Milk It (song)
| "Milk It" | |
|---|---|
| File:NIRVANA US HEARTSHAPEDBOX.png UK disc single | |
| Song by Nirvana | |
| from the album In Utero | |
| A-side | "Heart-Shaped Box" |
| Released | August 30, 1993 |
| Recorded | February 13–26, 1993 |
| Studio | Pachyderm Studio, Cannon Falls, Minnesota, US |
| Genre | Grunge |
| Length | 3:52 |
| Label | DGC |
| Songwriter(s) | Kurt Cobain |
| Producer(s) | Steve Albini |
| In Utero track listing | |
12 tracks
| |
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"Milk It" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It was first released as a B-side to the single "Heart-Shaped Box" in August, 1993. It was later released as the eighth track on the band's third and final studio album, In Utero in September, 1993.
Background and recording[edit]
"Milk It" was first recorded by Craig Montgomery at BMG Ariola Ltda in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during a three-day demo session for the In Utero album in January, 1993. It was later recorded by Steve Albini at Pachyderm Studio, Cannon Falls, Minnesota in February, 1993 and it was this version that appeared on the In Utero album. Cobain had become fascinated with disease and human anatomy and was inspired to write the song about that.[1]
In an interview with author Michael Azerrad of the book Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, Cobain explains that, "I definitely don't want to write more songs like "Pennyroyal Tea" and "Rape Me". That kind of classic rock and roll verse-chorus-verse mid-tempo pop song is getting really boring. I want to do a new wave, avant-garde stuff with a lot of dynamics - stop and breaks and maybe even some samples of weird noises and things - not samples of our instruments. I want to turn into the Butthole Surfers basically."
Composition and lyrics[edit]
According to author John D. Luerssen, fans had a strong indication that Cobain was still love-sick and was addicted to drugs. He says lyrically "Milk It" finds Cobain singing of being his "own parasite" while smelling the scent of Courtney on his clothes while in recovery."[2]
Journalist Everett True explains that the song contained a meaty guitar sound and inspired the use of the loud/soft dynamic, the lyrics talk about a cohabitation and Cobain suffering from stomach problems at the time.[3]
Carol Clerk says the song "probably the most rabid, vicious song Cobain wrote for any of the band's three studio albums, 'Milk It' has a murky, free-wheeling sound." And that the lyrics continue Cobain's obsession of human anatomy and the female form. The quiet verses are loaded with menace almost fooling the listener into thinking they are the sections with bite and malice. Cobain attributed the song as being the sound of the “new Nirvana”.[4]
Release and reception[edit]
In the United States, DGC issued the "Heart-Shaped Box" single to college, modern rock, and album-oriented rock radio stations in early September 1993. There were no plans to release a single for the song domestically. At the time, Geffen Records' head of marketing told Billboard that the label was not actively courting Top 40 radio, explaining "Nirvana didn't sell nearly 5 million [records] because of a hit single. They sold that many albums because of who they are." The song entered the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart at number seven,[5] and eventually peaked at number one on the chart. The song also reached number four on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[6] A single of the song was released in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart. Issued in August 1993, the 7-inch vinyl and cassette formats featured "Marigold" as a B-side, while the 12-inch vinyl and CD editions added "Milk It".[7]
Recording and release history[edit]
Demo and studio versions[edit]
| Date recorded | Studio | Producer/recorder | Releases | Personnel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 19–21, 1993 | BMG Ariola Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Craig Montgomery | With the Lights Out (2004) |
|
| February 12–26, 1993 | Pachyderm Studio, Cannon Falls, Minnesota, United States | Steve Albini | Heart-Shaped Box (1993) In Utero (1993) |
|
References[edit]
- ↑ Crisafulli, Chuck (1996). Teen Spirit : The Stories Behind Every Nirvana Song. Omnibus Press. p. 94. Search this book on
- ↑ Luerssen, John D (2014). Nirvana FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Most Important Band of the 1990s. Backbeat Books. p. none. ISBN 9781617135897. Search this book on
- ↑ True, Everett (2007). Nirvana: The Biography. Melody Maker. p. 447. Search this book on
- ↑ Clerk, Carol (2012). Nirvana - Uncensored On the Record. Archive Media Publishing. p. none. ISBN 9781781580059. Search this book on
- ↑ Rocco, John M.; Rocco, Brian, eds. (1998). "Nirvana Set has Smell of Success (pp. 87ff.)". The Nirvana companion. Two decades of commentary. A chronicle of the end of punk. New York City: Schirmer Books. ISBN 978-0-028-64930-6.
Rosen, Craig (September 25, 1993). "Nirvana Set has Smell of Success". Billboard. Eldridge Industries
Search this book on
- ↑ "Nirvana | Chart History. Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. November 6, 1993. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
- ↑ Gaar, Gillian G (February 14, 1997). Verse Chorus Verse: The Recording History of Nirvana. Goldmine, F+W Media. Search this book on
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