The Songs of Kurt Cobain

2007 box set by Nirvana

The Songs of Kurt Cobain

The wooden heart-shaped box set

Box set by

Nirvana

Released| 2007
Recorded| 1988–1994
Genre|

* Grunge
* alternative rock
* punk rock

Label| Primary Wave
Alternative cover

Outer packaging of the box

The Songs of Kurt Cobain is a 5-disc CD box set of music by the American rock band Nirvana, released as a promo only in 2007. The first three CDs feature songs by Nirvana themselves, while the last two discs feature covers by 11 other artists as well as seven "lullaby" and six "string" renditions of the band's songs.[1][2]

## Release

[edit]

The Songs of Kurt Cobain was released by Primary Wave, who had acquired the rights to the Nirvana frontman's compositions from his widow Courtney Love in early 2007[3] for the purpose of promoting interest in licensing his work. The cover versions were recorded by artists such as Sinéad O'Connor ("All Apologies") and Tori Amos ("Smells Like Teen Spirit").[1] Scala & Kolacny Brothers' cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was later used in the documentary Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck in 2015.[4]

The release is highly valued by collectors, having been limited to a run of 500 copies.[1]

## Packaging

[edit]

Each CD in the box set has a custom-printed picture and they are housed in a heart-shaped, hand-carved wooden musical box with Kurt Cobain's caricature logo etched on the lid and Primary Wave's logo on the side. When the lid is removed it plays the intro bars of the Nirvana song "Heart-Shaped Box". Each box set also comes with a booklet and individually numbered certificate.[3]

## Reception

[edit]

Despite having become a sought-after collector's item, Tiny Mix Tapes gave the release a poor review in November 2007.[5] WorthPoint, however, stated that the release was "the best collection of singer/songwriter Kurt Cobain's music available".[6]

## Track listings

[edit]

### CD 1

[edit]

All tracks are written by Kurt Cobain except where noted

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Original release| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Smells Like Teen Spirit"| Cobain, Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl| Nevermind (1991)| 5:01
2.| "In Bloom"|  | Nevermind| 4:14
3.| "Come as You Are"|  | Nevermind| 3:39
4.| "Breed"|  | Nevermind| 3:03
5.| "Lithium"|  | Nevermind| 4:17
6.| "On a Plain"|  | Nevermind| 3:16
7.| "Pennyroyal Tea"|  | In Utero (1993)| 3:36
8.| "Heart-Shaped Box"|  | In Utero| 4:39
9.| "About a Girl"|  | Bleach (1989)| 2:48
10.| "Polly"|  | Nevermind| 2:57
11.| "Something in the Way"|  | Nevermind| 3:52
12.| "Dumb"|  | In Utero| 2:29
13.| "All Apologies"|  | In Utero| 3:50
14.| "You Know You're Right"|  | Nirvana (2002)| 3:38
15.| "Something in the Way"|  | MTV Unplugged in New York (1994)| 4:01
16.| "Pennyroyal Tea"|  | MTV Unplugged in New York| 3:40

### CD 2

[edit]

All tracks are written by Kurt Cobain

No.| Title| Original release| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Blew"| Bleach| 2:56
2.| "Floyd the Barber"| Bleach| 2:18
3.| "School"| Bleach| 2:42
4.| "Mr Moustache"| Bleach| 3:24
5.| "Negative Creep"| Bleach| 2:56
6.| "Dive"| Incesticide (1992)| 3:55
7.| "Sliver"| Incesticide| 2:16
8.| "Been a Son"| Incesticide| 2:22
9.| "(New Wave) Polly"| Incesticide| 1:48
10.| "Territorial Pissings"| Nevermind| 2:22
11.| "Drain You"| Nevermind| 3:43
12.| "Lounge Act"| Nevermind| 2:36
13.| "Stay Away"| Nevermind| 3:32
14.| "Serve the Servants"| In Utero| 3:36
15.| "Sappy"| No Alternative (1993)| 3:24

### CD 3

[edit]

All tracks are written by Kurt Cobain except where noted

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Original release| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Swap Meet"|  | Bleach| 3:03
2.| "Downer"|  | Bleach| 1:43
3.| "Aero Zeppelin"|  | Incesticide| 4:41
4.| "Big Long Now"|  | Incesticide| 5:03
5.| "Aneurysm"| Cobain, Novoselic, Grohl| Incesticide| 4:35
6.| "Scentless Apprentice"| Cobain, Novoselic, Grohl| In Utero| 3:48
7.| "Rape Me"|  | In Utero| 2:49
8.| "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle"|  | In Utero| 4:09
9.| "Very Ape"|  | In Utero| 4:09
10.| "Milk It"|  | In Utero| 3:55
11.| "Tourettes"|  | In Utero| 1:35
12.| "Come as You Are"|  | MTV Unplugged in New York| 4:13
13.| "Dumb"|  | MTV Unplugged in New York| 2:52

### CD 4

[edit]

All tracks are written by Kurt Cobain except where noted

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Performing artist| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Lithium"|  | The Polyphonic Spree|
2.| "Smells Like Teen Spirit"| Cobain, Novoselic, Grohl| Paul Anka|
3.| "Smells Like Teen Spirit"| Cobain, Novoselic, Grohl| Scala & Kolacny Brothers|
4.| "Smells Like Teen Spirit"| Cobain, Novoselic, Grohl| Tori Amos|
5.| "Smells Like Teen Spirit"| Cobain, Novoselic, Grohl| Patti Smith|
6.| "Smells Like Teen Spirit"| Cobain, Novoselic, Grohl| Feat Morel-Desmond Williams|
7.| "Come as You Are"|  | Charlie Hunter trio|
8.| "Breed"|  | Steve Earle|
9.| "All Apologies"|  | Herbie Hancock|
10.| "All Apologies"|  | Sinéad O'Connor|
11.| "Something in the Way"|  | Stereophonics|

### CD 5

[edit]

All tracks are written by Kurt Cobain except where noted

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Performing artist| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Come as You Are"|  | Lullaby rendition by Michael Armstrong|
2.| "In Bloom"|  | Lullaby rendition by Michael Armstrong|
3.| "Lithium"|  | Lullaby rendition by Michael Armstrong|
4.| "Something in the Way"|  | Lullaby rendition by Michael Armstrong|
5.| "About a Girl"|  | Lullaby rendition by Michael Armstrong|
6.| "Heart-Shaped Box"|  | Lullaby rendition by Michael Armstrong|
7.| "All Apologies"|  | Lullaby rendition by Michael Armstrong|
8.| "Smells Like Teen Spirit"| Cobain, Novoselic, Grohl| The Tallywood Strings|
9.| "Come as You Are"|  | The Tallywood Strings|
10.| "In Bloom"|  | The Tallywood Strings|
11.| "Lounge Act"|  | The Tallywood Strings|
12.| "Polly"|  | The Tallywood Strings|
13.| "Something in the Way"|  | The Tallywood Strings|

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Gaar, Gillian G (March 31, 2020). "A look at Nirvana's collectible recordings". Goldmine. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
2. ^ "The Songs of Kurt Cobain". nirvana-discography.com. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
3. ^ a b "Nirvana (US) The Songs Of Kurt Cobain + Custom Outer Box US Promo box set". eil.com. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
4. ^ Garofalo, Alex (May 4, 2015). "'Montage Of Heck': 6 Music Moments, Unreleased Tracks And Live Performances Featured In The HBO Kurt Cobain Documentary [VIDEO PLAYLIST]". International Business Times. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
5. ^ Smart, Dan (November 21, 2007). "Review". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
6. ^ "Nirvana The Songs of Kurt Cobain Heart Shaped Wooden Music Box Promo 5 CD Set". worthpoint.com. Retrieved April 2, 2020.

* v
* t
* e

Nirvana

* Kurt Cobain
* Krist Novoselic
* Aaron Burckhard
* Dale Crover
* Dave Foster
* Chad Channing
* Jason Everman
* Dan Peters
* Dave Grohl

Studio albums|

* Bleach
* Nevermind
* In Utero

Live albums|

* MTV Unplugged in New York
* From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah
* Live at Reading

Compilation albums|

* Incesticide
* Nirvana
* Sliver: The Best of the Box
* Icon

Box sets|

* Singles
* With the Lights Out
* Nevermind: The Singles

Extended plays|

* Blew
* Hormoaning

Singles|

* "Love Buzz"
* "Sliver"
* "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
* "Come as You Are"
* "Lithium"
* "In Bloom"
* "Heart-Shaped Box"
* "All Apologies" / "Rape Me"
* "Pennyroyal Tea"
* "About a Girl"
* "You Know You're Right"

Split singles|

* "Candy" / "Molly's Lips"
* "Here She Comes Now" / "Venus in Furs"
* "Puss" / "Oh, the Guilt"

Promotional singles|

* "On a Plain"
* "The Man Who Sold the World"
* "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"
* "Lake of Fire"
* "Aneurysm"
* "Drain You"
* "Endless, Nameless"

Other charted
songs|

* "Dumb"
* "Sappy"
* "Something in the Way"

Other songs|

* "Been a Son"
* "Blew"
* "Breed"
* "Dive"
* "Do Re Mi"
* "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle"
* "I Hate Myself and Want to Die"
* "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam"
* "Marigold"
* "Negative Creep"
* "Old Age"
* "Opinion"
* "Plateau"
* "Polly"
* "Scentless Apprentice"
* "Serve the Servants"
* "Spank Thru"
* "Talk to Me"

Videos|

* Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!
* MTV Unplugged in New York
* Live at Reading
* Live at the Paramount
* Live and Loud

Related|

| Articles|

* Discography (Bootlegs)
* Awards and nominations
* Songs
* Concerts
* "Smells Like Nirvana"
* Frances Bean Cobain
* Suicide of Kurt Cobain
* Kurt Cobain Memorial Park
* Viretta Park
* Church of Kurt Cobain
* 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief

|

Bands|

* 3rd Secret
* Eyes Adrift
* Fecal Matter
* Flipper
* Foo Fighters
* Giants in the Trees
* Melvins
* The No WTO Combo
* Scream
* Sweet 75
* Them Crooked Vultures
* Queens of the Stone Age

Touring members|

* Pat Smear
* Melora Creager
* John Duncan
* Lori Goldston

Books|

* Nirvana: Flower Sniffin', Kitty Pettin', Baby Kissin' Corporate Rock Whores
* Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana
* Teen Spirit: The Stories Behind Every Nirvana Song
* Who Killed Kurt Cobain?
* Heavier Than Heaven
* Journals
* Love and Death
* Nirvana: The Chosen Rejects
* Dirty Blonde
* Cobain Unseen
* Taking Punk to the Masses
* Letters to Kurt
* Experiencing Nirvana: Grunge in Europe, 1989
* I Found My Friends
* Cobain on Cobain
* Serving the Servant

Albums|

* Nevermind It's an Interview
* The "Priest" They Called Him
* Verse Chorus Verse
* The Songs of Kurt Cobain
* Montage of Heck: The Home Recordings

Tribute albums|

* Smells Like Bleach: A Punk Tribute to Nirvana
* Newermind: A Tribute to Nirvana
* Nevermind Tribute
* In Utero, in Tribute, in Entirety
* Whatever Nevermind
* Doused in Mud, Soaked in Bleach

Films and
documentaries|

* 1991: The Year Punk Broke
* A Tribute to Kurt Cobain
* Teen Spirit: The Tribute to Kurt Cobain
* Hype!
* The Vigil
* Kurt & Courtney
* Classic Albums: Nirvana – Nevermind
* Last Days
* All Apologies: Kurt Cobain 10 Years On
* Nirvana – A Classic Album Under Review – In Utero
* The Last 48 Hours of Kurt Cobain
* Kurt Cobain: About a Son
* Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck
* Soaked in Bleach
* When Nirvana Came to Britain
* Kurt Cobain: Moments That Shook Music

* Category

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