Nirvana – Territorial Pissings

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  General Comment:"Just because you're paranoid
  Don't mean they're not after you"
  
  It's a Joseph Heller quote. Author of Catch-22.

  Flag obitmamboon April 15, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:I always thought it was about illegal immigration. The beginning 'smile at your brother' bit is kinda mocking how we are told to embrace diversity but we won't even help people in really bad situations out because they aren't American.
  
  "When I was an Alien
  Cultures weren't opinions"
  
  Being an illegal alien and how when you are an outsider American culture is this solid thing united against you but when you are a member of it, it is all about diversity and everyone having opinions and being different and most importantly respecting these opinions.
  
  "gotta find a way
  to find a way"
  
  Sounds like a Mexican desperately trying to find a way across the border. He'd better wait when it is too dangerous for him.
  
  "just because you're paranoid
  Don't mean they're not after you"
  
  As an illegal alien you would be paranoid that everyone was going to turn you in, but even though most people won't or won't even know you aren't legit doesn't mean everyone else isn't after you and that border patrol isn't looking for you.
  
  I don't get "I never met a wise man
  If so it's a woman". I can't make it fit sensibly into my theme. But the title itself Territorial Pissings fits pretty well in to my idea I think.

  Flag turkeypropheton December 31, 2011   Link

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    pretty sure that isn't what this song means..

    Flag PTCGAZon December 31, 2012  
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  General Comment: Nirvana absolutely rocks and will out last all of us, completely ageless and immortal. I think each fan has their own interpretation of the songs, it's what you make of it, fuck everyone else. For me this and other grunge movement bands of the time were the sound track to my teenage years, it was truly a great time in my life, at the time no one had heard anything quite like it and sadly there hasn't been much to stack up against this short but great time in music. Would I do it all again.....fuck yeah!!!!

  Flag WOULDULIKEGRUNGEWITHTHATon October 11, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:I always thought he said, "When I was a kid, cultures weren't a piss."
  I dunno why, but yeah
  Anyways,
  I think this song is about a foreigner coming to America in a time when you had to like, be looked over by the government before you lived there or whatever, and they called you 'aliens'. And the person is trying to find out what he can do, being a foreigner to the country. And then the second 'verse' (Never met a wise man, if so it's a woman." I feel like the person is travelling through the 'wilderness' (a place he's never seen, whatever.) and he meets gypsies that do palm readings and stuff.
  Then the last verse (Just because you're paranoid, don't mean we're not after you), I took it to mean like, the government is following the guy.
  Or you could take it as the first verse meaning someone is an outcast in their own country, and they're in danger of being killed/arrested. The second verse meaning that women were the only ones who 'understood' or helped the guy, and the last verse to mean that the guy has been running for so long he's gone paranoid, and the people are still after him.
  Do I make any sense whatsoever?
  And I love the part where he's like, "Just because you're paranoid, don't mean we're not after you". It always makes me look behind me hahahaha

  Flag urmomicouson September 30, 2011   Link

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    Lol thanks. I really felt like I shoudl post what I thought on here so I'm going to try and do it with all the Nirvana songs I know...I always feel like my interpretations are different form everyone else's but they're probably not XD

    Flag urmomicouson September 30, 2011  
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  General Comment:Nirvana songs quite often don't mean anything at all. I do like some of the lines in this song, especially the never met a wise man, and just because you're paranoid... ones. SMLTS is not the best ever Nirvana song, Nevermind is NOT the best album. In Utero is jam packed with great songs, has grittier rawer production and better songs on the whole. HSB is not the best either, but it is great.

  Flagged phantomguitariston September 19, 2011   Link

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    Just because they weren't necessarily intended to have some deeper meaning originally, shouldn't mean that you should shrug off the beauty of misconception and interpretation. otherwise, a piece of art would just be paint on canvas, right? the actual art and meaning should ALWAYS be subjective. that's why he never wanted to say what shit was about, or else he made stuff up to fuck with people ;D

    Flag Trickeyon October 07, 2011  
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  General Comment:<3

  Flag NeverXMindon October 17, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:you are all Assholes. kurtdt killed himself cause of all of you. he was sending a message you fucking hillbillies couldnt possibly understand until maybe your dead. i find it hard its hard to find oh well whatever nevermind.

  Flag LoveYourselfKillYourselfon October 07, 2010   Link

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    um K, so I am responsible for Kurt's suicide and it wasn't his crappy home life, nor his drug abuse, nor his poor choices in women?
    

    Flag PTCGAZon December 31, 2012  
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  General Comment:the intro to the song is from the song get together by Chet Powers

  Flag deccapacoon December 02, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:ROCK ON!!!
  
  "Never met a wise man, if so it's a woman"
  
  

  Flag CuteDee23on April 18, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:Could every1 stop fighting and crying on this site. I've always been a Nirvana fan but admittedly just because society smiled on it. Now I'm finding that i love them inside and out. Amazing fucking band. Now does any1 have a thorough analysis of this song title lyrics and all?

  Flag DrippingFlames88on April 09, 2009   Link

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    being a fan
    "just because society smiled on it"
    is very 'un-nirvana'
    
    Like what you like. Be original.
    
    ...yeah but they are fucking amazing right?

    Flag nirvanaramaon October 08, 2009  

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