“I was simply blown away when I found that Kurt Cobain liked my work, and have always wanted to talk to him about his reasons for covering ‘The Man Who Sold the World’” and that “it was a good straight forward rendition and sounded somehow very honest.” -David Bowie
I love that Bowie was shocked Kurt liked his work. Goes to show, no matter how big some of these artists get, they still have that little insecurity of an artist. I mean Dave - you are a music legend! Anyone who has any semblance of musical understanding analyses your music!
The thing about Kurt is that he was terrified of being on stage. Throughout his career, whenever he performed live, he would look down so he couldn't see the crowd and get anxious.
The thing that really grabs me is the context of the time and what other popular music was like when this came out. It sometimes feels like this came from a different timeline.
I love this song. I play it a lot. My father died 5 years ago. l and I now own so many originals from the 60s and 70s. It's over 300 records. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. However. This has to be one of my favourite songs of all time. So many layers of music, influences over time. Bowie, Lulu, then Kurt. Thank you. Thank you for appreciating Nirvana past the norm. X
This cover was so well done and Bowie was very impressed by it that he redid the song to have a similar sound musically to what Kurt did. Also Kurt did say before playing the song that he said that he would guarantee that he would screw up this song but he didn't he performed perfectly. Well with Cobain he was born in 1967 so he grew up during the tail end of the Beatles so he has listened to his fair share of music through out the years. So Cobain has a uniqueness to his voice like John Lennon he could go all rough and raspy with his voice or he could a gentle and melancholy.
2nd best MTv unplugged. Kurt was a stickler when it came to other people's music. He cared very much to get his covers down correctly and I think that's what the sheet music was for. When it came to his own songs, he couldn't care less about getting everything perfect. But if it was written by someone else then he really had something "worth performing"(in his head, at least). And performed it in a way that made everyone proud of the performance 🤘🏼
Alice in chains was good but Nirvana was better. They did their life sets acoustically nothing special I don't see why people don't see that. Kirko bangz sing his own songs then he sang songs other people songs that he sang songs with the original band members the beat puppets then he sang a black man's blues song where did You sleep Last Night where people were literally crying. What is Alice in chains got that was better than
@@DefinitelyNotBender there ain't no opinion. You don't like and you don't need to explain anything the fact is nirvana was a million times better. And you're not going to explain yourself because you can't I already explained it for you and you don't agree because you know I'm right and you're wrong
5:06 it was probably an anxious thing so he didn’t have to look at that intimate crowd because they played it at live and loud and he didn’t have a music sheet
4:55 - I don't know about Krist and Pat, but Kurt and Dave didn't know how to read notes, they learned how to play by ear. From what I know Dave Grohl still don't know how to read music.
I've listened to this album so many times and this is the first time i recognized that country twang in some of the words. That observation is so spot on. Thanks.
I don't know what he's doing to everyone else, but he's breaking my heart. I wish so much he'd gotten help; a year later he was gone just as he was coming into his own...
Solid observation about how the band/Kurt might have seen their place in the industry, relating to this cover. In my view Kurt just might’ve even considered himself as similar to the title character.
Hey, thanks for breaking down this sweet song. I love Kurt's vocals, he has a beautiful slightly rough sound that fits perfectly with the harder songs in their discography. It is so fun to see how he handles a guitar solo, he sings with the guitar, instead of doing a more conventional interpretation. Great video, slightly different from some of the earlier things I've stumbled on and a nice surprise.
Maybe this is a hot take, but I like this better than the original and that's coming from a Big Bowie fan edit: From what I've heard, Kurt was really anxious during the entire unplugged concert. Of course he was suffering from anxiety and since this show was so close and intimate he had a big knot in his stomach the entire performance, as far as I know at least.
@@misskitty5632 Of course not. Just think that Nirvana´s version is better is all. And just to be clear, I think Lulu´s version isn´t bad by any means 😁
Can you imagine the pressure Kurt had on his shoulders during this show? The spotlight was entirely on him. I can't fault him for having that music stand in front of him.
"I guarantee you I will screw this song up" He kind of did on the solo by a note, but it sounds even cooler. My interpretation is when someone is "selling you something" they're essentially fooling you. At least where I am from. I think Kurt was saying he had fooled the World. To what I don't know, he also just loved the way words sounded sometimes and wanted you think of it as you will.
Listen to Tommy Johansson’s cover of Steelheart’s ”She’s gone’. Tommy Johansson is guitarist in Sabaton and also have his own band Majestica, plus he have new covers on YT every Friday so you can basically choose whatever song you want from his channel.
Another fantastic analysis, Ken. I was wondering, would you consider (or have you already?) looking at Mark Lanegan's work? Maybe a song of his, 'One Way Street?'
I always took this song as a kind of tongue in cheek story about meeting Jesus at a bar. When he said who he was Bowie’s response was like “sure buddy” and he laughed and shook his hand. I think it goes from complete disbelief to maybe a questionable belief. He was face to face with the man who sold the world.
As far as Kurt having the sheet music in front of him...he was the one really carrying the baton on this song. The rest of the band's contribution to the song was pretty simple in comparison. Well executed, but not as challenging as Kurt's parts.
I'm from Washington, like Kurt. I have friends in the UK that say our accent sounds like country lol i don't hear it but that's probably because it's always what I've heard. But the Grunge singers all have a little country twang/yodel sound.
![Summer Walker - Heart Of A Woman [Official Lyric Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SFddctbZzw8/mqdefault.jpg)
“I was simply blown away when I found that Kurt Cobain liked my work, and have always wanted to talk to him about his reasons for covering ‘The Man Who Sold the World’” and that “it was a good straight forward rendition and sounded somehow very honest.” -David Bowie
I love that Bowie was shocked Kurt liked his work. Goes to show, no matter how big some of these artists get, they still have that little insecurity of an artist. I mean Dave - you are a music legend! Anyone who has any semblance of musical understanding analyses your music!
The thing about Kurt is that he was terrified of being on stage. Throughout his career, whenever he performed live, he would look down so he couldn't see the crowd and get anxious.
One of my favourite Bowie songs! And performed SO beautifully by Kurt. ❤
Plus lulu, with a fedora on in a man's suit!
The thing that really grabs me is the context of the time and what other popular music was like when this came out. It sometimes feels like this came from a different timeline.
Yeah, it did. From Bowie, then Lulu (uk), look it up, you can still find Lulu 1970s cover on RUclips. Big hugs. X
There was amazing covers in their unplugged set, Oh Me is such a beautiful song and Kurt sounds so good!
one of the best covers of all time
I love this song. I play it a lot. My father died 5 years ago. l and I now own so many originals from the 60s and 70s. It's over 300 records. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. However. This has to be one of my favourite songs of all time. So many layers of music, influences over time. Bowie, Lulu, then Kurt. Thank you. Thank you for appreciating Nirvana past the norm. X
❤❤❤
Unplugged in New York is my favorite Nirvana album. The intimacy is so special. ❤
Add Pat Smear to anything and it's just better
This cover was so well done and Bowie was very impressed by it that he redid the song to have a similar sound musically to what Kurt did. Also Kurt did say before playing the song that he said that he would guarantee that he would screw up this song but he didn't he performed perfectly. Well with Cobain he was born in 1967 so he grew up during the tail end of the Beatles so he has listened to his fair share of music through out the years. So Cobain has a uniqueness to his voice like John Lennon he could go all rough and raspy with his voice or he could a gentle and melancholy.
Greatest of all time MTV Unplugged
2nd best MTv unplugged. Kurt was a stickler when it came to other people's music. He cared very much to get his covers down correctly and I think that's what the sheet music was for. When it came to his own songs, he couldn't care less about getting everything perfect. But if it was written by someone else then he really had something "worth performing"(in his head, at least). And performed it in a way that made everyone proud of the performance 🤘🏼
Yes! It really showed how good of musicianship they really had. Alice In Chains though...#1
@@bfstackledirect exactly, AiC is definitely #1. Nirvana #2 with Pearl Jam a close #3rd. Grunge dominated that era of music.
Alice in chains was good but Nirvana was better. They did their life sets acoustically nothing special I don't see why people don't see that. Kirko bangz sing his own songs then he sang songs other people songs that he sang songs with the original band members the beat puppets then he sang a black man's blues song where did You sleep Last Night where people were literally crying. What is Alice in chains got that was better than
@@JasonChapman-x5w it's called an opinion. Mines different than yours. Accept that or not. I don't have to explain anything to you.
@@DefinitelyNotBender there ain't no opinion. You don't like and you don't need to explain anything the fact is nirvana was a million times better. And you're not going to explain yourself because you can't I already explained it for you and you don't agree because you know I'm right and you're wrong
So, Bowie, then Lulu, then, Nirvana. Beautiful. X
5:06 it was probably an anxious thing so he didn’t have to look at that intimate crowd because they played it at live and loud and he didn’t have a music sheet
4:55 - I don't know about Krist and Pat, but Kurt and Dave didn't know how to read notes, they learned how to play by ear. From what I know Dave Grohl still don't know how to read music.
Beautiful Kurt.
I've listened to this album so many times and this is the first time i recognized that country twang in some of the words. That observation is so spot on. Thanks.
I don't know what he's doing to everyone else, but he's breaking my heart. I wish so much he'd gotten help; a year later he was gone just as he was coming into his own...
Don't think he's dead!! Just like Michael!
The guitar at the end just makes me tear up. Every time.
Solid observation about how the band/Kurt might have seen their place in the industry, relating to this cover. In my view Kurt just might’ve even considered himself as similar to the title character.
Hey, thanks for breaking down this sweet song. I love Kurt's vocals, he has a beautiful slightly rough sound that fits perfectly with the harder songs in their discography. It is so fun to see how he handles a guitar solo, he sings with the guitar, instead of doing a more conventional interpretation.
Great video, slightly different from some of the earlier things I've stumbled on and a nice surprise.
Amazing performance 💖
Maybe this is a hot take, but I like this better than the original and that's coming from a Big Bowie fan
edit: From what I've heard, Kurt was really anxious during the entire unplugged concert. Of course he was suffering from anxiety and since this show was so close and intimate he had a big knot in his stomach the entire performance, as far as I know at least.
Are you forgetting the 1970s Lulu version?
@@misskitty5632 Of course not. Just think that Nirvana´s version is better is all. And just to be clear, I think Lulu´s version isn´t bad by any means 😁
I’m sure he was anxious, but he was really suffering from bad withdrawals.
One sec in and your smiling Ken 😊
@Ken Lavigne Sorry but are you not missing a link here? Lulu in the 1970s did a cover version. 1974. It's on RUclips. X Luv ya. X
Can you imagine the pressure Kurt had on his shoulders during this show? The spotlight was entirely on him. I can't fault him for having that music stand in front of him.
"I guarantee you I will screw this song up" He kind of did on the solo by a note, but it sounds even cooler. My interpretation is when someone is "selling you something" they're essentially fooling you. At least where I am from. I think Kurt was saying he had fooled the World. To what I don't know, he also just loved the way words sounded sometimes and wanted you think of it as you will.
I don´t give a " Fick" ?? hahaha.. yeah... greatings from Germany!😂
Fun fact ,Bowie. Kurt and indeed Dave G all 3 of their mothers families came from Cork 😊
Listen to Tommy Johansson’s cover of Steelheart’s ”She’s gone’. Tommy Johansson is guitarist in Sabaton and also have his own band Majestica, plus he have new covers on YT every Friday so you can basically choose whatever song you want from his channel.
I think the note stand acted more like somewhere to look so he wouldn't have to look at the audience
Good stuff..
Another fantastic analysis, Ken. I was wondering, would you consider (or have you already?) looking at Mark Lanegan's work? Maybe a song of his, 'One Way Street?'
I always took this song as a kind of tongue in cheek story about meeting Jesus at a bar. When he said who he was Bowie’s response was like “sure buddy” and he laughed and shook his hand. I think it goes from complete disbelief to maybe a questionable belief. He was face to face with the man who sold the world.
I would love to see you analyze The Gaslight Anthem
Did you notice that he was using a right hand guitar but playing left handed? X
Bruh i clicked on this and for a second i though is this a video of Conan O'Brien reacting to nirvana wtf
Kurt was into cello.
You should listen to my immortal by evanescence!!
I like the original far more.
Can you please do Cem Adrian Summertime? Thanks
They both felt imposters maybe? As all genuine creatives do.
Kurt's life was a mess at this point. I can only imagine what was going on in is head. He was dead within four months of this show.
As far as Kurt having the sheet music in front of him...he was the one really carrying the baton on this song. The rest of the band's contribution to the song was pretty simple in comparison. Well executed, but not as challenging as Kurt's parts.
he couldn’t read music, probably had lyrics written down if anything
This song is so great that even my easy piano cover sounds good, check it out! 😉💥🎹
Kurt was never made for that. Oh well, it's done so long now.
Why do you look like an early 2000's Conan O' Brian?
You and conan r twins
Maybe highly overrated is the word we are looking for!
I'm from Washington, like Kurt. I have friends in the UK that say our accent sounds like country lol i don't hear it but that's probably because it's always what I've heard. But the Grunge singers all have a little country twang/yodel sound.