday, New York: 1993, ISBN 0-86369-746-1