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The sigh just before the final line - the look in his eyes is so powerful. It's difficult to describe, but there is so much energy and emotion. Like we're seeing something that we're not prepared to see.
@@repluggedx3265 Yes, at this time it's only muscle memory. This guy was done, way beyond any feeling. Can't see what most like to hear in this concert.
@chrisb2942 you gotta remember:: Nirvana had just finished a 16 month tour ... they had -planned- to go home, and rest. Then, Kurt was like "You Guys Wanna Swing By New York And Do An Unplugged Piece For VH-1 Real Quick" ... ... (KRIST and DAVE) **SIGH** F'ck ... Sure Kurt, Why Not ... Sounds Fun.
I disagree. It's (or at least should be) indisputable how great this entire show was, but my absolute favourite nirvana performance is Seattle Halloween 1991.
I was born and raised in Seattle and grew up in 50s,60s,70s rock n roll, precursor of grunge and all that came later. People don't often realize what the Seattle music scene was/is like. This was my daughter's era and it was such a traumatic shock to us all when Kurt left. Your reaction is masterful.
I still remember that day vividly, 30 years later… sitting at my desk overlooking SE Lake Union and the the Space Needle in the distance. It seemed like the world stopped for a moment, despite the sunshine outside
In a way, it's as if the song (the whole performance really) was a medium to convey his internal screams for help. You really feel his raw broken state here. Frustration, agony, and hopelessness.
Probably my favorite live performance ever, Kurt was on another level.. Nirvana MTV Unplugged in NY is so legendary, every song was performed perfectly!
It's actually far from a perfect performance (for instance the scuffed solo on the man who sold the world) but sometimes the imperfections are what makes it more human.
@@S1ipperyJim exactly. LIve music especially acoustic music leaves you vulneralble to mistakes. Everyone can hear it. That being said, the imperfections make the songs he covered his own rather than a carbon copy. Which is what all great artists do.
If you hadn't noticed, the set they're playing on looks like a wake/funeral with all the flowers and candles. That was deliberate. Kurt asked the set decorator for the candles and flowers and the decorator asked "Like a wake?" and Kurt replied "Exactly"
To see a vocal coach so shocked and so emotional reacting to this just goes to show how unbelievably talented Kurt really was. This song resonates with me no matter what mood I'm in. It always blows me away the quality of the vocals and instrumentals and the perfect harmony between the two.
I actually do think of yodeling with Cobain. That quick, deliberate voice-flip is one of my favorite things he does vocally. That and his amazing scream are his two most distinctive qualities as a singer.
I watch this specific video at least once a year, whenever I need a good cry, and also to wish that this amazing artist had had just a bit more love in his life when he needed it most.
There are some people for whom at a certain point in life, no amount of loving expressions from anyone they know can break through their personal turmoil. It’s a sad fact of the human condition.
Kurt’s vocals are hauntingly beautiful in this performance (and during this whole set) Like you said, that last pause he takes opens a window to his soul to show you how much he’s hurting (I fight back tears when I get to that part) This is by far one of my favorite songs to not only listen to but perform and I can only hope I do it the justice Kurt did
Little fun fact: The original guitarist for Nirvana, Jason Everman, became special forces in the Army. He was guitar in Nirvana and later bass in Soundgarden. Then he joined the Army and passed Ranger selection, became a tabbed and scrolled Ranger. After that, he became a Green Beret. Dude is a legend in the military circles.
He wasn't "The original guitarist" For Nirvana. But he did pay for Bleach. And got fired and never paid back. He did become a bad ass in his own sense.
He very briefly joined Nirvana as a second guitarist but he never played on any of their albums. He played with them on one tour but they fired him because he was a jerk. He also played bass for one tour for Soundgarden. He was with both bands for less than a year which is kind of a not a great sign for his ability to get along with people.
In my early 40s, first heard this when it came out on MTV. Gave me chills then as a middle-school aged preteen, still gives me chills now. Best live performance ever. That sigh before the wail is magic.
That last section just releases the tension and then that last breath and it's all over. Forever. At least till you start the album again. This record is my go to when I'm feeling bad
Three heads brewery in Rochester NY got a bunch of members of local bands together to play this set. They had the whole 9, candles, lillies, everything. They played this last of course and about a third of the way through the song they just stopped singing. The whole crowd sang the song. Ot was very very emotional. Probably about 140-50 people.
"It might be nice to eventually start playing acoustic guitars, and be thought of as a singer and a songwriter. Rather than a 'Grunge Rocker you know?' Then one day I may be able to take advantage of that when I'm older, and sit down in a chair, and play acoustic guitar like Johnny Cash or something you know? And it won't be thought of as a big joke" -Kurt Cobain 1993, you did and we loved it. He had plans for the future beyond Nirvana
except for the part where he was never thought of as a big joke. he's projecting his own stuff onto himself. as a pro in that regard, even at 42 years old, he never even gave himself the chance to outgrow his own self loathing. I didn't get a handle on that til I was way over 27. sorry if this a biting assessment, but this is the person who made me love music when I was 11 years old and for years after. the notion that he was a joke is completely of his own making and his own hatred for being famous. totally valid to hate that, but nobody ever thought he was shit. at least nobody whose opinion matters at all.
@@Beluga_Too Kurt was his biggest own critic of himself. He was always self defeating but knew his talent. If you give him too much credit he could fail while being the underdog he could always succeed. Just my thought and probably right
@@Beluga_Too he's not saying he's a joke or that people think he's a joke. He's saying if he did grunge most of his life then switched to acoustic and cash like people might think it was a joke. Could you image Beyonce doing a country album? He wanted to do different kinds of music and not be thought of as just one kind one genre. Who knows what weird or interesting things he'd be up to musically today. He was also just 27.
I am so happy you saw the moment at the end. I saw it live on TV at the time and it's lived with me ever since. You are the only reaction video that has made note of it. The breath, his eyes, the pained look on his face, that moment.
I said when I saw it when it was broadcast for the first time: It was like he breathed out his soul at the moment you picked up on, Beth. You could see it in his eyes. I've been chilled by that moment for almost 30 years now, every time I see it. I love it and am terrified for the poor guy both at the same time, every time. Such a shame he's not still with us.
That Kurt took his own life just over four months later has contributed to this being seen as legendary but if he hadn’t, it would still be legendary. Greatest Unplugged made
It's probably my favorite one, but Alice in Chains unplugged was legendary as well. These two definitely share the top spots though for best unplugged sets.
@@mdog86 I go back and forth the only thing that I have Nirvana slightly above is that Nirvana was one take just 14 songs and that was it AIC did 3 or 4 takes of each song
That final scream and look at the audience speaks volumes I'd imagine Kurt had made up his mind about how he was going to go out by then bc he died 3 months after this show So sad RIP KURT I HOPE YOU FOUND THE PEACE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR 🧐🤘✌️😎
This is a cool story, but a huge reach. lol People romanticize his death so much. A lot happened between this performance and his death. I do think he was depressed, but its a massive leap for me to think he knew in 4 months from him performing that song that he was going to take his own life in that moment. I would suggest watching or reading the behind the scenes of that performance, and also the weeks leading up to his death. It will make it more apparent that those two things were not linked. A lot of the time the reality of something isn't nearly as magnificent as the stories we create in our heads.
From what I have read and docs he was most likely murdered due to the amount of herion that was found in his system not yet metabolized by his body. No way he was conscious when the trigger was pulled on the shotgun.
The song drones while gradually building. You can hear the playing get a more percussive throughout, like a sledgehammer beating on concrete. The tension compounds before the dam finally breaks and the emotion spills out in an pained, mournful surge.
Thank You so much Beth I truly needed that cry today. I unknowingly go on day to day bottling most of my emotions, and once in awhile the floodgates just have to open up. When I saw that you posted this video, I knew to prepare myself. This song (which was the last song on the Unplugged album) always tugged at my feelers.
I'm so glad to see you cover this song!! The whole show is special. But this song.......gets me every time!! You can , feel the passion, the pain, the heart. BUT when he briefly opens his eyes at end of the song , BAM !!!! It's like a glimpse into his soul, and makes my hair stand on end EVERY TIME❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️
I saw Nirvana live a couple weeks before the Unplugged set was recorded. It was so tragic that Kurt was gone only a few months later. The album was released after his death and was a reminder to everyone of the great loss. This track might be their best live performance. So much pain in the delivery.
This performance was the best MTV Unplugged. I listened to that CD so much back when i was a teenager.. Have the album on a Spotify playlist and have been listening to it for years. That track was the best way to close the show. My personal favorite.
I listened to this album so much all through the 90s. Still put it on every so often. This concert has taken on an almost mythic status in music history.
Beth, when you said at the 4:30 mark, that you thought this song was going to go somewhere - YOU didn't know how CORRECT you where going to be! The vocals at the end of the song, give me chills and nearly brings me to tears every time I hear this song! I was blessed to be old enough to live thru the grunge music era, along with the Unplugged MTV era. They don't make very much music that moves me much, anymore! Thank you for the reaction... Peace to you!
9:57 One of the truest statements ever. When the emotion is so raw and you can feel it in your soul it doesn't matter if it's a bit out of key or pitchy. Nirvana didn't really play any of their hits in their MTV Performance. Also, 6 of the 14 songs they performed were covers from other artists including this one which was originally done by Lead Belly. They even brought out 1 of those artist to perform 3 of their songs. They also filmed the entire performance in a single take and left all their mistakes in. Kurt reportedly was going through withdrawals from heroin and was vomiting bile and blood during rehearsals. That sigh of relief that it's almost over and the way he looks at the camera still brings a tear to my eye no matter how many times I have watched this.
I was 12-13 when Nirvana hit the scene. I remember being acutely aware of the types of chords they used and how unique they were, but didn't yet have a musical understanding of why. But there was always something haunting about their music to me on a subconscious level. I think that was that effective empathy you were talking about. Even without the lyrics, if they were in another language, they would still have this effect on me. They seem to challenge the natural resolve of melody that we expect. And yeah...haunting, complicated, tortured eyes.
The last part of the song that where you mentioned Kurt being vulnerable also reminded me of the last part of "black", where Vedder starts screaming "we belong together" while shaking uncontrollably...very powerful and emotional song too. And also part of an "unplugged" set... Those shows really brought a deep and powerful connection between the bands and the crowd, I miss those times! Great review as always!
This was always such a haunting rendition. And he is pushing some of his vocal limits and comfort with the key they chose. Still love the wide eyed look at the end... It was the end of the performance and he had gotten through it.
I watched this on Muchmusic in Canada when it happened. Little did I know that this was Curt's goodbye to the world. Easily one of my top 3 songs/performances of all time. Thanks for doing this one
That song was written by the Kirkwood brothers as the band "The Meat Puppets." They were guest artists for the Unplugged show. Nirvana covered 3 of their songs that made it on the album... Plateau, Oh Me, and Lake of Fire. The Meat Puppets most famous song is probably "Backwater".
Many think that when he opened his eyes, he had caught a vision of his “pending doom.” I’m not sure if that is true of course, but I think of it each time I see this performance…and WOW…it’s super emotional.
After this song, and after signing autographs for the fans, the producers BEGGED Cobain to perform an encore. His response: "How can I possibly follow that?"
You should check out You Know You're Right. Really hear the grit in Kurt's voice. Wasn't at the age of good taste before 94 but would have loved to see them live. Especially the Unplugged set.
Definitely his best performance. So intense and heartfelt. MTV wanted him to come out for an encore after this, but he refused because he knew he couldn't top this.
I was gifted this album as a seventh grader and I never really appreciated it cuz I didn’t ask for it as a gift. My father gave it to me and I remember listening to it and not appreciating the gravity of it until much later in my adolescence and young adulthood. Watching this just makes me appreciate this performance more. Kurt’s death robbed us who were coming of age in the mid 90s what music could’ve been in the future, this combination of folk and grunge. And I fear that my own two kids won’t appreciate Nirvana and those 90s band for what they are/were cuz it’s “dad music”. I hope they do… thank you for this!
Fwiw, I'm a bit older than you: this came out when I was 19. My 19 year old daughter just concluded a job interview only hours ago. As a personal-interest question, they asked her favorite music. "Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails ..." Your taste in music is likely to rub off on your kids, is my point.
It was such a powerful moment where Kurt said "This is the last song F###ers" And after the song everyone went, "Yep" No one expected an encore after that performance.
This is the 1st song I ever taught myself to harmonize with. I never viewed that voice break as a yodel. When I think of ydeling in country, I think of the late great Jimmy Rogers doing TY for Texas.
Normally, you would think this was just a great performance, and his sigh and eyes opening were just for dramatic effect. But like you said, knowing what happens to him, we can surmise that it was absolutely genuine emotion and pain. So haunting. RIP Kurt. 😢
Kurt was a true artist and Unplugged removed all the varnished layers from the albums, showing everyone the simple and powerful beauty of the music he made.
I read somewhere that back then there was a poll to decide the definitive moments in the history of MTV Unplugged and the two winners were this song and REM's rendition of "Fall On Me" in 1991. Maybe you could give that a listen.
Kurt spoke about the pain his singing style could cause him. I feel like that last open eye moment before he sings that last line was as more about him preparing for the pain he was about to cause himself than it was the emotion of the lyrics, but I guess we’ll never know for sure. Such a talent lost so soon. 😢
I was fortunate to be in the military and live just outside of Seattle. I hope to retire in Sequim, WA one day. I got to be there when grunge was just hitting. Saw some groups in local bars that got big. I lived there when Cobain committed self deletion. A pall was in the region for quite some time. That look he gives right before that last part…chilling and beautiful to this day.
You're one of the first reactors I watched and subscribed to for years now and you're one of my favorites. Your combination of musical knowledge, appreciation, honesty and empathy are most welcome. This reaction is one of the strongest that you've had from a song and it's most welcome. Thanks for your time and effort- it's definitely appreciated.
I have heard this song and watched this performance more times than i can count. I'm the same age as Kurt. I cant get through it without losing control of my emotions. It breaks my heart every time. We miss you Kurt.
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I literally cried this time. It has been a long time
The most famous sigh in rock history right there...great reaction.
You need to watch the 1994 version in zenith de Paris, just search “where did you sleep last night 1994”
The sigh just before the final line - the look in his eyes is so powerful. It's difficult to describe, but there is so much energy and emotion. Like we're seeing something that we're not prepared to see.
That part is one of the most haunting short clips of any video (music/TV/radio) I have ever seen.
It's like..'This is my final performance, i'm going to die soon'
😥😥😥@@DrMaiXiang
Glimpse into a soul, caught on camera
He must've saw what Leadbelly saw
This performance is known for the scream but the sigh. The sigh breaks your heart. We still miss you Kurt.
And the eyes of a dead man...
@@repluggedx3265 Yes, at this time it's only muscle memory. This guy was done, way beyond any feeling. Can't see what most like to hear in this concert.
@@chrisb2942 Are you kidding me?? The feeling in this song is intense.
@@chrisb2942you must be a sociopath. Seek help
@chrisb2942 you gotta remember:: Nirvana had just finished a 16 month tour ... they had -planned- to go home, and rest.
Then, Kurt was like "You Guys Wanna Swing By New York And Do An Unplugged Piece For VH-1 Real Quick" ... ...
(KRIST and DAVE) **SIGH**
F'ck ... Sure Kurt, Why Not ... Sounds Fun.
The unplugged concert was their best work by far. I love all their music but the unplugged will always have a special spot in my heart
I disagree. It's (or at least should be) indisputable how great this entire show was, but my absolute favourite nirvana performance is Seattle Halloween 1991.
@@settheory2219 SPOOOOKY!
@@USERNAME1-x5u they sent their instruments to their graves.
Unplugged in New York is one of the best albums ever produced by anyone period.
I was born and raised in Seattle and grew up in 50s,60s,70s rock n roll, precursor of grunge and all that came later. People don't often realize what the Seattle music scene was/is like. This was my daughter's era and it was such a traumatic shock to us all when Kurt left. Your reaction is masterful.
My favorite grunge precursors were those 50s grunge precursors
Grunge was the beginning of the end of the music industry in my opinion
I still remember that day vividly, 30 years later… sitting at my desk overlooking SE Lake Union and the the Space Needle in the distance. It seemed like the world stopped for a moment, despite the sunshine outside
Patreon voter's won...classic performance
Seattle honestly hasn't been the same since he died. Still casts a pall.
His literal cry for help at the end kills me every time even all these years later.
well... not *literal*, but i get what you're saying.
Me too 😢
You wish you could hug 🫂 him at the end of the set 📐.
In a way, it's as if the song (the whole performance really) was a medium to convey his internal screams for help. You really feel his raw broken state here. Frustration, agony, and hopelessness.
Probably my favorite live performance ever, Kurt was on another level.. Nirvana MTV Unplugged in NY is so legendary, every song was performed perfectly!
The acoustic version of this gets me every time. I'm always in tears by the ends.
It's actually far from a perfect performance (for instance the scuffed solo on the man who sold the world) but sometimes the imperfections are what makes it more human.
@@S1ipperyJim exactly. LIve music especially acoustic music leaves you vulneralble to mistakes. Everyone can hear it. That being said, the imperfections make the songs he covered his own rather than a carbon copy. Which is what all great artists do.
The Unplugged concerts were the best thing MTV ever did. This and the Alice in Chains concerts remain two of the best performances I've ever seen.
If you hadn't noticed, the set they're playing on looks like a wake/funeral with all the flowers and candles. That was deliberate. Kurt asked the set decorator for the candles and flowers and the decorator asked "Like a wake?" and Kurt replied "Exactly"
It’s stories like that which debunk the whole “ Kurt was murdered “ rubbish. He was a heavy drug user, depressed and had a family history of suicide.
This album, and this song in particular, was like a requiem for the entire Grunge era.
@@caseyhart9916 It’s an incredible album, best experienced watching the dvd of the performance. It’s so raw and beautiful 🙂
Nobody EVER said Kurt Cobain was suicidal ... ... Till Courtney Love started saying it ... AFTER HE DIED!!
@@ChurchNietzsche Nobody ever said that about Robin Williams, either, but he did it all the same.
To see a vocal coach so shocked and so emotional reacting to this just goes to show how unbelievably talented Kurt really was. This song resonates with me no matter what mood I'm in. It always blows me away the quality of the vocals and instrumentals and the perfect harmony between the two.
I love both AIC and Nirvana. But from that era Layne will always be my number1. I still love Kurt though.
I actually do think of yodeling with Cobain. That quick, deliberate voice-flip is one of my favorite things he does vocally. That and his amazing scream are his two most distinctive qualities as a singer.
I watch this specific video at least once a year, whenever I need a good cry, and also to wish that this amazing artist had had just a bit more love in his life when he needed it most.
There are some people for whom at a certain point in life, no amount of loving expressions from anyone they know can break through their personal turmoil. It’s a sad fact of the human condition.
I've heard this song hundreds of times and it gives me chills every time.
Kurt’s vocals are hauntingly beautiful in this performance (and during this whole set) Like you said, that last pause he takes opens a window to his soul to show you how much he’s hurting (I fight back tears when I get to that part) This is by far one of my favorite songs to not only listen to but perform and I can only hope I do it the justice Kurt did
Little fun fact:
The original guitarist for Nirvana, Jason Everman, became special forces in the Army. He was guitar in Nirvana and later bass in Soundgarden. Then he joined the Army and passed Ranger selection, became a tabbed and scrolled Ranger. After that, he became a Green Beret. Dude is a legend in the military circles.
He was not Outshined one might say
He wasn't "The original guitarist" For Nirvana. But he did pay for Bleach. And got fired and never paid back. He did become a bad ass in his own sense.
He very briefly joined Nirvana as a second guitarist but he never played on any of their albums. He played with them on one tour but they fired him because he was a jerk. He also played bass for one tour for Soundgarden. He was with both bands for less than a year which is kind of a not a great sign for his ability to get along with people.
@@flingonber sounds like a soldier to me, ik a few irritable mfs from the Army, sometimes stuff happens & you get pissed.
@@krisfrederick5001actually he wasn’t even on bleach! He footed the bill to record it but he wasn’t actually featured on it. He did tour with them tho
In my early 40s, first heard this when it came out on MTV. Gave me chills then as a middle-school aged preteen, still gives me chills now. Best live performance ever. That sigh before the wail is magic.
That last section just releases the tension and then that last breath and it's all over. Forever. At least till you start the album again. This record is my go to when I'm feeling bad
@6:50 "Oh, it's making me shiver." Me - "ohhhhh, you're not ready."
This still still gets me no matter how many times I watch it or listen to it ! I choke up every time !
Three heads brewery in Rochester NY got a bunch of members of local bands together to play this set. They had the whole 9, candles, lillies, everything. They played this last of course and about a third of the way through the song they just stopped singing. The whole crowd sang the song. Ot was very very emotional. Probably about 140-50 people.
That’s an awesome idea!!!
Greetings from Scotland. Thank you so much for doing this. You and Kurt broke my heart again. So powerful and profound and tears have been shed.
"It might be nice to eventually start playing acoustic guitars, and be thought of as a singer and a songwriter. Rather than a 'Grunge Rocker you know?' Then one day I may be able to take advantage of that when I'm older, and sit down in a chair, and play acoustic guitar like Johnny Cash or something you know? And it won't be thought of as a big joke"
-Kurt Cobain 1993, you did and we loved it. He had plans for the future beyond Nirvana
except for the part where he was never thought of as a big joke. he's projecting his own stuff onto himself. as a pro in that regard, even at 42 years old, he never even gave himself the chance to outgrow his own self loathing. I didn't get a handle on that til I was way over 27. sorry if this a biting assessment, but this is the person who made me love music when I was 11 years old and for years after. the notion that he was a joke is completely of his own making and his own hatred for being famous. totally valid to hate that, but nobody ever thought he was shit. at least nobody whose opinion matters at all.
I cried this time.
@@Beluga_Too Kurt was his biggest own critic of himself. He was always self defeating but knew his talent. If you give him too much credit he could fail while being the underdog he could always succeed. Just my thought and probably right
@@krisfrederick5001 yeah man me too. didn't even do that when i went to his house for the 30th in april
@@Beluga_Too he's not saying he's a joke or that people think he's a joke. He's saying if he did grunge most of his life then switched to acoustic and cash like people might think it was a joke. Could you image Beyonce doing a country album? He wanted to do different kinds of music and not be thought of as just one kind one genre. Who knows what weird or interesting things he'd be up to musically today. He was also just 27.
I am so happy you saw the moment at the end. I saw it live on TV at the time and it's lived with me ever since. You are the only reaction video that has made note of it. The breath, his eyes, the pained look on his face, that moment.
I said when I saw it when it was broadcast for the first time: It was like he breathed out his soul at the moment you picked up on, Beth. You could see it in his eyes. I've been chilled by that moment for almost 30 years now, every time I see it. I love it and am terrified for the poor guy both at the same time, every time. Such a shame he's not still with us.
That Kurt took his own life just over four months later has contributed to this being seen as legendary but if he hadn’t, it would still be legendary. Greatest Unplugged made
He wanted this show to look like a funeral. Hence the Stargazer lillies.
It's probably my favorite one, but Alice in Chains unplugged was legendary as well. These two definitely share the top spots though for best unplugged sets.
"Took his own life"
-Courtney Love.
@@seedy80 take your conspiracy drivel elsewhere
@@mdog86 I go back and forth the only thing that I have Nirvana slightly above is that Nirvana was one take just 14 songs and that was it AIC did 3 or 4 takes of each song
his voice is as emotional and rough as life can be ❤🔥...
That final scream and look at the audience speaks volumes I'd imagine Kurt had made up his mind about how he was going to go out by then bc he died 3 months after this show So sad RIP KURT I HOPE YOU FOUND THE PEACE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR 🧐🤘✌️😎
This is a cool story, but a huge reach. lol People romanticize his death so much. A lot happened between this performance and his death. I do think he was depressed, but its a massive leap for me to think he knew in 4 months from him performing that song that he was going to take his own life in that moment. I would suggest watching or reading the behind the scenes of that performance, and also the weeks leading up to his death. It will make it more apparent that those two things were not linked. A lot of the time the reality of something isn't nearly as magnificent as the stories we create in our heads.
From what I have read and docs he was most likely murdered due to the amount of herion that was found in his system not yet metabolized by his body. No way he was conscious when the trigger was pulled on the shotgun.
This recording has always been my favorite nirvana performances of all time.
I love when you reacted to unplugged singers🎉🎉❤
Over 30 years since this aired, that moment when he opens his eyes and sighs is effing HAUNTING. Still gives me chills
It was my grandmother's favorite song as a child growing up in Holler in the 30's.
I'm glad she lived long enough to hear this at the time. 😎💯
My Dad loved this song too.
Tears in my eyes all over again
Such a _powerful_ performance
Thank you for sharing your experience with this masterpiece
This is the best reaction to this song and video that i have seen. When your emotions come out it is a truly beautiful thing. Thank you.
The song drones while gradually building. You can hear the playing get a more percussive throughout, like a sledgehammer beating on concrete. The tension compounds before the dam finally breaks and the emotion spills out in an pained, mournful surge.
I remember seeing this on MTV. We had no idea it was the end.🖤
ive listened to this song hundreds and hundreds of times, it STILL gives me goosebumps
Thank You so much Beth I truly needed that cry today. I unknowingly go on day to day bottling most of my emotions, and once in awhile the floodgates just have to open up. When I saw that you posted this video, I knew to prepare myself. This song (which was the last song on the Unplugged album) always tugged at my feelers.
I'm so glad to see you cover this song!! The whole show is special. But this song.......gets me every time!! You can , feel the passion, the pain, the heart. BUT when he briefly opens his eyes at end of the song , BAM !!!! It's like a glimpse into his soul, and makes my hair stand on end EVERY TIME❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️
I started watching Beth Roars for the music but I keep coming back for the gentle, loving life observations.❤
His rawest performance - soul grabbing, soul wakening, insane performance and voice
I saw Nirvana live a couple weeks before the Unplugged set was recorded. It was so tragic that Kurt was gone only a few months later. The album was released after his death and was a reminder to everyone of the great loss. This track might be their best live performance. So much pain in the delivery.
This performance was the best MTV Unplugged. I listened to that CD so much back when i was a teenager.. Have the album on a Spotify playlist and have been listening to it for years. That track was the best way to close the show. My personal favorite.
I listened to this album so much all through the 90s. Still put it on every so often. This concert has taken on an almost mythic status in music history.
Beth, when you said at the 4:30 mark, that you thought this song was going to go somewhere - YOU didn't know how CORRECT you where going to be! The vocals at the end of the song, give me chills and nearly brings me to tears every time I hear this song! I was blessed to be old enough to live thru the grunge music era, along with the Unplugged MTV era. They don't make very much music that moves me much, anymore! Thank you for the reaction... Peace to you!
OMG! This is a masterpiece!! 😢
Thank you dear Beth
Glad you like it!
9:57 One of the truest statements ever. When the emotion is so raw and you can feel it in your soul it doesn't matter if it's a bit out of key or pitchy.
Nirvana didn't really play any of their hits in their MTV Performance. Also, 6 of the 14 songs they performed were covers from other artists including this one which was originally done by Lead Belly. They even brought out 1 of those artist to perform 3 of their songs. They also filmed the entire performance in a single take and left all their mistakes in. Kurt reportedly was going through withdrawals from heroin and was vomiting bile and blood during rehearsals.
That sigh of relief that it's almost over and the way he looks at the camera still brings a tear to my eye no matter how many times I have watched this.
As a music lover if I could time travel back to any concert/show of a band, it would be Nirvana Unplugged.
Never forgotten, forever missed
I was 12-13 when Nirvana hit the scene. I remember being acutely aware of the types of chords they used and how unique they were, but didn't yet have a musical understanding of why. But there was always something haunting about their music to me on a subconscious level. I think that was that effective empathy you were talking about. Even without the lyrics, if they were in another language, they would still have this effect on me. They seem to challenge the natural resolve of melody that we expect.
And yeah...haunting, complicated, tortured eyes.
The last part of the song that where you mentioned Kurt being vulnerable also reminded me of the last part of "black", where Vedder starts screaming "we belong together" while shaking uncontrollably...very powerful and emotional song too. And also part of an "unplugged" set... Those shows really brought a deep and powerful connection between the bands and the crowd, I miss those times! Great review as always!
This was always such a haunting rendition. And he is pushing some of his vocal limits and comfort with the key they chose. Still love the wide eyed look at the end... It was the end of the performance and he had gotten through it.
From all of these reactions that you've ever done, this one is certainly thee best one!!
Your compassion and empathy is touching, thank you for sharing.
I’d do anything to have seen this live
was a freshman in college when Nirvana got huge. Was a junior when kurt died. His brilliance enlightened my college years & i will always be grateful.
In absolute bits by the end of this performance 😭 thank you Beth ❤
I watched this on Muchmusic in Canada when it happened. Little did I know that this was Curt's goodbye to the world. Easily one of my top 3 songs/performances of all time. Thanks for doing this one
I came across the song of Nirvana the other day, and I had never heard. It was on the MTV unplugged, called oh me, it's one of my favorites by them
That song was written by the Kirkwood brothers as the band "The Meat Puppets." They were guest artists for the Unplugged show. Nirvana covered 3 of their songs that made it on the album... Plateau, Oh Me, and Lake of Fire.
The Meat Puppets most famous song is probably "Backwater".
@@AMurder0fCrows didn't know that, thanks for the info, Kurt did a great job on it
Many think that when he opened his eyes, he had caught a vision of his “pending doom.” I’m not sure if that is true of course, but I think of it each time I see this performance…and WOW…it’s super emotional.
You are the best Professional humanity reacting . ❤
There's a short list of songs that give me goosebumps every single time. This is on the list. Maybe the top.
After this song, and after signing autographs for the fans, the producers BEGGED Cobain to perform an encore.
His response:
"How can I possibly follow that?"
the most haertbreaking thing is the silence just after "the scream". its killing me everytime
My sister you do this all so much better than other vocal people on YT
Literally my favorite album, Kurt's voice being so powerful and just amazing it's very nostalgic somehow
such a simple yet powerful song. Kurt was amazing
This…is…my… fave… Nirvana… song… EVER!
You should watch the whole show.. gets you in the feels
Brilliant analysis. This is more than a reaction. Raw. Truth.
That song, musically, makes me feel... cold. The music feels like a late November wind...
Growing up with The Mighty KC as one of my primary music influences.... so fortunate.
Kurt in all his glory ❤️
Nothing but raw talent 💯
I always thought this song displayed his voice in a way that would lend itself to country music.
You should check out You Know You're Right. Really hear the grit in Kurt's voice. Wasn't at the age of good taste before 94 but would have loved to see them live. Especially the Unplugged set.
Definitely his best performance. So intense and heartfelt. MTV wanted him to come out for an encore after this, but he refused because he knew he couldn't top this.
I was gifted this album as a seventh grader and I never really appreciated it cuz I didn’t ask for it as a gift. My father gave it to me and I remember listening to it and not appreciating the gravity of it until much later in my adolescence and young adulthood. Watching this just makes me appreciate this performance more. Kurt’s death robbed us who were coming of age in the mid 90s what music could’ve been in the future, this combination of folk and grunge. And I fear that my own two kids won’t appreciate Nirvana and those 90s band for what they are/were cuz it’s “dad music”. I hope they do… thank you for this!
Fwiw, I'm a bit older than you: this came out when I was 19. My 19 year old daughter just concluded a job interview only hours ago. As a personal-interest question, they asked her favorite music. "Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails ..."
Your taste in music is likely to rub off on your kids, is my point.
pure emotions!😔great video!🙂
That look at the end. Haunting.
This and Pearl Jam’s Black unplugged are on a different level❤
And Down in a Hole unplugged from AiC
@@AMurder0fCrows I have trouble picking a favorite from that show😂
I got to see them play a few times, but I cannot imagine being at something like this event. If only...
Rip legend.
It was such a powerful moment where Kurt said "This is the last song F###ers" And after the song everyone went, "Yep" No one expected an encore after that performance.
Wow I love this new level of analysis in your videos
Thanks so much!
Amazing reaction. Thanks for sharing your emotions. Made me tear up seeing your face blown away by especially the end vocals of this song.
This is the 1st song I ever taught myself to harmonize with. I never viewed that voice break as a yodel. When I think of ydeling in country, I think of the late great Jimmy Rogers doing TY for Texas.
Normally, you would think this was just a great performance, and his sigh and eyes opening were just for dramatic effect. But like you said, knowing what happens to him, we can surmise that it was absolutely genuine emotion and pain. So haunting. RIP Kurt. 😢
I remember watching this as it first aired. Over 30 years later, I still shiver. My empathy was awaiting your reaction. Excellent and powerful stuff.
Kurt was a true artist and Unplugged removed all the varnished layers from the albums, showing everyone the simple and powerful beauty of the music he made.
I read somewhere that back then there was a poll to decide the definitive moments in the history of MTV Unplugged and the two winners were this song and REM's rendition of "Fall On Me" in 1991. Maybe you could give that a listen.
Kurt spoke about the pain his singing style could cause him. I feel like that last open eye moment before he sings that last line was as more about him preparing for the pain he was about to cause himself than it was the emotion of the lyrics, but I guess we’ll never know for sure. Such a talent lost so soon. 😢
Kurt could sing any genre of music. 6:50 And there he is folks, the voice of the 90's grunge movement that will live on forever.
I was fortunate to be in the military and live just outside of Seattle. I hope to retire in Sequim, WA one day. I got to be there when grunge was just hitting. Saw some groups in local bars that got big. I lived there when Cobain committed self deletion. A pall was in the region for quite some time. That look he gives right before that last part…chilling and beautiful to this day.
Great analysis. Ty for covering the history of the composition.
Thanks Brian!
the first time when i hear that song, i screamed to myself... HOW NOBODY DID NOTICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he is gonna do it!!! iykwim
I used to sing this so much. Haven't since a breakup. It was always on my mind because I had to drive though a thick pine forest to see her.
You're one of the first reactors I watched and subscribed to for years now and you're one of my favorites. Your combination of musical knowledge, appreciation, honesty and empathy are most welcome. This reaction is one of the strongest that you've had from a song and it's most welcome. Thanks for your time and effort- it's definitely appreciated.
I have heard this song and watched this performance more times than i can count. I'm the same age as Kurt. I cant get through it without losing control of my emotions. It breaks my heart every time.
We miss you Kurt.
Brilliant song from an epic band
What an amazing performance.
Spot the three Foo Fighters in this reaction video
I noticed that too ;)
Dave, pat whos the other guy?
@@SumBlink-lw3pg Taylor was playing drums in the Alanis clip she showed.
Right! It's so interesting that she happened to use that clip with Taylor!
That whole concert/performance is great. So sad that we lost him
This whole live performance is probably one of the best of all time