The small American town of Aberdeen, in the state of Washington, greets guests with a roadside sign that says Welcome to Aberdeen. Come As You Are.
The first phrase (“Welcome to Aberdeen”) is traditional for such signs, and the second (“Come as you are”) is the title of a famous song by Nirvana grunge band, whose leader Kurt Cobain was born in Aberdeen.
The history and meaning of the song Come As You Are – Nirvana
Come As You Are was Nirvana’s second single from their second studio album, Nevermind (1992). However, instead of it, the composition In Bloom could be released, as Cobain wanted. The fact is that the guitar intro from Come As You Are is very similar to the riff from the Eighties song by the British band Killing Joke.
Kurt understood this and was afraid of the consequences, but was forced to give in to the producers, who considered Come As You Are more commercially promising. Later, the musicians from Killing Joke really expressed their claims to Nirvana and, they say, even sued them, but after Cobain’s death they refused to continue the process.
It is difficult to interpret the meaning of the song Come As You Are. Cobain said that she was “about people and the behavior that is expected of them” and himself called her words contradictory. Many fans saw drug references in the text, and the phrase “No, I don’t have a gun” (“No, I don’t have a gun”) took on a special meaning for fans after Kurt shot himself.
Clip Come As You Are – Nirvana
The music video was directed in an impressionistic style by Kevin Kerslake. Thinking over the concept of the video, he started from the cover design of the Nevermind album. It depicts a child who dives for a banknote, impaled on a hook. This symbolizes modern people, who are taught from birth to chase after profit.
Come As You Are was one of the tracks included on the acoustic album MTV Unplugged in New York. It was ranked #452 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Check out Nirvana’s Come As You Are video clip from Unplugged in New York.
Interesting Facts
- When recording the song in the studio, Cobain sang the phrase “And I don’t have a gun” at the wrong time, but they decided not to correct the mistake and left this option.
- A reference to Come As You Are is in the song Adam’s Song by punk band Blink-182. It’s the line “I took my time, I hurried up, the choice was mine, I didn’t think enough”.
- The Latin word “memoria”, which Cobain repeats several times in Come As You Are, can be translated as “memory”.
Come As You Are Nirvana Lyrics
Come as you are, as you were
As I want you to be
As a friend, as a friend
As an old enemy
Take your time, hurry up
The choice is yours, don’t be late
Take a rest as a friend
As an old
Memory x4
Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach
As I want you to be
As a trend, as a friend
As an old
Memory x4
And I wear that I don’t have a gun
No I don’t have a gun
No I don’t have a gun
Memory x4
No I don’t have a gun
And I wear that I don’t have a gun
No I don’t have a gun x6
Memory, memory
Come As You Are Lyrics Nirvana Lyrics
Come as you are, as you were
How I want to see you
Like a friend, like a friend
Like an old enemy
Don’t rush, hurry up
The choice is yours, don’t be late
Rest like a friend
How old
Memory (4 times)
Come smeared in mud, soaked in bleach
How I want to see you
Like a trend, like a friend
How old
Memory (4 times)
And I swear that I don’t have a gun
No I don’t have a weapon
No I don’t have a weapon
Memory (4 times)
No I don’t have a weapon
And I swear that I don’t have a gun
No, I don’t have a weapon (6 times)
Memory, memory
Song quote
When Cobain declares that he is unarmed, it is an attempt to convince listeners that, no matter how misanthropic he may be, his goal is the whole world, not individuals in it, and that in this damaged world there is enough room for everyone.
Mark Deming, Allmusic
