Listen To Kurt Cobain's Isolated Vocals on 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'

When Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" off their second album Nevermind became a hit in 1991, there were plenty of critics who said the lyrics were indecipherable because of Kurt Cobain's rough voice. It didn't matter to the masses though - the song struck a chord and was the band's most successful track. It was a landmark breakthrough for alternative rock and propelled the genre to the mainstream, changing the course of modern music. Dubbed the "anthem for apathetic kids," it is accepted as one of the greatest rock songs of all time.  

Kurt admitted he tried to write a song like one of his favorite bands, The Pixies, telling Rolling Stone just months before his death, "I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it. When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily that I should have been in that band—or at least a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard."

The title originates from Bikini Kill frontwoman Kathleen Hanna writing, "Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit," on his wall, a reference to the deodorant Teen Spirit. 

Kurt's slurred, guttural vocals were nigh impossible to decipher, and liner notes from the album did not provide lyrics. This added to the slacker attitude of the track and helped the songs overall mood and tone. Radio stations were hesitant to play the song early on due to the garbled vocals and MTV originally prepared a version with the lyrics written at the bottom. 

Even if people couldn't understand Kurt's vocals, the overall emotion and haunting pain he expressed made it the anthem of an entire decade. 

Now, you can hear what Kurt's voice sounded like without the song's loud instruments around it, and truly appreciate what a talent he was.