Sell the kids for food
Weather changes moods
Spring is here again
Reproductive glands

He's the one
Who likes all the pretty songs
And he likes to sing along
And he likes to shoot his gun
But he knows not what it mean
Knows not what it mean
And I say
He's the one
Who likes all the pretty songs
And he likes to sing along
And he likes to shoot his gun
But he knows not what it mean
Knows not what it mean
And I say yeah

We can have some more
Nature is a whore
Bruises on the fruit
Tender age in bloom

He's the one
Who likes all the pretty songs
And he likes to sing along
And he likes to shoot his gun
But he knows not what it mean
Knows not what it mean
And I say
He's the one
Who likes all the pretty songs
And he likes to sing along
And he likes to shoot his gun
But he knows not what it mean
Knows not what it mean
And I say yeah

He's the one
Who likes all the pretty songs
And he likes to sing along
And he likes to shoot his gun
But he knows not what it mean
Knows not what it mean
And I say
He's the one
Who likes all the pretty songs
And he likes to sing along
And he likes to shoot his gun
But he knows not what it mean
Knows not what it mean
And I say yeah



Lyrics submitted by Novartza, edited by universalsounds

Track duration: 04:13

"In Bloom" as written by Kurt Cobain

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


In Bloom song meanings
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253 Comments

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  • +1
    My Interpretation:This song, in my opinion, is about one of Kurt's gal friends. A boy she liked took advantage of her.

    Sell the kids for food (the boy didn't care for having a family)
    Weather changes moods
    Spring is here again (he gets spring fever)
    Reproductive glands (guess...)

    He's the one
    Who likes all the pretty songs (he likes to just hang out)
    And he likes to sing along
    And he likes to shoot his gun (he likes girls a lot)
    But he knows not what it mean (but he just has fun, he doesn't care that it should mean something between him and the girl)
    Knows not what it mean

    We can have some more (the boy just wants more)
    Nature is a whore
    Bruises on the fruit (the boy hurting Kurt's friend)
    Tender age in bloom (the boy taking advantage of her)

    A lot of songs are born from intense emotion and personal experiences. This one seems to me like Kurt felt helpless when his friend was hurt, and since he knew no other way to handle it, he wrote a song. He did say it was about the media misinterpreting the band's message, but we all know it's just like Kurt to point people in the wrong direction.
    Flag DreamsAreMeaninglesson May 09, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:i think this song is about being a teenager who tries to fit in, doesnt know why everyone does these things but does it anyway just to mae him fit in
    Flag chowbie2on April 15, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:This is what I found a about the song

    the song addresses people outside of the underground music community who did not understand the band's message.
    Flagged Thunder64on April 10, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Knows not what it means when I say, OUT. Tender age in bloom. It's about someone realizing they're homosexual and he is trying to help them come out and deal with it
    Flag stoney742617000027on February 18, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Lots of people putting forward lots of good ideas about what this song is about. Those that said it was about his best friend and Earth lead singer, Dylan Carlson; the chap that bought Kurt his last gun. Check the lyrics. Makes sense.
    Flag SloMoJoon January 22, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is a song about an abusive father. A very mixed up message to his child and wife. Sell the kids for food weather changes moods means abandon the child you had but have another as spring brings on your desire to mate.

    Father likes all of our artistic expression when we are happy then he can sing along. He likes to shoot his gun meaning thinks he controls all and can reproduce. But he doesn't know what it actually means to have a child. He doesn't understand the responsibility of shooting his gun all of the innocent beauty he can play along with. When the child is not fun ie costs too much emotionally or financially abandons them. But he knows not what it means(to only except a child when convenient and when they make you happy). He feels he can blame the child for not living up to his expectation and have another. Nature is a whore(allows him to reproduce again). Bruises on the fruit (his abused child) turn to rage in bloom. Well you all get it now. Angry self loathing Kurt. Thanks Daddy.
    Flag kira64on January 06, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Both me and my sister were born in December, and I've wondered for a while why our parents decided to conceive both of us in the month of March. I think the first verse is saying that in spring time the sight of nature "In Bloom" makes people want to bear their own fruit.

    Sell the kids for food
    Weather changes moods
    Spring is here again
    Reproductive glands
    Flag bowenngon October 24, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:ok its really simple.

    1. Kurt grew up listening to pop
    2. Kurt wrote stuff fast and on the spot
    3. Kurt was a sarcastic fucker who loved games

    ok so with all this kept in mind its kinda simple. He probably thought of the chorus before-hand, if not he was simply a really good writer with a naturally sarcastic voice. I really think he just wrote some filler lines around a strong chorus that mocked the music he grew up with and was trying to emulate. He said several times he was trying to sound pop. but that doesnt mean he was trying to be pop. I honestly I think its simple, he had a pop chorus, wrote filler on the spot (minutes before recording) but wanted his own sarcastic pop style. Pop is "literally simple," his variation of the formula was to be "simply sarcastic." There is no meaning to the song, its all self criticism and a game. He knows your going to sing along to the strong melody so he made it a game, and every time we sing along kurt has earned the right to say "got'cha" and every time were silent when it plays we beat him at the game. Simple. He thinks were stupid.
    Flag TheLieTheJokeTheTruthon October 10, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Excuse me if someone already said this because i only read a couple of the comments on the top of the list, anyway Kurt Cobain was a man who was in love with emotion and when he wrote a song that was more of a head banger and saw the people in the audience more affected by that song than one of his more mellow and emotion filled songs it broke his heart, (there isn't anybody in the world that knows what any of cobains songs are about even if he came out and said thats what it was about he could have just been saying that because thats what mtv wanted him to say the way cobain wrote songs was anybody listening could relate whether i was about them or not he was was definitively a talented man) anyway what i see this song as is kurt talking about that emotionless person who sells his kids for food and doesn't give a shit about nature (hence "nature is a whore) and all the other emotionless things this guy does and how this guy thinks hes a nirvana fan he likes all there songs and he likes to sing along and likes to raise hell at there conserts and talk about what a big fan he is (shoot his gun) but he doesn't really understand what these songs that he loves so much are even truly about so he isnt really a fan he just thinks he is (he don't know what it means when i say yeah) but like i said it can be about whatever you want it to be about thats how he wrote his music.
    Flag Rocky5597on July 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hmm, not so sure the meaning of this song is what it appears to be.

    If I were to take "gun" to be a euphemism for "penis", then the chorus has an entirely different meaning to the obvious. Then coupled with the idea that "In Bloom" is a reference to a girl's flower or her virginity, then this song is all about sex. But then if I were to carry this train of thought through then what does "sell the kids for food" mean? Surely not about under-age sex or worse or paedophilia? "He's the one who likes all the pretty songs" suddenly has a very sinister meaning.
    Flag madbollieon May 25, 2012   Link

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