Grunge band Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain rarely explained the meaning of his songs. Even if he talked about individual compositions, his comments were usually brief and vague.
Take, for example, the track All Apologies from the album In Utero. Most Nirvana fans know that Kurt dedicated it to his wife and daughter. At the same time, he insisted that the words of the song were not directly related to his family.
Story of creation and meaning of All Apologies – Nirvana
What is the song All Apologies about? Critics and fans of the group, of course, did not come to a consensus.
Some believe that Cobain sang about the loss of interest in rock music, apologizing to a large army of fans for not meeting their expectations.
Others see the song as Kurt’s regret over the commercialization of the band’s work.
Still others insist that in this way he apologized to Courtney for causing trouble.
Of course, there were versions about drugs and a premonition of imminent death.
In a word, everyone is free to understand All Apologies in their own way. What is clear is that Kurt told about some kind of internal conflict in his soul, which found expression in the song.
Release and achievements
The first recording of All Apologies was made on January 1, 1991 and differed from subsequent versions in a more folk direction. In 1993, the band released the song as the second single from their album In Utero. In the Modern Rock hit parade, she climbed to the first line, and in the UK Singles Chart, she was content with the 32nd position.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked All Apologies at number 462 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 1995, the composition was nominated for a Grammy in two categories.
All Apologies
Nirvana refused to film the video for All Apologies in protest of MTV’s refusal to air the Rape Me video. The music channels had to be content with the recording from the MTV Unplugged in New York acoustic concert.
Next, you can watch the online video clip of All Apologies by the rock band Nirvana.
Interesting Facts
- The working title of the song was La La La.
- The single All Apologies with Rape Me on the reverse side was the last for Kurt Cobain.
- The seahorse on the cover of the single was at Kurt’s request.
- The Christian band DC Talk occasionally performs a cover of All Apologies at concerts, in which instead of the words “everyone is gay” the phrase “Jesus is the way” is heard.
All Apologies Lyrics
What else should I be
All apologies
What else could I say
Everyone is gay
What else could I write
I don’t have the right
What else should I be
All apologies
in the sun
In the sun I feel as one
in the sun
in the sun
Married
Buried
I wish I was like you
Easily amused
Find my nest of salt
Everything’s my fault
I take all the blame
Aqua seafoam shame
Sunburn, freezer burn
Choking on the ashes of her enemy
in the sun
In the sun I feel as one
in the sun
in the sun
Married
Married
Married
Buried
All in all is all we are
All Apologies Lyrics Alternative
What else should I be
All apologies
What else could I say
Everyone is cheerful
What else could I write
I have no right
What else should I be
All apologies
In the rays of the sun
In the rays of the sun, I feel one with him
In the rays of the sun
In the rays of the sun
Married
buried
I’m sorry I can’t like you
Have fun without a care
find peace
It’s all my own fault
I take the blame
Sea foam of shame
Sunburn, frost burn
Suffocating from the ashes of her enemies
In the rays of the sun
In the rays of the sun, I feel one with him
In the rays of the sun
In the rays of the sun
Married
Married
Married
buried
All in all – that’s what we are
