Why Kurt Cobain didn't want to release Nirvana's Come As You Are as a single

2 March 2024, 14:00

Nirvana - Come As You Are

Find out why the late Nirvana frontman wasn't sure about making the 1992 track the second single to be taken from their Nevermind album.

By Radio X

@RadioX

Come As You Are is one of Nirvana's most well-known tracks.

The second single to be taken from the grunge band's second studio album, Nevermind, and released on 3rd March 1992, Come As You Are went on to give the band another Top 10 hit on this side of the pond, achieving a nine on the UK singles chart (Smells Like Teen Spirit reached number seven the year before).

The Kurt Cobain-penned track was accompanied by a water-themed video, which featured a gun floating in a pool, as well visuals inspired by their Nevermind cover.

Despite its success, it may surprise you to know that Cobain wasn't sure about the track being released as a single.

Why was Kurt Cobain reluctant to release Come As You Are?

Both Kurt, the band and their management were a little weary of releasing Come as You Are due to its similarity to Eighties. A single from the punk legends Killing Joke.

Listen to the 1984 single here:

Killing Joke - Eighties

READ MORE: Kurt Cobain - 15 facts about the Nirvana legend

There were talks of releasing In Bloom instead, but as reported by Kerrang! Danny Goldberg - who was head of Nirvana's management Gold Mountain thought it was the better track.

The former manager told Carrie Borzillo in Eyewitness Nirvana: The Day-By-Day Chronicle: "Kurt was nervous about Come As You Are, because it was too similar to a Killing Joke song," adding: "but we all thought it was a better song to go with."

Although it was probably the right way to go commercially - Cobain's fears came to fruition as the similarity wasn't lost on the punk band.

Goldberg went on to say that the late grunge rocker was indeed right to be concerned as "Killing Joke later did complain about it."