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what is the *worst track on Nirvana's Nevermind?

worst song

  • breed

    Votes: 2 0.8%

  • polly

    Votes: 58 23.1%

  • territorial pissings

    Votes: 86 34.3%

  • drain you

    Votes: 6 2.4%

  • lounge act

    Votes: 35 13.9%

  • stay away

    Votes: 46 18.3%

  • on a plain

    Votes: 18 7.2%
  • Total voters
    251
xir

xir

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,577
Los Angeles, CA
Maybe "least essential" instead of worst?

1. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (writers: Cobain, Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl) 5:01
2. "In Bloom" 4:14
3. "Come as You Are" 3:39
4. "Breed" 3:03
5. "Lithium" 4:17
6. "Polly" 2:57
7. "Territorial Pissings" (writers: Cobain, Chet Powers) 2:22
8. "Drain You" 3:43
9. "Lounge Act" 2:36
10. "Stay Away" 3:32
11. "On a Plain" 3:16
12. "Something in the Way"

I think this album is really good. Nirvana aged well. There will be some rebel rousers who will name check some of the singles (I strike'd em out), but I'm locking them down, also not counting the hidde track. This stuff doesn't exist in a vaccuum and I think New Wave Polly actually ups the ante of Polly here.

Also, because of that batman trailer, I've been listening to something in the way a lot in the last six months. ha. the trailer mix is great. poll ran out of options, so striking that one too as is my will.

Maybe On a Plain is a little pedestrian, but I like some of the hooks... Drain You, Lounge Act are less impactful as well.....
 
Cipher Peon

Cipher Peon

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,825
Territorial Pissings is probably my least favorite. Breed is great, how dare it be on the list
 
OP
OP
xir

xir

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,577
Los Angeles, CA
Cipher Peon said:
Territorial Pissings is probably my least favorite. Breed is great, how dare it be on the list
Click to expand...
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nestled between the singles cluster, i think a lot of people like it. as a kid i didn't like polly, and would stop the tape/cd before the latter half of the album a lot, so breed got a lot of listens.

lounge act is good when i hear it, but i couldnt tell you the name of the song 5 minutes ago.
 
I Don't Like

I Don't Like

Member
Dec 11, 2017
14,918
I can't in good conscience say "worst" about any song on the album but I'm obsessed with Nirvana, still listen to them all the time not to mention spend a lot of time watching old interviews and videos of their early live shows on YouTube so I'm a bit biased.

Strictly from a musical perspective - like what sounds good to me - I guess maybe Polly but it's hard to write off a song that actually has some meaning behind it.

I don't know. I refuse to choose. Refuse!

PS: anyone saying Lounge Act is wrong.
 

Deleted member 10795

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,302
Stay Away

Its not a bad song, it's just that by that point I've already got On A Plain in my head, and Stay Away just feels like passing time until that comes on.
 
Bakercat

Bakercat

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,154
'merica
Everytime I listen to the album I always skip Territorial Pissings. I just don't like it when the entire rest of the album is fantastic.

I like Polly though, but I really like Kurt's acoustic work, so that's probably why.
 

rhino4evr

Member
Oct 31, 2017
105
Stay Away. Although I don't think there is a weak track on the album. I see a lot of people picking Polly, which is one of my favorites and a perfect contrast to the rest of the Album. It's a breather before things get even louder.

also anyone that picksTerritorial Pissings shouldn't be taken seriously as a Nirvana fan.
 
DreamRunner

DreamRunner

Banned
Sep 14, 2020
934
It's territorial pissings.

EDIT: Who voted for Polly?It's not great or anything, but it's definitely not the worst.
 
Dork Knight

Dork Knight

Member
Feb 20, 2018
436
Something in the Way is by far the worst song. Boring, drowning, and monotonous. I'd rather listen to the secret song at the end.
 
collige

collige

Member
Oct 31, 2017
12,772
The "plane"/"plain" pun is cringe and it just repeats itself, so On a Plain wins.

Polly is fucking great, I have no idea why everyone is hating. The electric version from Incesticide slaps too.
 

Deleted member 20892

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
1,958
Also I can't decide between any of these, but I left it on a plain but that just feels wrong. I hate this thread :(
 
Ziocyte

Ziocyte

Member
Oct 27, 2017
145
I can't in good conscience cast a vote in this poll, but I am willing to make a public statement. Of all the songs on Nevermind, Stay Away is probably the song that has impacted me the least.
 
Robochimp

Robochimp

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
2,677
A friend recently asked me what I thought the best song on Nevermind was.

I listened through the album as a now 40 something who obsessively listened to Nirvana way back when. And the song that has it all for me is Territorial Pissings.

Voted for Lounge Act as worst.
 
Dr Shasta

Dr Shasta

Banned
Feb 12, 2019
785
It took about 50 listens before I realized the greatness of Lounge Act. It was always just filler to me until one day I realized this is amazing.
 
99humanity

99humanity

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,996
People voting for Territorial Pissings, maybe listen to that fucking song again and then vote for Polly?? Thanks
 
Citizencope

Citizencope

Member
Oct 28, 2017
6,212
Shame on those that voted On a Plain.
Funny I was in my prime(early 20's) when this album hit but I didn't like it at all. Then in late 2000's revisited and it's one of my all time faves.
Really don't feel Drain You.
 
samred

samred

Amico fun conversationalist
Member
Nov 4, 2017
2,586
Seattle, WA
I dunno, man. The whole album is dense with get-in-and-get-out catchiness. I could probably do without ever hearing Smells Like Teen Spirit again. (Blame it on '90s radio burnout.) If I change the album to start with Come As You Are, then In Bloom, then Breed, I'm good to go. I'd do that instead of lopping off Polly.
 
RowdyReverb

RowdyReverb

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,934
Austin, TX
It just occurred to me that I'm relatively unfamiliar with most of the second half of this album. For me it would either be Lounge Act or Stay Away.
Robochimp said:
A friend recently asked me what I thought the best song on Nevermind was.

I listened through the album as a now 40 something who obsessively listened to Nirvana way back when. And the song that has it all for me is Territorial Pissings.

Voted for Lounge Act as worst.
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I was surprised to see Territorial Pissings leading the poll
 
Stranger Things

Stranger Things

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,837
"Territorial Pissings", I guess. Cool track but kind of forgettable? I guess "Lounge Act" is also a forgettable track, but I like the lyrics more than "Territorial Pissings." I mean, I like pretty much every Nirvana song, so it's hard to rank them.

The whole album is a classic. "On A Plain" is a fun song I learned on guitar in my teens, and "Polly" and "Drain You" are actually one of the best tracks on the album IMO. Those deserve more praise! "Stay Away" and "Breed" both go hard, too.
 
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