Rail transport has played such an important role in the history of the United States that a special genre has even formed in their music – train songs. It originated in the thirties of the nineteenth century and gradually penetrated into all styles and trends.
One of the most popular folk songs in this category is In the Pines (Black Girl), better known as Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Nirvana.
The story of creation and the meaning of the song In the Pines
The author of the work is unknown. When, where and by whom it was written, no one can definitely say. It is believed to have been composed before 1870 in the Appalachian region of the United States.
What is In the Pines (Where Did You Sleep Last Night) about? In the versions of numerous performers, the words differed significantly, which sometimes changed the general meaning of the song Where Did You Sleep Last Night. The main character could be white or dark-skinned, and the text mentioned either a husband, or a lover, or a father, or even other characters. In some cases, she deceived her husband, in others she was raped. In a word, the situation is typical for a folk song.
In the most common version of In the Pines, a husband asks his wife where she was at night, and she tells him how she shivered in a cold pine forest, meaning, apparently, treason. Further, the horrific death of the unfortunate spouse is sung.
Researchers have counted over one hundred and sixty versions of the song. Among the first musicians who sang In the Pines were Bill Monroe, Lead Belly, Joseph Miner, The Four Pennies and other famous musicians.
Meaning of Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Nirvana
Most modern listeners are familiar with the variant of the song by grunge band Nirvana, who covered Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Lida Belli. Kurt Cobain learned about it from fellow musician Mark Laingan and even took part in the recording of the song for his album The Winding Sheet.
In 1993, Nirvana performed a famous acoustic concert on the MTV Unplugged TV show where they performed Where Did You Sleep Last Night. The song was later included on the band’s album MTV Unplugged in New York. Cobain also recorded a solo version of it, which was included on the album With the Lights Out.
Interesting Facts
- In the now most famous version of Where Did You Sleep Last Night, there is no mention of the train, although one of the lines suggests that it was not without it.
- Before performing Where Did You Sleep Last Night at the MTV Unplugged in New York concert, Cobain said it was his favorite artist’s song and talked about being offered to buy Lead Belly’s guitar for half a million dollars. One of the band members jokingly offered to let the hat go through the rows so that the audience would help raise the required amount.
- Kurt Loder recalled arguing to Cobain that the correct title of the song was In the Pines, referring to Bill Monod, and the Nirvana leader insisting on Where Did You Sleep Last Night, relying on Lead Belly’s version.
- Where Did You Sleep Last Night was one of the few songs that Kurt Cobain performed with Courtney Love. It happened in September 1993 at the Lingerie Club (Los Angeles).
Where Did You Sleep Last Night lyrics
My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I’m going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
Her husband was a hard working man
Just about a mile from here
His head was found in a driving wheel
But his body was never found
Lyrics of Where Did You Sleep Last Night Alternate
My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun never shines
I shivered all night until the morning
My girl, my girl, where are you going?
I go where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun never shines
I shivered all night until the morning
Her husband was a hard worker
Who lived a mile away
His head was found in the drive wheel
And the body was never found.
