The Artist: Nivana
The Song: "Smells like Teen Spirit" (1991)
The Story: Before Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain fell for Courtney Love, he dated drummer Tobi Vail in 1991. But she eventually broke it off. One night, one of Vail's bandmates, Kathleen Hanna, was hanging out at Cobain's apartment, listening to him lament the break-up. At some point she grabbed a can of spray pain and scrawled the words, "Kurt smells like Teen Spirit" on Cobain's wall. (Teen Spirit was a deodorant that Vail wore, and her scent was still lingering on Cobain.) The phrase immediately struck him and provided the inspiration for what he later called "the ultimate pop song." "Smells Like Teen Spirit" became the first big hit from Nirvana's seminal album, Nevermind. It reached #6 on the Billboard charts and has since been called the anthem of a generation.
Ironically, Cobain later admitted that he didn't know that Teen Spirit was a deodorant until after the song released -- he would have never knowingly put the name of a mass-produced product for teenagers into the title of one of his song.
good thinkin rustic. how will we know where we're going if we don't look at where we've been? deeshaiyania!!!!!
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