Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • ♪ (punk rock music) ♪

  • ♪ (Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit") ♪

  • - This song sounds familiar.

  • - I've heard the song before.

  • - It's Nirvana.

  • - Is this Nirvana?

  • - Who doesn't love Nirvana?

  • ♪ (imitating song's punk melody) ♪

  • ♪ (music mellows) ♪

  • - ♪ Load up on guns

  • - (singing along) ♪ Bring your friends

  • It's fun to lose and to pretend

  • - I love this song, but I've never actually watched the video.

  • - I love him... so much.

  • - Takes forever to understand what he's saying.

  • - (singing along) ♪ Hello, hello, hello, how low? ♪

  • - ♪ Hello, hello

  • - I love it so much.

  • With the lights out, it's less dangerous

  • - ♪ Here we are now, entertain us

  • ♪ I feel stupid and contagious

  • - When music videos used to be normal.

  • There's nobody stripping in this one.

  • ♪ (guitar solo) ♪

  • - (mouths along) - ♪ Yay

  • - ♪ I found it hard

  • - But I just like how it goes from, like, "Yeah!"

  • to, like, mellow and, like, "Yeah."

  • - I could never go to a rock concert. I'd be, like, trampled on.

  • - ♪ Here we are now, entertain us

  • - Hey, they used this in that one song by Jay Z. They stole that.

  • - ♪ An albino

  • - Only if music was this good now.

  • Like, some of the new music is so just like trash.

  • - ♪ A denial! A denial! ♪ - Their most typical song.

  • - ♪ (holding note) ♪

  • - Looks like the Joker at the end. (giggling) What the heck?

  • ♪ (mellow guitar intro) ♪

  • - "Heart-Shaped Box"? Ha!

  • - ♪ She eyes me... ♪

  • - What? (snickering)

  • Why is he in a meadow in only his underwear?

  • - ♪ ...I am weak

  • - I'm pretty bomb at this on Guitar Hero.

  • - ♪ I wish I could eat your cancer... ♪

  • - Oh no, is that Jesus?

  • - ♪ ...you turn back

  • ♪ (music builds) ♪

  • Hey! Wait! ♪

  • ♪ I've got a new complaint

  • - (scoffs) What is this?

  • - ♪ ...your priceless advice

  • Hey! Wait! ♪ - (laughing)

  • - I love all this vivid imagery that they have.

  • - I don't know what I'm watching.

  • ♪ (punk instrumental) ♪

  • - It looks like the people--

  • like, the Titans from Attack on Titan.

  • - 'Kay.

  • - KKK?

  • - ♪ I've been drawn into your... ♪ - Mm, he's so attractive.

  • - He was, like, really attractive.

  • That's really creepy 'cause he's dead.

  • ♪ (music builds) ♪

  • - ♪ Hey! Wait! ♪

  • ♪ I've got a new complaint

  • - What is with the KKK kids?

  • - ♪ Forever in debt to your priceless advice

  • - What is that? I'm so confused.

  • - Was this actually put on TV? Were they actually showing this?

  • - Did I miss something out of that?

  • Like, am I supposed to be like, "Wow, that was so profound"?

  • - I've never been more confused from a music video in my life.

  • - ♪ I need an easy friend

  • - I love this song too. These are all freaking kickass songs.

  • - I love this song!

  • - ♪ I do think you fit this shoe

  • ♪ I do

  • Won't you have a clue? ♪ - It's such a shame.

  • - (singing along) ♪ I'll take advantage while

  • Do-do-do

  • - I like how his voice is kind of raspy.

  • - ♪ But I can't see you every night

  • Free

  • - They sound the same when they're live.

  • - ♪ ...night

  • - (chuckles) Dave Grohl and his ponytail.

  • - ♪ Free

  • ♪ I do ♪ (cheers and applause)

  • - So that was Nirvana.

  • - I enjoyed that.

  • - I actually like old music like that.

  • ♪ (punk rock music) ♪

  • - (Finebros) So have you heard of Nirvana? - Yes.

  • - Of course I've heard of Nirvana.

  • - You always see the shirts

  • where it's like, "Nirvana," and smiley faces.

  • Everyone's heard of Nirvana!

  • - (Finebros) Do you like the band?

  • - They sound good but maybe not for me.

  • - I'm leaning towards no.

  • - I wouldn't sit there and listen to it for hours.

  • - Yeah, I like Nirvana.

  • - All-time favorite for me.

  • - Yeah, I do,

  • even though it's kinda like yelling, but it's still relaxing.

  • - They really give you what they are

  • instead of what anyone else wants.

  • - I love rock and I love-- I don't know, I just-- I love him.

  • It's sad that he's not here with us today.

  • - (Finebros) In school, when you meet someone

  • who says they love Nirvana,

  • what type of person typically are they?

  • - They don't wash their hair.

  • - Like, hipster.

  • - Skater.

  • - Long hair and wears black T-shirts.

  • - Gothic or artsy.

  • Even though I've met many people who enjoy Nirvana

  • that have been really, like, preppy people.

  • - It's actually a wide range.

  • - Just, like, an alternative kid

  • that I would most likely hang out with 'cause he likes Nirvana.

  • - (Finebros) So the first video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

  • What did you think of the music video? - I liked it!

  • - I want to go to a party like that.

  • - Watch out, school, 'cause I'm gonna plan

  • a Nirvana-styled party in the gym.

  • - It's a metaphor of how crazy a teenager's life is.

  • They were partying at the same time,

  • but they were destroying stuff. Like, I guess that inner chaos.

  • - (Finebros) And what about the second music video?

  • That was for a song called "Heart-Shaped Box."

  • - Um, I liked that one too. That was really trippy.

  • - I feel like you're supposed to be on acid or something

  • before watching it.

  • - One of those powerful music videos

  • that enhances the sound of the music.

  • - I saw a Ku Klux Klan member! We don't like those people!

  • What the fudge?

  • - (Finebros) The last video was from an Unplugged special

  • they did for MTV.

  • But unlike other bands who were doing it at that time,

  • Nirvana chose not to play almost any of their actual hits.

  • - Well, I mean, it's unique.

  • But, I mean, people want to watch you on TV,

  • and they want to hear their favorite song playing.

  • - They more are for a love of music instead of making money.

  • - That song though, the one they played,

  • is now one of the most popular songs that they have now

  • because they did that.

  • - (Finebros) How would you say their music

  • compares to the rock music of today?

  • - Oh now, like, I don't even know any good rock bands anymore.

  • - What is considered modern rock today? I have no idea.

  • - There's not really much out there

  • with that same sound and vibe.

  • - Rock and roll's splitting completely--

  • pop rock and then hardcore heavy metal.

  • In the future, like, near future, there's gonna be that band

  • that's gonna just tie all rock and roll together.

  • - (Finebros) Do you know what subgenre of rock music

  • Nirvana was considered?

  • - No. (buzzer)

  • - I have no idea. (buzzer)

  • - Is it alternative? (buzzer)

  • - Grunge.

  • - It's grunge.

  • - Grunge music.

  • (simultaneous chimes)

  • - (Finebros) They were referred to as "grunge music."

  • - They don't look grungy.

  • Well, I mean, they could cut their hair.

  • - Sounds a lot like "grudge."

  • - What does that mean? Is there a definition?

  • - (Finebros) And what do you think about their lead singer?

  • - I love him as a musician and an artist.

  • - He definitely gets into the music.

  • - He was pretty cute. He was a really good singer.

  • - You just kind of see that he was kind of a tortured soul.

  • - I think he's a rad dude.

  • It's such a shame that those issues overwhelmed him

  • and he had to take his own life.

  • - (Finebros) Do you know what happened to Nirvana's lead singer,

  • Kurt Cobain? - I do not.

  • - He left Nirvana and then became a drummer?

  • But that might be somebody else.

  • - Did he pass away?

  • - Didn't he O.D.?

  • - He killed himself.

  • - (Finebros) 20 years ago next month,

  • Kurt Cobain committed suicide. - Why?

  • - Oh no.

  • - I did not know it was suicide.

  • Why, 'cause they were so successful?

  • Oh, my heart. It hurts.

  • - I sound like an ass[bleep] saying this,

  • but I can kind of understand,

  • just from the place he was coming from, to make that music.

  • - That makes me feel bad about what's going on these days.

  • Like, I know a lot of people hate on Justin Bieber.

  • On his birthday, I saw a trend going on: "Kill yourself, Bieber."

  • Like, if something happens to him like that,

  • what are we gonna say afterwards?

  • - I'm still crushed about it.

  • Like, one of the greatest bands in history.

  • Never in my life am I ever gonna be able to see them play live.

  • - (Finebros) The one reason talked about most often

  • about what might have led to this was this level of fame,

  • that he really was not comfortable being that famous.

  • All this anti-mainstream music became the mainstream.

  • - It's like that one Batman quote.

  • "You either die the hero

  • or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

  • - (Finebros) And what do you think about that struggle

  • of you became the thing that you did not want to be?

  • - That's just sad because people--

  • like, they just need to shut up and let him do his thing.

  • (sighs) Why is it like this?

  • - That makes sense.

  • He's like, "Oh, I'm gonna do something for this purpose."

  • And then it's interpreted for a whole 'nother purpose,

  • and you end up being the opposite of what you wanted.

  • - In Kurt's sense, I feel like that's really stupid thing to do,

  • to make music in hopes that it doesn't become big.

  • - Shows how messed up society is.

  • Like, this guy just wants to make music,

  • and you're pushing him to the point where he shot himself.

  • - One of the goals of an artist is to become that mainstream.

  • But the fact that he kind of rejected that is really interesting.

  • Once you've reached that level,

  • that maybe it's not the best for a person.

  • - (Finebros) And what are your thoughts that, even today,

  • your generation listens to Nirvana and relates to the music

  • in the same way that teenagers 20 years ago listened to Nirvana?

  • - Because young people always go through the same [bleep].

  • We have the same angst and problems and inner struggles

  • that the kids 50 years ago had.

  • - (Finebros) So Nirvana only made three studio albums

  • yet are considered to have huge influence on rock music.

  • What is it about them that has led to them

  • being such an influence? - They're so awesome.

  • - I have more respect for them now.

  • The fact that they only had three albums

  • and they're still so popular--

  • it just shows how great of a band they are.

  • - The suicide.

  • People want to listen to it more because of him.

  • - It really influenced a lot of bands of the '90s

  • and today still.

  • - It's been 20 years now.

  • His music lived on.

  • It still touches so many people.

  • So his life never went to waste.

  • - That brings us to the end of another episode of Teens React.

  • - Let us know in the comments what band we should react to next.

  • - If you liked what you saw in the main episode,

  • keep on watching and click on the bonus video.

  • - Seeing as how it's been 20 years, do yourself a favor

  • and play a Nirvana song right now. See you guys.

  • ♪ (punk rock music) ♪

♪ (punk rock music) ♪

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it