Radio Friendly Unit Shifter

Status

Nirvana Song

Song Author

Kurt Cobain

Writing Period

Recording Session(s)

January 1, 1991 - Music Source Sessions, Seattle Washington {rec by Craig Montgomery}

March 1993 - Pachyderm Studios recorded by Steve Albini

Notes

"Prior to entering the studio, Kurt had a list of eighteen songs he was considering; twelve from the list would ultimately end up on the finished album, but with their titles shifted considerably. The song that eventually was called 'Radio Friendly Unit Shifter' started life as 'Nine Month Media Blackout,' Kurt's not-so-veiled response to the Vanity Fair piece. 'All Apologies' was originally titled 'La, La, La...La' while 'Moist Vagina,' a B-side, began with a far longer and more descriptive name: 'Moist vagina, and then she blew him like he's never been blown, brains stuck all over the wall.'"

Charles R. Cross
Heavier Than Heaven, p269 (U.S. hardcover)

According to an article in Goldmine, the working title was "Four Month Media Blackout" and referred to the impact "Smells Like Teen Spirit" had on the charts, media, and music industry in late '91 and early '92, a time when Nirvana's breakthrough hit dominated discussion.

Kurt described this song as a throw-away; a bunch of random lines of poetry thrown together. The title was a reference to ("Smells Like Teen Spirit" and its slick, radio-friendly sound.

"Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" was the opening song on most shows from late '93 and '94.

(Thanks to DN member Rottentanx for his input.)

Availability

Releases in the Bootography

Alternate/Working Titles

Four Month Media Blackout

Nine Month Media Blackout

Common Mislabels

Radio Friends

Four Month Blackout

My Sharona

Mislabels in the Bootography

None Documented

Lyrics

In Utero version

Use just once and destroy
Invasion of our piracy
Afterbirth of a nation
Starve without your skeleton key
I love you for what I am not
I do not want what I have got
A blanket acne'ed with cigarette burns
Speak at once while taking turns

What is wrong with me (x3)

This had nothing to do with what you think
If you ever think at all
Bi-polar opposites attract
All of a sudden my water broke
I love you for what I am not
I do not want what I have got
A blanket acne'ed with cigarette burns
Second-rate third degree burns

What is wrong with me
What is what I need
What do I think I think

Hate, hate your enemies
Save, save your friends
Find, find your place
Speak, speak the truth

What is wrong with me (x3)
What do I think I think

Use just once and destroy
Invasion of our piracy
Afterbirth of a nation
Starve without your skeleton key

What is wrong with me (x3)
What do I think I think
What is wrong with me (x3)
What do I think I think

From Kurt Cobain's Journals (page 200, labeled as "4 Month Media Blackout, transcribed by DN member BleachedBlack)

Use just once and destroy
Invasion of our piracy
Afterbirth of a nation
Starve without your skeleton key
I love you for what I am not
I did not want what I have got
A blanket acned with cigarette burns
Speak at once while taking turns

This had nothing to do with what you think
If you ever think at all
What is what I need What is wrong with me What is what I need
What do I think I think
use use your enemies
and save save your friends
and find find your place
and spit spit the truth
Bi-polar opposites attract
All of a sudden my water broke
free Xeroxes for all aternateens second rate word by pass throat of ferns.

From Kurt Cobain's Journals (page 201, labeled as "9 Month Media Blackout, transcribed by DN member BleachedBlack)

I want you to be my bride no not really, I just lied
Will you love me with your might ill beat you an inch away from your life
Hold me tight with breaths of truths I wish a terminal disease on you
Gosh I feel so darn confused Ever felt like youve been used?
Bipolar opposites attract
All of a sudden my water broke
I love you for what I am not
Second rate word play bypass throat
use once and destroy
invasion of our piracy afterbirth of a nation blanket acned with cigarette burns I forget what I look like to you Starve without your skeleton key