ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

'Smells Like Teen Spirit' Was Actually About Deodorant, Not Youths' Morale

'Smells Like Teen Spirit' Was Actually About Deodorant, Not Youths' Morale

It's one of those things you either know, or you don't.

Mel Ramsay

Mel Ramsay

This is one of those things that you either know, or you don't. I'm guessing that if you clicked on this article then you were either genuinely interested or you just wanted to write in the comments something along the lines of: 'Oh well done, LADbible. Tell us all something we've known for YEARS'.

Alright, Dave. Calm down.

We did a poll in the office and less than half of us knew this so let's bestow some serious Nirvana knowledge right here, right now.

So when you first heard 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', you probably assumed that the title meant something like sweat. Or pictured an all-American high school cheering on their football team with poms poms and a brass band.

However, when Kurt Cobain wrote the words 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', it wasn't a reference to the excitement of youth. It was about a deodorant. Aptly named Teen Spirit.

Look...


Credit: Wikipedia

Aimed at women, it was a roll-on deodorant stick.

It all originates back to a woman called Katherine Hanna who was the lead singer of a band called 'Bikini Kill' back in 1990. Her band mate, Tobi Vail, was Kurt's girlfriend at the time.

Katherine decided to write the words 'Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit' on the wall of Cobain's apartment. Tobi often used the product, so the comment was that she had marked Kurt with her scent.

Still an absolute tune though, albeit overplayed.

Featured image credit: PA Images

Featured Image Credit:

Choose your content: