Been a son
| Been a son | |
|---|---|
| Nirvana | |
| publication | December 1989 |
| length | 2:23 |
| Genre (s) | Grunge |
| Author (s) | Kurt Cobain |
| album | Blew |
Been a Son is a song by the American rock band Nirvana . It first appeared on the EP Blew in December 1989.
content
The melody is actually atypical for Nirvana and has quite similarities with Beatles songs from the albums Rubber Soul and Revolver . The text alludes to circumstances that exist, for example, in China, where female fetuses are routinely aborted (see sex-selective abortion ).
The lyrical ego explains, for example, that an undefined female person " should have died when she was born" ( "She should have died when she was born" ), " should have stayed away from friends" ( "She should have stayed away from friends " )," should have worn the crown of thorns "( " She should have worn the crown of thorns " ) and just" should have been a son " ( " She should have been a son " ).
Versions
The song was released in at least five versions:
- 1989 as a B-side on the Blew EP . The same version was also released in 2002 on the best-of album Nirvana .
- 1992 as a live version of the single for Lithium .
- 1992 on the album Incesticide . This version was recorded in late 1991 with English radio DJ Mark Goodier.
- 1996 on the live album From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah and in the same version in 1994 and 2006 on the live video Live! Tonight! Sold Out !! .
- 2004 as acoustic version on the CD box With the Lights Out .
Commercial win
Although Been a Son was never officially released as a single, the song received a gold record in Denmark on November 13, 2018 for 45,000 units sold .
Cover versions
The song was also covered by the band Manic Street Preachers . This cover appeared in 2003 on their rarity collection Lipstick Traces (A Secret History of the Manic Street Preachers) .
literature
- Chuck Crisafulli: Teen Spirit. The story for every song. Rockbuch Verlag Buhmann & Haeseler, 2004, ISBN 3-927638-16-1 .
Individual evidence
- ^ Certificeringer. ifpi.dk, November 13, 2018, accessed on November 21, 2018 (Danish).