Come As You Are – Meaning of the song
Kurt Cobain described this song as “About people, and what they’re expected to act like.”
The lyrics are intentionally contradictory and confusing, with one line rebutting the next:
“As a friend, as an old enemy”
“Take your time, hurry up”
The chords in this song are a slowed down replica of Killing Joke’s 1985 song “Eighties.” The songs were so similar that Nirvana considered holding off releasing the song as a single. Killing Joke considered legal action, but when Kurt Cobain died, they decided not to sue. (“It’s a short f–king life, mate – we could be going fishing or something sensible,” lead singer Jaz Coleman explained).
Nirvana producer Butch Vig says that this is one of his favorites from the album. He says that Cobain used the same effects pedal on his guitar that he used on “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to produce the “trippy, psychedelic, watery effect.” Vig told NPR: “I think that song is about acceptance, and about misfits. You’re cool no matter how screwed up you are. ‘Come As You Are’ is an ode to accepting someone for who they are.”
Come as you are – Lyrics
Come as you are, as you were
As I want you to be
As a friend, as a friend
As an old enemy
Take your time, hurry up
Choice is yours, don’t be late
Take a rest as a friend
As an old memoria
Memoria
Memoria
Memoria
Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach
As I want you to be
As a trend, as a friend
As an old memoria
Memoria
Memoria
Memoria
And I swear that I don’t have a gun
No, I don’t have a gun
No, I don’t have a gun
Memoria
Memoria
Memoria
Memoria (No, I don’t have a gun)
And I swear that I don’t have a gun
No, I don’t have a gun
No, I don’t have a gun
No, I don’t have a gun
No, I don’t have a gun
Memoria
Memoria
