“Smells Like Teen Spirit” is more or less grunge band Nirvana’s most well-known song. At the very least, it’s one of their most enduring tracks. It’s been covered a lot through the years since its release in 1991. And there are a few covers of the song out there that are quite powerful. Let’s take a gander at just a few of our favorite “Smells Like Teen Spirit” covers!
Videos by American Songwriter
1. Paul Anka
Now this is a cover. Paul Anka’s take on “Smells Like Teen Spirit” couldn’t be more different from the original. Nirvana’s OG version is an alt-rock grunge soundscape. Anka’s take, on the other hand, is a pure, unabashed swing cover completed with a backing band. We like to think Kurt Cobain would have vibed with it.
2. Melvins
Cobain was very much a fan of Melvins and was a good friend of Buzz Osborne. In fact, Osborne is allegedly the one who introduced Cobain to punk and hardcore. Naturally, the band would go on to cover “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in 2000 a few years after Cobain’s death. It’s quite a close-to-the-original take on the song with a heavier bass and Leif Garrett’s contributing vocals. Osborne nails the guitar solo beautifully.
3. Patti Smith
Many “Smells Like Teen Spirit” covers are taken on by bands and musicians on some spectrum of rock music. However, Patti Smith decided to cover the song with a few notable non-rock elements. This 2007 cover features the banjo, acoustic guitars, and some emotional strings. The overall song sounds very folk and almost country, with a psychedelic rock element at the center of it all. Smith contributes some spoken word poetry at the end of the cover as well.
4. Tori Amos
Singer/songwriter Tori Amos has covered many artists throughout her career, from Lou Reed to Tom Waits to The Beatles. However, her cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is particularly stunning. It’s extremely sad, but nonetheless stunning still. There’s something about taking on “Smells Like Teen Spirit” with a falsetto voice and eerie piano lines that just makes it so refreshing and new, without losing the original energy of the song.
Photo by Jason Kempin/FilmMagic
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