Status

Nirvana Song

Song Author

Kurt Cobain

Writing Period

1987

Recording Session(s)

May 6, 1987 KAOS Radio, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA (Out Of Order/Toy Train Crash Backside Bone Beefcake)

January 3, 1988 Bedroom, Crover Residence, Aberdeen, WA

January 23, 1988 Reciprocal Recording, Seattle, WA

June 30, 1988 Reciprocal Recording, Seattle, WA

March 20, 1990 Television Studio, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA

Notes

The lyrics of this song were inspired by a '60s television show called The Andy Griffith Show. Floyd, Barney, Opie and Aunt Bea were characters in the portrayal of a small, idyllic American town. Cobain used the show's innocent setting to tell a twisted story of going to the barber for a shave, only to end up being held captive, then tortured and murdered by the locals.

Oddly, when Cobain's body was found, the television was tuned to a station that aired syndicated re-runs of The Andy Griffith Show. It may have been one of the last images he saw.

Availability

Releases in the Bootography

Alternate/Working Titles

None Documented

Common Mislabels

Freud The Barber

Mislabels in the Bootography

Shy

Lyrics

Believe it or not, Floyd the Barber contains the most contested lyrics of any Nirvana song.  Before the Experience Music Project (EMP) hosted Kurt's handwritten lyric sheets, fans swore he was singing "Hello, Cobain. Come on in," among other things.  The live version from the box set (With the Lights Out, released Nov. 2004), contains lyrical mistakes on Kurt's part. The emplive.com lyric sheets were transcribed by Chris Lawrence, and are provided below.  These are the lyrics from the definitive Bleach version (recorded 1/23/88):

Bell on door clanks, come on in
Floyd observes my hairy chin
Sit down chair don't be afraid
Steamed hot towel on my face

I was shaved, I was shaved, I was shaved

Barney ties me to the chair
I can't see, I'm really scared
Floyd breathes hard, I hear a zip
Peepee pressed against my lips

I was shaved, I was shaved, I was shaved

I sense others in the room
Opie, Aunt Bea, I presume
They take turns and cut me up
I died smothered in Andy's butt

I was shaved, I was shaved, I was shaved



From Kurt Cobain's Journals (page 46, transcribed by DN member BleachedBlack)

Bell on door clanks, come on in
Floyd observes my hairy chin
Sit down chair don't be afraid
Steamed hot towel on my face

I was shaved, I was shaved, I was shaved

Barney ties me to the chair
I can't see I'm really scared
Floyd breathes hard I hear a zip
Pee pee pressed against my lips

I was shamed, I was shamed, I was shamed

I sense others in the room
Opie, Aunt Bea, I presume
They take turns in cut me up
I died smothered in Andy's butt