Thursday 6 December 2007
Heart Shaped Box [SINGLE] [EP] (CD)
Heart Shaped Box
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Single Description
Hit single from their 1993 multi-platinum smash album forGeffen, 'In Utero'. Featured here are the album versions ofboth it & 'Milk It' (also from 'In Utero'), plus the non-album track 'Marigold'. Slimline jewel case.
"Heart-Shaped Box" was written by Kurt Cobain sometime in late 1992 or early 1993. Cobain claimed the song was inspired by documentaries about kids with cancer. Cobain forgot about the song for a while, but began working on it again when he and his wife Courtney Love moved to an apartment in Hollywood Hills. According to Courtney Love, the song was written in a closet in the couple's bedroom. "We had this huge closet," she explained in a 1994 Rolling Stone interview, "and I heard him working on 'Heart-Shaped Box.' He wrote the song in five minutes." Love also revealed that she asked Cobain for the song's guitar riff, and that he slammed the door in her face. "He was trying to be so sneaky," said Love. "I could hear that one from downstairs."
Nirvana had difficulty completing the song. Cobain attempted to have the rest of the band complete the song during jam sessions. He said, "During those practices, I was trying to wait for Krist and Dave to come up with something but it just turned into noise all the time." One day Cobain made one last attempt at completing the song. Cobain was able to come up with a vocal melody and the band finally finished writing the song. Cobain said that when they completed "Heart-Shaped Box," "We finally realized that it was a good song."
"Heart-Shaped Box" was first performed live on January 16, 1993, in São Paulo, Brazil. The first studio version was recorded by Craig Montgomery in January 1993 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This embryonic version appears on the band's 2004 box set, With the Lights Out, and on their 2005 compilation album, Sliver: The Best of the Box. It features unfinished lyrics, as well as a longer chorus and an extended, more caustic guitar solo.
The In Utero version was recorded in February 1993 by Steve Albini in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. It was remixed, along with "All Apologies" and later "Pennyroyal Tea," by Scott Litt prior to the album's release, which led to accusations of selling out from many of the band's detractors. Cobain was unapologetic about the band's decision, and maintained that the vocals and bass were not prominent enough in the original mixes. [1] Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic was also unhappy with the original mix of "Heart-Shaped Box." In a 1993 Chicago Sun-Times interview, he said the original effect used on the song's guitar solo sounded "like a fucking abortion hitting the floor." When the song was remixed by Scott Litt, Cobain took the opportunity to add acoustic guitar and backing harmonies.
Single Details
# Audio CD (June 30, 1998)
# Original Release Date: September 27, 1993
# Number of Discs: 1
# Format: Single, Import
# Label: Mca Import
# ASIN: B000005RWF
Track listing
The following songs appeared on the single:
1. "Heart-Shaped Box" [LP Version] (Cobain) - 4:39
2. "Milk It" [LP Version] (Cobain) - 3:52
3. "Marigold" (Grohl) - 2:33
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Labels: NIRVANA DISCOGRAPHY, NIRVANA EPS, NIRVANA SINGLES
posted by kanx1976 at
05:17
![Come as You Are [SINGLE] [EP] (CD)](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/ComeAsYouAre.jpg)
3 Comments:
The one single that showcases Cobains lyrical genius...
Heart-Shaped Box:
Subtly opening with a single guitar strumming, the frontman for Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, exposes his sensitivity. The soft lyrics seem to echo from a dream. A hazey world near the end of Cobain's demise. The video even shows the band in a bizarrely odd fantasy landscape. Twisted trees, and an old man on a cross wearing Santa's cap, a little girl in a white klu klux clan-like outfit skipping through the poppy fields. An obese woman dressed in an anatomical skin-tight outfit, adorned in feathery wings. At the end Cobain and company can be seen at the side of the old man's death bed. Patiently waiting for him to pass on. The energy here seems unrestful, eager, and aggravated.
All this imagery is what you get with the song Heart-Shaped Box. Flagrantly good lyrics entrance you, for example:
"Meat-eating orchids forgive no one just yet,"
"Cut myself on Angel's hair and baby's breath."
"Broken hymen of your highness, I'm left black."
"Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back."
This is just too good. The song reverbrates between melancholy, and fierce aggression, classic Nirvana style, but with the rough guitar flavoring that In Utero has to offer. In my opinion, this is the best that Nirvana has to offer. It encapsulates Cobain's emotion, his moody ups & downs, and Nirvana's awesome artistry. Dave Grohl excellently balances the song with his gentle drumming, and then his ear pounding resonation for the decidely aggressive parts. Krist Novoselic also submits what Cobain calls (and I paraphrase), "a really good bass line".
The second song on this disc, "Milk It", was often quoted by Cobain to be the future sound of Nirvana. With a more jaded sound, very rough, tired, and abbrasive... this song goes a long way to represent the entire album and Cobain's mood during those times. The whole song teeters on topics of mortality and conditions of the human body with lyrics like "Obituary birthday, you're scent is still here, in my place of recovery."
A little jewel awaits you on the final track of this single. Dave Grohl usurps Cobain, a hint of the future at that time. Grohl takes to the guitar and microphone, revealing one of his laundry room studio creations. "Marigold" is his mellow and sleepy masterpiece. The song seems inspired by the present Cobain, and bellows forth likeness to songs of Nirvana like "Dumb" or "Polly", but with a more softer inclination.
This is without a doubt the best single from In Utero. Heart-Shaped Box is a masterpiece to be rivaled with.
Foo Fighters' Prequel Overshadowed
If you just want "Heart Shaped Box", you're best off just buying "In Utero". The first b-side is also on In Utero.
The important thing on this album is its weakest track. Dave Grohl's only composition to be released under Nirvana, "Marigold", is on this single. Unfortunately, the song was placed behind two of Kurt Cobain's strongest compositions.
"Heart Shaped Box", along with "Rape Me", "All Apologies", and "Pennyroyal Tea", is one of the jewels of In Utero.
It's a better deal to buy the Singles Box if you want b-sides
Doll Steak Test Meat
Nirvana's 10th single (including split singles) and first single released off of their fourth album, In Utero.
Heart Shaped Box is a classic Nirvana song displaying the mellowness that Nirvana is capable of mixed with the harsh sound of the chorus, similar to so many other Nirvana songs we know and love. Over all it's a relatively mellow song for this trio, but a powerful one filled with the random lyrics that somehow convey a powerful meaning.
The screaming, angst ridden voice of Kurt Cobain while Dave Grohl's drums create the unique qualities of this song. The subtleness of Krist Novoselic at the bass complete the excellent blend that constructs Milk It. A song where you sense an awkwardness about Cobain's guitar that mellows down and builds up into a head banging, body thrashing, and noise filled Nirvana song.
Marigold is a Dave Grohl original with the music and lyrics both written by him. A gentle, yet surprisingly depressing song with Dave singing vocals and drumming. Simple but excellent. Marigold was originally recorded in 1990 and released in 1992 on the out of print cassette, Pocketwatch. This is one of Grohl's best.
Be wary of promotional copies of this single that are floating around. If you are interested in more information visit: www.digitalnirvana.net and go to the "The Collectors' Nirvana Discography" or "The DN Song Guide." Two very useful sources of information.
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