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Tori Amos — Smells Like Teen Spirit
Album: Crucify (EP)
Avg rating:
5.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2987









Released: 1992
Length: 3:10
Plays (last 30 days): 2
Load up on guns and bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over bored and self-assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word

Hello, hello, hello, hello
Hello, hello, oh

I'm worse at what, what I do best
And for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will be until the end

Hello, hello, hello, hello
Hello, hello

With the lights out it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us

Hello, hello

With the lights out it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us
Yes

A mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido
A denial, a denial, a denial, yes
A denial
Comments (619)add comment


From Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana by Michael Azerrad
 GingerandMe wrote:

Listen, let's ask Dave Grohl what he thinks and go with that because he is The Man in our house.



Seems like Dave Grohl was the poseur of the group. Yes he makes competent rock and roll, but he hasn't carried that punk rock spirit into his work. Kinda seems like maybe he wasn't very "punk rock" and he was along for the ride of fame and fortune. Which, unfortunately makes him part of the problem and may not have helped Kurt very much. So my conclusion is don't ask Dave because his opinion doesn't matter. Kind of like mine, but I had fun stating my opinion here anyway, so I hope I didn't offend any Dave Grohl fans. And I know that simply by stating I hope I didn't offend you, means I already know I did something stupid enough to actually offend you. So my apologies. Regardless, it is kind of William and Co. to offer an excellent radio station that allows for random dudes like myself to listen, cast judgement, and bloviate. 
Could this song be more nerve grating!!!!  grrrrrrrrrrrrr!'
 kenmo wrote:

Bad analogy... Kurt had no problem with Tori's cover. Nobody's asking you to like it ...or for your opinion on what it's "SUPPOSED to be." Only Kurt can say that.


Agree with kenmo. Angst and emotion isn't restricted to loud, distorted guitars. I'm not a huge TA fan...but I really respect this spin of a cover. It's tension is still there wrapped in a melodic and melancholy piano...beautifully phrased singing. Kudos to Tori!
OK, Tori Amos is VERY talented. That being said, everybody has different tastes. Tori just isn't for me.  I can see why a lot of people really like her. I just keep her tunes rated at SIX, so she doesn't wind up on "My Favorites" list. Thanx RP, for playing her for her RP fans!  ...Enjoy!
Listen, let's ask Dave Grohl what he thinks and go with that because he is The Man in our house.
Art is sometimes incomprehensible to its listeners…  I find Tori brilliant here.
I'm not surprised by the negativity, but I think this cover is brilliant. 
Boy you guys are harsh.  Maybe this is what it feels like to be a teenaged GIRL.
Amos strips this song down to….the original. Anyone who thinks this does a disservice to the “original” does not understand the role of “producer” on an album.
 acolt wrote:

The problem here is that the actual song is SUPPOSED to be "angst-ridden" and nigh-incomprehensible. That was one of the main points of Nirvana's performance, and why Smells Like Teen Spirit is so widely revered as a generational turning point in music. 

Kurt Cobain had "the soul of the lyrics" when he wrote and performed the song the way he did (he didn't have any problem being comprehensible on the rest of Nevermind). Tori just stripped it down and sold the parts.

Bad analogy... Kurt had no problem with Tori's cover. Nobody's asking you to like it ...or for your opinion on what it's "SUPPOSED to be." Only Kurt can say that.
 Laptopdog wrote:

Talk about sucking the life out of an iconic song!



No... talk about putting new life into the song. It doesn't *replace* the original it complements it.
I couldn't guess what might follow but this was a great transition from Johnny Cash's Hurt.
I love Tori Amos and always will but never cared for this cover. 
Horrid.
 acolt wrote:

The problem here is that the actual song is SUPPOSED to be "angst-ridden" and nigh-incomprehensible. That was one of the main points of Nirvana's performance, and why Smells Like Teen Spirit is so widely revered as a generational turning point in music. 

Kurt Cobain had "the soul of the lyrics" when he wrote and performed the song the way he did (he didn't have any problem being comprehensible on the rest of Nevermind). Tori just stripped it down and sold the parts.


"Tori just stripped it down and sold the parts."

Not a agreeing or disagreeing but that's a great line.

 pianocomposer wrote:

The point here is NOT to find the original rockin vibe, but to find the soul of the lyrics and the feelings that are not present in the original angst-ridden version. Here Tori finds the meaning of the lyrics, which are not comprehensible in the original recording.  


The problem here is that the actual song is SUPPOSED to be "angst-ridden" and nigh-incomprehensible. That was one of the main points of Nirvana's performance, and why Smells Like Teen Spirit is so widely revered as a generational turning point in music. 

Kurt Cobain had "the soul of the lyrics" when he wrote and performed the song the way he did (he didn't have any problem being comprehensible on the rest of Nevermind). Tori just stripped it down and sold the parts.
Well it probably seemed like a good idea at the time.
 vandal wrote:

10


1
Smells like Tori Amos.
What a star she simply is.
Holy balls...that red bar <---- is ENORMOUS!!
92 Tori was the bees knees.
 pianocomposer wrote:

People are really trashing this version. As a composer on the piano, I can tell you that slowing down a song and performing it on a simple guitar or piano and voice, it makes the song better almost every time. The point here is NOT to find the original rockin vibe, but to find the soul of the lyrics and the feelings that are not present in the original angst-ridden version. Here Tori finds the meaning of the lyrics, which are not comprehensible in the original recording. I like this very much. It is not meant to be the same. I am sorry most folks don't like it. It's a great cover IMO. 




Yes, Tori gets right into the core of the song and fleshes it out.
She should be prosecuted for unlawful battery.
💩
 ShockwaveRider wrote:
As I was saying.... I was wearing onions around my neck, which was the style at the time.
 
Was this back in nineteen-dickety-two? I heard that the kaiser stole twenty...
Alright, I take back my original comment. I listened to this cover a few more times, and it sounds really good. Tori made this unique, and I am not surprised that Kurt liked it. I think she did it justice here.
As I was saying.... I was wearing onions around my neck, which was the style at the time.
I like green onions...cannot say more than that.
 secretsauce wrote:

Good on you for defending this performance from the trashing.  Unfortunate that you felt you had to trash the original to do it.   

Both versions reveal something different in the lyrics. Both are valid. Why not leave it at that?
 
Where exactly did PianoComposer "trash" the original?  I would suggest you go back and re-read the post. 
 memoryboxer wrote:
"Acting stupid... and contagious"
Takes on all new horrific meaning in the wake of the thousands of entitled idiots who defied orders to stay home and safe to fight Covid-19, deciding that their right to party for spring break outweighed any considerations of the pandemic death tolls their stupidity would bring.
 
We need somewhere to escape from this daily nightmare. Be nice not to mention it here.
 memoryboxer wrote:
"Acting stupid... and contagious"
Takes on all new horrific meaning in the wake of the thousands of entitled idiots who defied orders to stay home and safe to fight Covid-19, deciding that their right to party for spring break outweighed any considerations of the pandemic death tolls their stupidity would bring.
 


10
There's some useful context to appreciate. 

Tori's first album had edge and got a lot of air play on alternative rock stations. At the time, I was living near Seattle, epicenter of Nirvana and the new grunge rock scene. When Tori dropped this cover on the B-side of her Crucify EP, it made sense. Another voice, an insistent female voice, to Curt Cobain's anthem of rage and questioning everything. Alongside Curt and others she shared the charts with, her music and her lyrics were challenging the status quo at a time when 'alternative' music was going  mainstream. 

Tori's EP also includes amazing covers to the Rolling Stones' Angie and Led Zepplin's Thank You.  

The point is to not listen to compare with the originals, but to enjoy the musical brilliance that allows such versatility to such a song, and bring a new dimension and meaning to the lyrics. This gets a "10" in my book. 
STOP pleaseeeee it hurts!!!! Thats the first 1 i ever gave - omg like someone trying to give a feeling to his voice wich simply isnt there!
 pianocomposer wrote:
People are really trashing this version. As a composer on the piano, I can tell you that slowing down a song and performing it on a simple guitar or piano and voice, it makes the song better almost every time. The point here is NOT to find the original rockin vibe, but to find the soul of the lyrics and the feelings that are not present in the original angst-ridden version. Here Tori finds the meaning of the lyrics, which are not comprehensible in the original recording. I like this very much. It is not meant to be the same. I am sorry most folks don't like it. It's a great cover IMO. 
 
Good on you for defending this performance from the trashing.  Unfortunate that you felt you had to trash the original to do it.   

Both versions reveal something different in the lyrics. Both are valid. Why not leave it at that?
 dandueck07 wrote:


I totally agree.  Gifted music artists nearly always explore new avenues and push boundaries when they record a new version of a song.  I have no problem with listeners not liking this version of the song - like all music, it can't possibly satisfy everyone's ears.  So be it.  It appears to me, however, that the naysayers who are posting comments seem to be caught up in a feeding frenzy to outdo previous posters with a slightly novel way to express their negativity -  somewhat ironic if you get my drift.
 
I would give Alice Cooper 5 stars for a cover of this song, and maybe Chris Cornell, and maybe the Staves, and even the (Dixie) Chicks.

But Tori ? Who is she, anyway?

There's never enough for us to wonder.
Tori needs to connect. Who are you, dear? Love your thrill, but I have none of your albums.
Wiki could find a better picture of Tori than a crotch shot. Are the editors still in high school?  Tori deserves better... 
I adore Tori Amos, but this is one of those songs that just need to stay untouched.
good or bad, at least I know the words!  
"Acting stupid... and contagious"
Takes on all new horrific meaning in the wake of the thousands of entitled idiots who defied orders to stay home and safe to fight Covid-19, deciding that their right to party for spring break outweighed any considerations of the pandemic death tolls their stupidity would bring.
I never liked the original, so I'm torn.  I much prefer her voice to Cobain's, but the tempo wants to put me to sleep.
This what a great cover is all about.  Take the words and melody, but sing it in your style, give it a new fresh feel.  
Nope
Kind of troubling, all the 1's. Sadly they live among us. 
I agree 100% with pianocomposer!  Tori stole my musical heart a long time ago with a voice and singing talent that can give me aesthetic chills along with excellent piano to carry my soul through her songs.  She will remain atop my playlists and I look forward to more, and all, of her interpretations.  
 pianocomposer wrote:
People are really trashing this version. As a composer on the piano, I can tell you that slowing down a song and performing it on a simple guitar or piano and voice, it makes the song better almost every time. The point here is NOT to find the original rockin vibe, but to find the soul of the lyrics and the feelings that are not present in the original angst-ridden version. Here Tori finds the meaning of the lyrics, which are not comprehensible in the original recording. I like this very much. It is not meant to be the same. I am sorry most folks don't like it. It's a great cover IMO. 
 

I totally agree.  Gifted music artists nearly always explore new avenues and push boundaries when they record a new version of a song.  I have no problem with listeners not liking this version of the song - like all music, it can't possibly satisfy everyone's ears.  So be it.  It appears to me, however, that the naysayers who are posting comments seem to be caught up in a feeding frenzy to outdo previous posters with a slightly novel way to express their negativity -  somewhat ironic if you get my drift.
This splits opinion... a good thing? Surely.

I think its a good thing and I think this is a worthy and brave version. 
People are really trashing this version. As a composer on the piano, I can tell you that slowing down a song and performing it on a simple guitar or piano and voice, it makes the song better almost every time. The point here is NOT to find the original rockin vibe, but to find the soul of the lyrics and the feelings that are not present in the original angst-ridden version. Here Tori finds the meaning of the lyrics, which are not comprehensible in the original recording. I like this very much. It is not meant to be the same. I am sorry most folks don't like it. It's a great cover IMO. 
c'mon entertain us!

>>1
To quote the immortal Jeff Goldblum, "This is the worst idea in the history of bad ideas". 
 jelgator wrote:
Bill, you need to allow us negative numbers on the rating scale.
 

That's why there's PSD, or skip, etc. 
Bill, you need to allow us negative numbers on the rating scale.
Kind of sounds like when I smashed my finger with a hammer.
Okay, I didn't like it. That said, the album's call to "Crucify Tori Amos" seems a bit extreme. 
Talk about sucking the life out of an iconic song!
Love this version, as I believe Kurt did also. A definitive cover if there ever was one, along with her cover of Zeppelin's Thank You. Anyone who doesn't, don't know. The rating on this is wayyyyyy too low. Tori Rulz. 
I love Ms Amos's interpretation of Smells Like Teen Spirit, which exposes the original song's meaning in a haunting and brutally naked way. Having originally found it years ago on a now-illegal sharing site, I've since spent hours looking for the for the original media - thanks Bill, I've just ordered the EP from Amazon!
 robin_at_domani wrote:
First Johnny Cash' cover Hurt: fantastic!

And than followed by this... crap!
Be a little more selective, RP 
 
well, I feel the exact opposite so yay RP for diversity and offering something to everyone !! <3 
 Crosby_Carter wrote:
the only good cover of this is the Patti Smith version
 

That's what i was thinking
First Johnny Cash' cover Hurt: fantastic!

And than followed by this... crap!
Be a little more selective, RP 
Some songs should not be covered....say no more.
the only good cover of this is the Patti Smith version
 Redpoint wrote:
Normally a fan of Tori Amos but when I hear this, the title of the album really sums up what she seems to be doing to it. Now for a really tongue  in cheek version how about Paul Anka's great swing cover from his 2005 'Rock Swings' album?
 
Yes, that is an interesting cover, isn't it?  The guys get shirts!!!!
I like this "cover" even better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkjrdvFsxKE

Love it.  Not much she does I don't like.
Normally a fan of Tori Amos but when I hear this, the title of the album really sums up what she seems to be doing to it. Now for a really tongue  in cheek version how about Paul Anka's great swing cover from his 2005 'Rock Swings' album?
Tori Amos meets Syd Barrett.
When this came out, I panned it on a message board. None other than Neil Gaiman came forward and politely defended it and her music in general....

.... which got me to take a serious look at her music. I've bought a few of her albums over the years as a result and there are some songs of her's that I really really like.....

.... but I've never warmed up to her version of this song.

Не трогайте Курта! Пиартесь на ком-то другом!

The only thing that makes this song tolerable is to imagine (hope?) that Tori is doing a satire of herself. Then it's funny.
 ecojot wrote:
Wow - lots of negative comments. I love this - its haunting and moody.

 
Beautifully done. I get that some music is so crystallized in some ears that it cannot be forgiven reinterpretation. Aesthetics, politics, cultural context ... hey it evolves people. No one is taking anything away from Nirvana's original (and their own various incarnations of the song).
Kurt talks about it in this interview here:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8dBxLGTM10

(time index 1:30)

Doesn't sound overly enthused...

But I like it.
I am also completely dumbfounded by the negative ratings on this. I think her interpretation and piano work are stunning. 
Wow - lots of negative comments. I love this - its haunting and moody.
 Karhu wrote:
What the f***. That cover sucks!

 
With all that fresh garlic, she'll be vampire-proof for sure :o)

I'll take Tori Amos over Kurt Cobain every day of the week - a nice cover.
Gorgeous!
This is still pure garbage, both the original and this cover
What horrible drivel... 
Already didn't care for the original...but now throw in self indulgent angst...and you got this...ugh.
This sucks so bad..Please stop! Save my ears!
Man, I love a good cover as much (or more than) anyone, but this is pretty brutal.  
Patti Smith does a fantastic cover of this on Twelve. Both that one and this one have a distinct advantage over the Nirvana version—you can actually understand the lyrics!
my worst nightmare... horrible song meets horrible artist. this underlines just how fundamentally bad this song actually is. 
 
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye....
Woeful
What the f***. That cover sucks!
One thing I love is a cover done in such a completely different style, it makes the original seem weird (check out Walk on the Wild Side by Pink Turtle), and this is a beautifully done example, it makes KC sound raucous and inelegant. Needless to say, I love this.
Sorry Tori, but I gave it a 1, a very good song just covered to sucko barfo
 
If it wasn't Tori Amos, who I think is great, I'd give this sucko barfo. 
Just not good at all. 

Everybody in my church loves this cover...
 
I am with Bill and Kurt on this one... spectacular cover!  For the record, I like Tori and Nirvana... and I like this, so there!

The farther I get away from 15-year-old-me's worship of Kurt, the more I have come to see how this works...


Loved this cover almost as much as Weird Al's :) Just bought the song.

This song is a crime!!  
Wow, I'm surprised at the comments here. I saw her play this live at the Majestic in Dallas years ago. It sent chills down my spine. IMO this is one of the best covers ever, in the sense of doing something new while respecting the original. 

For context—I'm not a huge Nirvana fan, but this was my favorite of theirs. On the other hand, my wife is a big Nirvana fan, and I'm pretty sure she agrees with my opinion of the cover.
This is a very compelling version of a turning point song.  Serious Nirvana fans should be flattered by it.  Gave it an 8.
I find it very surprising that so there are so many negative comments on this, especially here on RP.

For me, a cover has to be different to the original - this is certainly different.
Of course, being different is not enough in itself. I like this version. It would be enjoyable even if the original had never existed.

I think it would be a terrible shame to 'fence-off' certain songs as being unsuitable to be covered, or even to restrict the range and style of covers that can be made for any given song. While we may argue (and many of us do, frequently) about which version of a song is the 'best', I applaud singers and musicians who use their talents to bring something new to an old favourite, or even a song that wasn't done justice by its original singer.

So, here's a plea to the musicians and singers out there to consider covers of songs when they feel they can bring something new...but of course please don't stop creating new songs too.
 Dav3thedog wrote:
Oh get over it, Nirvana fans. Music goes on...
 
Did Kurt ever comment on the cover?
I completely agree with Bill on this one.  People are too emotionally caught up in what this song meant to them - and I know it meant an awful lot.  So they can't handle a radical interpretation.

To me it shows the power of this amazing song's lyrics and melody that it can be completely transformed by another artist while retaining that power and beauty.

I've often said that Curt was one of the finest writer's of melodies and lyrics in rock and roll history.  Hummable melodies, memorable words.

And then that killer band which burst on to the scene with the quiet-loud dynamic, the emotional fury of the instruments and everything else that changed music in the 90's.
 ckcotton wrote:
Im pretty sure this is played just to piss ME off.....
 
Hope it worked.

Covers are just another's opinion of how the song should be sung/played.  I'm sure Mozart had similar comments in his day, too. 
So far as I can tell, the responses to this song/performance are largely driven by the memories of those who associate the original with their perceptions and emotions at specific points in their lives. This is understandable, but it does not therefore make this a crappy song. If it is crappy, it stands on its own (not sure about the imagery here). I don't find it objectionable, but then Nirvana was not a major influence on my life.
Lacks passion, or any genuine feeling for that matter (elevator music). This is what made the original so very powerful...
It's Bill's stream he can play what he wants.
Im pretty sure this is played just to piss ME off.....

 
Oh get over it, Nirvana fans. Music goes on...
Shocking!!
inexcusable
and not just the album cover 
 Teek wrote:
Interesting ratings distribution.
 
I noticed that, too. 
Interesting ratings distribution.
 
...first nirvana song i like.......10 from the ignorant german jury.....
Ugh ugh ugh ugh ad infinium
terrible!
AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why can't I rate this lower? 
Please don't do that again!