On December 16, 1993, Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged made its television debut, transporting frontman Kurt Cobain’s blazing, almost frightened blue eyes into staticky TV screens across the country. The performance aired just four months before Cobain would tragically take his life in April of the following year. In hindsight, the musician’s death only made his nervous, fidgety, and pained stage persona that night all the more poignant.
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The Nirvana set consisted of 14 songs, which varied from full band to solo arrangements. The band included several covers, including a traditional folk song and cuts from David Bowie and Meat Puppets, the latter of whom Nirvana was touring with at the time of their MTV performance. According to Charles R. Cross’ Nirvana biography, Cobain requested the stage to have stargazer lilies, black candles, and a crystal chandelier “like a funeral.”
In honor of the broadcast’s anniversary, we revisit four of the best moments from this iconic MTV Unplugged installment.
“Come As You Are”
Nirvana’s appearance on MTV Unplugged was hard-fought from all sides. Kurt Cobain bristled at the idea of having to play only Nirvana hits, like “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” which, of course, is exactly what MTV wanted. In the end, Cobain won the argument, agreeing to play the segment but only if he chose the music. “Come As You Are” is the most popular Nirvana cut they included in their set, but its stripped-down arrangement keeps the song far removed from how most of us heard it on the radio. Cobain’s lyrics stayed front and center, and Cobain’s “security blanket” pedal board allowed the band to stay true to the studio version riff’s wobbly tone.
“Pennyroyal Tea”
Kurt Cobain was struggling through drug withdrawals at the time of his band’s MTV Unplugged performance, which made rehearsing nearly impossible. Neither Nirvana nor their accompanying band, Meat Puppets, felt properly prepared for the show. As Cobain began to introduce “Pennyroyal Tea” from their last record before his death, the band questioned whether Cobain would perform solo or with them. Lacking proper rehearsal of that song, drummer Dave Grohl suggested Cobain do it alone before asking guitarist Pat Smear for a cigarette. Cobain jokes about doing it in the original key and says, “If it sounds bad, these people are just gonna have to wait.” As the frontman strained out the words I’m anemic royalty, the song seemed more vulnerable than ever.
“Plateau”
There were many reasons why Kurt Cobain invited Meat Puppets to perform MTV Unplugged with Nirvana. The two bands were already touring together, having more friends onstage eased Cobain’s raw nerves, and Cobain enjoyed their tourmates’ music. He liked it so much, in fact, that Cobain incorporated three songs from Meat Puppets II, including “Plateau,” “Oh Me,” and “Lake of Fire.” Cobain began the short cover section nervously swinging from side to side in an office chair he stole from the studio control room, bringing the global rockstar back down to earth as a normal, slightly terrified guy singing his friends’ songs. “I thought it looked so s***** on camera, but classic Kurt, ‘Who cares what it looks like? I want to be comfortable,’” producer Alex Coletti later recalled.
“Where Did You Sleep Last Night”
Nirvana’s iconic MTV Unplugged performance ended with a traditional folk tune by Leadbelly, who Kurt Cobain cited as his—and, half-jokingly, the whole band’s—favorite performer. The song, which Cobain introduces as “Where Did You Sleep Last Night,” also goes by the title “In the Pines” or “My Girl.” On its own, the song is haunting, melancholy, and morbid. Cobain’s rendition leaned into all these attributes and more. “The way he delivered that song, it really felt like he was almost foreseeing his own demise,” American studies professor Eric Weisbard told Slate. “However romantic and absurd that sounds, nonetheless, I think that was a real experience that many people had watching that.”
Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
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