About A Girl (Nirvana Song)
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"About a Girl" is a song by American
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
, written by vocalist and guitarist
Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...
. It is the third song on their debut album, ''
Bleach Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color (whitening) from a fabric or fiber or to clean or to remove stains in a process called bleaching. It often refers specifically, to ...
'', released in June 1989. A live, acoustic version, recorded during Nirvana's ''
MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...
'' appearance in November 1993, was released as a single in October 1994, to promote the album, ''
MTV Unplugged in New York ''MTV Unplugged in New York'' is a live album by American Rock music, rock band Nirvana (band), Nirvana, released on November 1, 1994, by DGC Records. It features an acoustic performance recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York City on Novembe ...
''. It was the first single released since Cobain's death in April 1994, reaching number one on ''Billboard's'' Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 22 on ''Billboard's'' Hot 100 Airplay chart.


Origin and recording


Early history

"About a Girl" was written in 1988, reportedly after Cobain spent an afternoon repeatedly listening to ''
Meet the Beatles! ''Meet the Beatles!'' is a studio album by the English rock band the Beatles, released as their second album in the United States. It was the group's first American album to be issued by Capitol Records, on 20 January 1964 in both mono and ste ...
'', the 1964 second American release by English rock band
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
. The earliest known recording is a solo electric home demo that was posthumously released on the band's rarities box set, ''
With the Lights Out ''With the Lights Out'' is a box set by the American rock band Nirvana released in November 2004. It contains three CDs and one DVD of previously rare or unreleased material, including B-sides, demos, and rehearsal and live recordings. The title ...
'', in November 2004. Featuring alternate lyrics, it was recorded at Cobain's home in
Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. It is southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. European ...
in 1988. The song was debuted live at a dorm party at the
Evergreen State College The Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts college in Olympia, Washington. Founded in 1967, it offers a non-traditional undergraduate curriculum in which students have the option to design their own study towards a degree or follow a p ...
in
Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. It is southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. European ...
in February 1989.


Bleach

"About a Girl" was first recorded in the studio in December 1988 by
Jack Endino Jack Endino (born Michael M. Giacondino; 1964) is an American producer and musician based in Seattle, Washington. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands including Mudhon ...
at
Reciprocal Recording Reciprocal Recording was the name of a recording studio in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States that was founded in 1984 and officially closed in July 1991. History Chris Hanzsek and Tina Casale opened Reciprocal Reco ...
in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
,
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. This version appeared on the band's debut album, ''Bleach'', in June 1989. According to Cobain, he had been attempting to conceal his pop songwriting at this time, and was apprehensive about including the song on ''Bleach'', knowing that it risked alienating the band's then-largely
grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
fan base. In a 1993 ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' interview with
David Fricke David Fricke is an American music journalist who serves as the senior editor at ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, where he writes predominantly about rock music. One of the best known names in rock journalism, his career has spanned over 40 years. I ...
, he explained:
"Even to put 'About a Girl' on ''Bleach'' was a risk. I was heavily into pop, I really liked
R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...
, and I was into all kinds of old ‘60s stuff. But there was a lot of pressure within that social scene, the underground — like the kind of thing you get in high school. And to put a jangly R.E.M. type of pop song on a grunge record, in that scene, was risky."
However, Endino was excited about the song, and even saw it as a potential
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
. In a 1997 interview with Gillian G. Gaar for '' Goldmine'', he recalled Cobain's initial trepidation about including the song on ''Bleach''.
"I think Kurt felt nervous about putting 'About a Girl' on there, but he was very insistent on it. He said, 'I've got a song that's totally different from the others, Jack, you've gotta just humour me here, because we're gonna do this real pop tune.' The question was raised at some point, gee, I wonder if Sub Pop's going to like this, and we decided, 'Who cares?' Sub Pop said nothing. In fact, I think they liked it a lot."
In 2004,
Butch Vig Bryan David "Butch" Vig (born August 2, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the drummer and co-producer of the alternative rock band Garbage and the producer of the diamond-selling Nirvana album ''Neve ...
, who produced Nirvana's 1991 breakthrough album ''
Nevermind ''Nevermind'' is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991, by DGC Records. It was Nirvana's first release on a major label and the first to feature drummer Dave Grohl. Produced by Butch Vig, ''Neve ...
'', cited "About a Girl" as the first hint that there was more to Nirvana than grunge. "Everyone talks about Kurt's love affair with... the whole
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
scene, but he was also a huge Beatles fan, and the more time we spent together the more obvious their influence on his songwriting became," Vig told the ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
''.


Post-Bleach

On October 26, 1989, a version of the song was recorded by Ted de Bono at Maida Vale Studios in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, England, during Nirvana's first
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
''
Peel Session John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
''. The full session was first broadcast on November 22, 1989. Another version was recorded on November 1, 1989 at Villa 65 in
Hilversum Hilversum () is a city and municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. Located in the heart of the Gooi, it is the largest urban centre in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller towns. Hilvers ...
, Netherlands for the
VPRO The VPRO (stylized vpro; originally an acronym for , ) is a Dutch public broadcaster, which forms a part of the Dutch public broadcasting system. Founded in 1926 as a liberal Protestant broadcasting organization, it gradually became more ...
radio show, ''Nozems-a-Gogo''. A live version of the song, recorded at the
Pine Street Theatre La Luna (or LaLuna) was a rock-'n'-roll nightclub in Portland, Oregon, United States from 1992 to 1999. It played a central role in Portland's prominence during the emergence of grunge in that era, helping to propel bands from Portland and the sur ...
in
Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
on February 9, 1990, appeared on the British 12-inch and CD versions of the "
Sliver Sliver may refer to: Entertainment *Sliver (novel), ''Sliver'' (novel), a 1991 novel by Ira Levin **Sliver (film), ''Sliver'' (film), a 1993 film adaptation of the novel **Sliver (soundtrack), ''Sliver'' (soundtrack), the soundtrack to the 1993 fi ...
" single in 1991. On November 18, 1993, "About a Girl" was performed as the opening song on the band's ''
MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...
'' appearance at
Sony Music Studios Sony Music Studios was an American music recording and mastering facility in New York City. The five-story building was a music and broadcasting complex located at 460 W. 54th Street, at 10th Avenue, in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. I ...
in New York City. This version of the song featured
Pat Smear Georg Albert Ruthenberg (born August 5, 1959), better known by his stage name Pat Smear, is an American musician. He is best known for being the lead guitarist and co-founder of Los Angeles-based punk band The Germs and for being a rhythm guitar ...
on second guitar. "About a Girl" was performed for the final time live at Nirvana's last concert, at Terminal Einz in
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
, Germany on March 1, 1994. The studio version of "About a Girl" was re-released on the band's first "best of" compilation, ''
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
'', in October 2002. The ''MTV Unplugged'' version was re-released on a second hits compilation, ''
Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
'', in August 2010.


Composition and lyrics


Music

"About a Girl" is an
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
song that runs for a duration of two minutes and forty-eight seconds. According to the
sheet music Sheet music is a handwritten or printed form of musical notation that uses List of musical symbols, musical symbols to indicate the pitches, rhythms, or chord (music), chords of a song or instrumental Musical composition, musical piece. Like ...
published at Musicnotes.com by
BMG Rights Management BMG Rights Management GmbH (also known simply as BMG) is an international music company based in Berlin, Germany. It combines the activities of a music publisher and a record label. BMG was founded in October 2008 after Bertelsmann sold its ...
, it is written in the
time signature The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
of
common time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
, with a moderately fast rock
tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
of 130
beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ( ...
. "About a Girl" is composed in the
key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...
of
E minor E minor is a minor scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative major is G major and its parallel major is E major. The E natural minor scale is: : Changes needed ...
, while Kurt Cobain's
vocal range Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of stud ...
spans one
octave In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
and six
notes Note, notes, or NOTE may refer to: Music and entertainment * Musical note, a pitched sound (or a symbol for a sound) in music * Notes (album), ''Notes'' (album), a 1987 album by Paul Bley and Paul Motian * ''Notes'', a common (yet unofficial) sho ...
, from the low-note of B3 to the high-note of A4. The song primarily alternates between the open chords of Em and G in the verses and follows a
chord progression In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...
of C5–G5–F5–C5–G5–F5–E5–A5–C5 during the
refrain A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in poetry — the "chorus" of a song. Poetic fixed forms that feature refrains include the vi ...
. During the verses, Cobain repeats the same two chords as
Krist Novoselic Krist Anthony Novoselic (; ; born May 16, 1965) is an American musician and activist. He was the bassist and co-founder of the rock band Nirvana. Novoselic and Kurt Cobain formed the band Nirvana in 1987 along with drummer Aaron Burckhard, wh ...
's bass line continuously ascends while a
vocal harmony Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are simultaneously sung as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical chora ...
and tambourines appear in the background. The song's chorus features slight
key modulation In music, modulation is the change from one tonality ( tonic, or tonal center) to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature (a key change). Modulations articulate or create the structure or form of many pieces, as ...
, where chords land slightly away from the place expected. "About a Girl" has an aching, wistful melody which Cobain sings over simple chord progressions. His electric guitar playing grows rawer and noisier over the course of the track.


Lyrics

According to
Chad Channing Chad Channing (born January 31, 1967) is an American musician who is best known as the drummer of the grunge band Nirvana from 1988 until 1990, during which time they recorded and released their debut album ''Bleach''; he also appears on "Polly ...
, Nirvana's ''Bleach''-era drummer, Cobain didn't have a title for the song when he first brought it into the studio. When asked what it was about, Cobain replied, "It's about a girl." The "girl" was Tracy Marander, Cobain's then-girlfriend, with whom he lived at the time. The lyrics address the couple's fractured relationship, caused by Cobain's refusal to get a job, or to share cleaning duties at their apartment, which housed many of his pets. During arguments on the subject, Cobain would occasionally threaten to move into his car, at which point Marander would usually relent. Cobain never told Marander that he had written "About a Girl" for her. In the 1998
Nick Broomfield Nicholas Broomfield (born 1948) is an English documentary film director. His self-reflective style has been regarded as influential to many later filmmakers. In the early 21st century, he began to use non-actors in scripted works, which he cal ...
documentary '' Kurt and Courtney'', Marander revealed that she only found out after reading Michael Azerrad's 1993 Nirvana biography, '' Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana''.


Reception

"About a Girl" has frequently been cited as early evidence of Cobain's talent as a pop songwriter.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
of ''
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
'' wrote that the song "illustrated signs of obain'sconsiderable songcraft." Evan Rytlewskia of ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' called it "a glimpse at the melodic impulses that would make obainone of the defining rock musicians of the ’90s." According to Will Bryant of ''Pitchfork'', it was "curious, based on the clean guitars and tinny cymbals that dominate About a Girl" how Nirvana ever came to be identified with grunge, the genuinely dirty and moody sound more readily associated with contemporaries
Mudhoney Mudhoney is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988, following the demise of Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan Peters. Orig ...
,
Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamo ...
and Tad than the punk-metal hybrid Nirvana favored." The ''NME'' described it as "Kurt's first true masterpiece," which "showed Nirvana's soft underbelly could be just as arresting as their ear-splitting thrashes." In 2004, the ''NME'' ranked "About a Girl" second on their list of the ''20 Greatest Nirvana Songs Ever.'' The same year, '' Q'' ranked it second on their list of the ''10 Greatest Nirvana Songs Ever.'' In 2015, it was placed at number eight on ''Rolling Stone's'' ranking of 102 Nirvana songs. It was ranked at number 112 on ''Pitchfork's'' 2015 list of ''The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s,'' with Raymond Cummings calling it a "sharp, perceptive, well-constructed, and almost Beatles-esque" song "that demonstrated a potential beyond grunge's ghetto." In 2019, it was ranked eighth on '' The Guardian's'' list of ''Nirvana's 20 greatest songs''. "About a Girl" is a BMI award-winning song.Nirvana songs listed by BMI
bmi.com Retrieved on December 26, 2012. On April 24, 2020, the song was performed by American musician
Post Malone Austin Richard Post (born July 4, 1995), known professionally as Post Malone, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his variegated vocals, Malone has gained acclaim for blending genres and subgenres of hip ...
as part of his 15-song Nirvana tribute concert livestreamed on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
, which raised more than $4 million for the
COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund was a global fund for supporting the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. It was launched on 13 March 2020 by the United Nations Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy F ...
.


MTV Unplugged version

The ''MTV Unplugged'' version of "About a Girl" was released as a single in October 1994, to promote the album ''MTV Unplugged in New York'', released the following month. It was the only commercial single released from the album, and featured the ''Unplugged'' version of "
Something in the Way "Something in the Way" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the 12th song on their second album, ''Nevermind'', released in September 1991. It is the final listed song on the album, althou ...
" as the b-side. Cobain opened the song by saying, "This is off our first record. Most people don't own it."


Reception

Reviewing ''MTV Unplugged in New York'' for the ''NME'', John Harris wrote that the song's "musical backdrop suggests The Beatles in 1964, at their lovelorn best:
minor-key In music theory, the key of a piece is the group of pitches, or scale, that forms the basis of a musical composition in classical, Western art, and Western pop music. The group features a '' tonic note'' and its corresponding ''chords'', al ...
introspection gives way to regular traces of lightened-up calm, only to regain the upper hand within bars. ... For that reason, encapsulated in the fact that it rides on a divinely simple verse/ chorus/ verse undertow, it may be the most beautiful song here."


Track listings

MTV Unplugged version. ;Australian CD, French CD, French CD distributed in Europe #"About a Girl" (Cobain) #"
Something in the Way "Something in the Way" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the 12th song on their second album, ''Nevermind'', released in September 1991. It is the final listed song on the album, althou ...
" (Cobain) ;US promo CD #"About a Girl" (Cobain) ;Mexican promo split CD and Italian jukebox split 7-inch with
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...
#"About a Girl" (Cobain) #" Blind Man" (Performed by Aerosmith)


Chart positions


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Accolades


Other releases

*A solo home demo which first appeared on ''With the Lights Out'' was re-released on the compilation album, '' Sliver: The Best of the Box'' in November 2005. *A full-band rehearsal demo appeared on the DVD of ''With the Lights Out'', along with several other songs from the same session. It was filmed in December 1988 by Krist's brother, Robert Novoselic, above a hair salon in Aberdeen, Washington owned their mother, Maria Novoselic. Reviewing the box set in November 2004, Mark Richardson of ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' wrote, "It's a huge kick to see Cobain and Novoselic so young and goofy t the session hanging out with a few neighborhood dudes and jamming like any other local band ... but then they bust out 'About a Girl' and we remember that this is not your everyday garage band." *The full Pine Street concert, including "About a Girl," was re-released on the 20th anniversary "Deluxe" edition of ''Bleach'' in November 2009. *A live version, recorded at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington on October 31, 1991, appeared on the live video, ''
Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! ''Nirvana: Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!'' is a live video by the American rock band Nirvana, directed by Kevin Kerslake, and released on November 15, 1994 on VHS and laserdisc. It was re-released on DVD on November 7, 2006. Background Conceived by ...
'', in November 1994. The full concert was released on DVD and Blu-Ray as '' Live at the Paramount'' in September 2009. *A live version, recorded at the Paradiso in
Amsterdam, the Netherlands Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
on November 25, 1991, appeared as bonus material on ''Live! Tonight!! Sold Out!!'' when it was released on DVD in November 2009. The full show was released on CD, vinyl and Blu-Ray in November 2021, on the 30th anniversary edition of ''Nevermind'' *In addition to the Paradiso show, the 30th anniversary "Super Deluxe" version of ''Nevermind'' featured the band's full performances at
Del Mar Fairgrounds The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundin ...
in
Del Mar, California Del Mar (; Spanish for "Of the Sea") is a beach town in San Diego County, California, located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Established in 1885 as a seaside resort, the city incorporated in 1959. The Del Mar Horse Races are hosted on the De ...
on December 29, 1991,
The Palace ''The Palace'' is a British drama television series that aired on ITV in 2008. Produced by Company Pictures for the ITV network, it was created by Tom Grieves and follows a fictional British Royal Family in the aftermath of the death of King ...
in
Melbourne, Australia Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metropol ...
on February 1, 2021, and the
Nakano Sunplaza , formerly Nakano Sun Plaza, is a hotel in Nakano, Tokyo. The hotel includes a concert hall, the Nakano Sunplaza Hall (formerly Nakano Sun Plaza Hall). Built in 1973,
in
Tokyo, Japan Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
on February 19, 1992, all of which featured versions of "About a Girl." *A live version, from the band's headlining appearance at the 1992
Reading Festival The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Festiv ...
in
Reading, England Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, Southeast England, southeast England. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers River Thames, Thames and River Kennet, Kennet, the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 mot ...
, appeared on ''
Live at Reading ''Live at Reading'' is a live CD/DVD by American rock music, rock band Nirvana (band), Nirvana, released on November 2, 2009. It features the band's headlining performance at the Reading and Leeds Festivals, Reading Festival in Reading, Berkshire ...
'', released on CD and DVD in November 2009. *A live version, recorded on December 13, 1993 at Pier 48 in Seattle, Washington for MTV, was released on the live video '' Live and Loud'' in September 2013.


Unreleased studio versions

*The versions of the song recorded for the BBC in London on October 26, 1989, and for VPRO in Hilversum on November 1, 1989, both remain unreleased.


In popular culture

* The song inspired the title of the 1998 novel '' About a Boy'', by
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
author,
Nick Hornby Nicholas Peter John Hornby (born 17 April 1957) is an English writer and lyricist. He is best known for his memoir ''Fever Pitch'' and novels '' High Fidelity'' and '' About a Boy'', all of which were adapted into feature films. Hornby's work f ...
. * In November 2019,
Puddle of Mudd Puddle of Mudd is an American rock band formed in Kansas City, Missouri in 1992. To date, the band has sold over seven million albums and has had a string of No. 1 mainstream rock singles in the United States. Their major-label debut '' Co ...
performed a rendition of the song's Unplugged version for a session at
SiriusXM Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is an American broadcasting company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City that provides satellite radio and online radio services operating in the United States. It was formed by the 2008 merger of Sirius S ...
. The cover has been widely criticised and ridiculed, with most of the focus being placed upon singer Wes Scantlin's strained, uncomfortable and off-key vocals.


Personnel

''Bleach'' *
Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...
- vocals, guitar *
Krist Novoselic Krist Anthony Novoselic (; ; born May 16, 1965) is an American musician and activist. He was the bassist and co-founder of the rock band Nirvana. Novoselic and Kurt Cobain formed the band Nirvana in 1987 along with drummer Aaron Burckhard, wh ...
- bass *
Chad Channing Chad Channing (born January 31, 1967) is an American musician who is best known as the drummer of the grunge band Nirvana from 1988 until 1990, during which time they recorded and released their debut album ''Bleach''; he also appears on "Polly ...
- drums, tambourine ''MTV Unplugged in New York'' * Kurt Cobain - vocals, guitar * Krist Novoselic - bass *
Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...
- drums, backing vocals *
Pat Smear Georg Albert Ruthenberg (born August 5, 1959), better known by his stage name Pat Smear, is an American musician. He is best known for being the lead guitarist and co-founder of Los Angeles-based punk band The Germs and for being a rhythm guitar ...
- guitar


References


About a Girl discography information at sliver.it
*Azerrad, Michael. ''Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana'', Doubleday, New York: 1993,


Notes


External links

*
"Hrast" by Prljavo Kazalište
on YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:About A Girl 1989 songs 1994 singles Live singles Nirvana (band) songs Number-one singles in Iceland Song recordings produced by Scott Litt Songs written by Kurt Cobain