“The Man Who Solid The World” is considered by many to be one of the best cover songs of all time. Or at the very least, the best cover song that grunge band Nirvana ever released. However, Nirvana actually put out quite a few cover songs when they were together, and I think a few of those renditions deserve some love. Without further ado, here are four of the best cover songs Nirvana ever released!
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Turnaround” by Devo
There are so many little gems to be found on Nirvana’s compilation album Incesticide. One gem that stands out is their rendition of “Turnaround” by Devo. Once recorded during the BBC John Peel sessions in 1990, this cover made it to the above-mentioned compilation record in 1992. Their covers of “Molly’s Lips” and “Son Of A Gun” by The Vaslines are also on that album and would definitely be worthy of this list if it were longer.
2. “And I Love Her” by The Beatles
This is technically not a Nirvana release, but it is one of the best cover songs to come from the band’s frontman, Kurt Cobain. Cobain’s rendition of “And I Love Her” is a standout from Montage Of Heck: The Home Recordings, a compilation of home recordings that was released posthumously in 2015. That being said, the whole of that album is worth listening to if you’re a fan.
3. “Love Buzz” by Shocking Blue
“Love Buzz” was originally released by Dutch psych-rock band Shocking Blue in 1969. Nirvana’s 1988 version from their debut album Bleach has become even more well-known than the original. It’s sludgier, yet somehow even poppier than the original song.
4. “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” by Lead Belly
Consider this a cover of a cover of a cover. Nirvana’s rendition of Lead Belly’s rendition is one of the best cover songs you’ll find, but Lead Belly wasn’t the first to take on this tune. Originally, the song was titled “In The Pines” and was written sometime in the mid-to-late 1800s. It’s a traditional American folk song whose author has been lost to time, but it’s still dearly loved by Appalachian musicians today. It’s wild to think a grunge band could make a traditional bluegrass tune sound fresh.
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