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Information About

Something In The Way




  Artist Nirvana
  Album Nevermind
  Released September 24 , 1991
  Track No 12
  Recorded May/June 1991 at Sound City, Van Nuys and Devonshire, North Hollywood
  Genre Alternative Rock
  Length 3:55 (20:35 with Endless, Nameless )
  Writer Kurt Cobain
  Label DGC Records / Sub Pop
  Producer Butch Vig
  Prev " On A Plain "
  Prev No 11
  Next " Endless, Nameless "
  Next No 12 - hidden track


"Something in the Way" is a song by the American Rock band Nirvana . It is the twelfth song on their 1991 Album , '' Nevermind '' (not counting the album's Hidden Track , Endless, Nameless ).


MEANING


It had long been believed that "Something in the Way" was written about a period of time during which its author, Kurt Cobain , was young and homeless, and slept under the Young Street Bridge in his hometown of Aberdeen, Washington at night. Although this was believed to be about the Bridge on the Wishkah River , the book "Love and Death: The Murder of Kurt Cobain" dispelled this saying it was a different bridge. After interviewing Cobain's old friends they concluded it was a not the Wishkah bridge. In fact, there were very recent trace markings of runaways when they arrived, such as the embers of a fire. It was thought that, in Heavier than Heaven, Kurt would have drowned on the Wishkah but Charlie Cross had mistakenly put down the wrong bridge which, in fact, does succumb to low tide.


RECORDING


According to ''Nevermind'''s producer Dave Grohl and Bassist Krist Novoselic added their parts later, though both had some difficulties with the relatively inconsistent timing of the song. Novoselic also had trouble tuning his bass to Cobain's guitar (a rickety old 12-string Stella Acoustic strung with 5 nylon guitar strings which barely stayed in tune) and Grohl was forced to repress his natural inclination to pound on the drums, in order to match the song's gentle mood. On the final day of the ''Nevermind'' sessions, Kirk Canning, a friend of the band's, came in and completed the song with a Cello line, though he too had difficulties tuning to Cobain's guitar.


OTHER VERSIONS


A live Electric version of "Something in the Way" appears on Nirvana's 1994 Home Video , '' Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! ''. It was recorded in Osaka, Japan on February 14, 1992 .

Another live version appears on the band's 1994 acoustic '' MTV Unplugged In New York '' album. The same version appears as a B-side on the 1994 Single for the song " About A Girl ", and on Japan ese versions of the band's 2002 "best-of" compilation. It features Pat Smear on rhythm guitar, and Lori Goldston on cello.

Also, another version was recorded during Mark Goodier's BBC Radio One show at BBC Studios in London. It was recorded on November 9, 1991. This version is electric and has never been officially released.


APPEARANCES IN FILM


A comically (and intentionally) poor acoustic version of "Something in the Way" was performed by Jerry O'Connell (playing football star Frank Cushman) in the 1996 Cameron Crowe film, '' Jerry Maguire ''.

The actual ''Nevermind'' recording by Nirvana of the song was used in the 2005 Sam Mendes film, '' Jarhead ''.


COVERS

"Something in the Way" has been covered by the following artists:


ACCOLADES

  • Ranked #14 in '' NME's '' "Top 20 Nirvana Songs" (2004)



REFERENCES

  • Azerrad, Michael. ''Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana'', Doubleday, New York: 1993, ISBN 0-86369-746-1