Drain You
"Drain You" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by frontman Kurt Cobain and serving as the eighth track on their second studio album, Nevermind, released on September 24, 1991, by DGC Records.[1][2] The track was primarily recorded during the Nevermind sessions at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, in June 1991, with producer Butch Vig overseeing the process; initial demos had been cut earlier that spring at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin.[3][4] Drawing from Cobain's on-again, off-again relationship with Bikini Kill drummer Tobi Vail, the lyrics depict a codependent dynamic, with the titular phrase "drain you" directly referencing words Vail used during their 1990 breakup.[5][6] Characterized by driving guitar riffs, pounding drums from Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic's bass lines, the song exemplifies Nirvana's grunge sound; its bridge innovatively replaces guitars with sounds from a rubber duck, chains, and an aerosol can for a chaotic effect.[5] Cobain considered "Drain You" one of his strongest compositions, even preferring it over the album's hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and envisioning it for a side project under the name The Retards.[5][6] "Drain You" was planned as the second single from Nevermind, with promotional copies released in late 1991, though it was not issued commercially. It gained further exposure on Nirvana's 1996 live album From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah, where a performance from Del Mar Fairgrounds, CA, on December 28, 1991, appears.[7] On December 6, 2024, "Drain You" was certified gold by the RIAA, recognizing 500,000 units of consumption in the United States.[8]Development and recording
Origins
"Drain You" originated as a composition by Kurt Cobain in 1990, initially titled "Formula," during a period of personal turmoil following his breakup with Tobi Vail, the drummer of the punk band Bikini Kill.[6][9] The song's conception was deeply influenced by Cobain's experiences in this codependent relationship, where Vail reportedly used the phrase "it is now my duty to completely drain you" during an argument, a line that directly inspired key lyrics reflecting emotional exhaustion and mutual dependency.[5] This period also marked the onset of Cobain's acute heroin addiction in late 1990, which intertwined with the relational strain and contributed to the song's themes of physical and emotional depletion, evoked through medical imagery such as intravenous references and bodily interdependence.[10] The lyrics capture a sense of vampiric intimacy, drawing from Cobain's struggles with substance use and the draining dynamics of his romance, elements that echoed broader motifs of alienation on Nirvana's album Nevermind.[10] The track received its first informal recording in spring 1991 in San Francisco, performed under the temporary band name "The Retards" with Cobain on guitar and vocals, Dave Grohl on bass, and Dale Crover of the Melvins on drums, at the Melvins' practice space and Crover's residence.[9] This demo session occurred en route to the formal Nevermind recordings, preserving an early, raw version of the song before its refinement.[9]Studio sessions
"Drain You" was recorded in May 1991 at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, during the sessions for Nirvana's album Nevermind, with Butch Vig serving as producer.[11] The band captured the basic tracks live as a three-piece unit, followed by overdubs for guitars and vocals.[12] The song required multiple takes to achieve its final sound, beginning with guitar recordings using a Mesa/Boogie amplifier that produced a rejected "scratchy" tone after two attempts.[11] Cobain then switched to a Fender Bassman amplifier paired with a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal, recording two more takes, with the second selected for the mix.[11] Vig employed creative persuasion to layer five distorted guitar tracks by Cobain, creating an "orchestral" effect despite Cobain's preference for minimal overdubs; he convinced Cobain to repeat parts by claiming technical issues with prior takes.[13] Vocals were tracked in three takes, blending elements from each—verses from take two, choruses from take one, and harmonies for the line "poison apple" from take three—while Cobain improvised abstract sounds like squeaky toys and aerosol sprays during 17 bars to replace an initial guitar solo idea.[11][12] The track is in B minor, with a tempo of 134 beats per minute and a finalized length of 3:43.[14][15] Mixing presented challenges, as Vig aimed to preserve the band's raw, chaotic energy while applying a polished production sheen, leading to tensions over guitar layering and overall balance.[12] Initial mixes at Sound City were deemed too rough, particularly with drums lacking depth, prompting a remix by Andy Wallace at Devonshire Studios to refine the sound without diluting its intensity.[12] Contributions from band members during these sessions are detailed in the personnel section.Personnel
"Drain You" was recorded by the core members of Nirvana, with production handled by external collaborators. Kurt Cobain performed lead vocals and guitar.[1][16] Krist Novoselic played bass guitar.[1][16] Dave Grohl provided drums.[1][16] Butch Vig served as producer and recording engineer.[1][16] Andy Wallace handled the final mixing for the album.[1][16]Composition
Music
"Drain You" employs a verse-chorus form, built around abrasive guitar riffs laden with heavy distortion and marked by dynamic shifts from subdued verses to explosive choruses, hallmarks of the grunge genre.[14][17] The track's structure eschews a conventional guitar solo in favor of a 17-bar abstract interlude featuring noisemakers like squeaky toys and an aerosol can, adding to its chaotic texture.[18] The song is set in A major tonality, with Kurt Cobain's multiple guitar overdubs—more than on any other track from Nevermind—incorporating feedback to produce a raw, energetic sound.[19][18] Krist Novoselic's prominent bass line anchors the composition, while Dave Grohl's driving drum pattern propels the rhythm, underscoring the punk and grunge influences evident in the punky main riff and sludgy, feedback-drenched guitars.[20][17] These elements contribute to the song's simplicity in form paired with intense delivery, akin to other Nirvana compositions on Nevermind that prioritize visceral energy over complexity.[18] The extensive overdubs applied during studio sessions enhance this raw quality, creating a densely layered yet abrasive sonic palette.[18]Lyrics
"Drain You" features lyrics written by Kurt Cobain that revolve around themes of codependency and emotional exhaustion, framed through medical and bodily imagery. The song's title and refrain, "It is now my duty to completely drain you," evoke a sense of parasitic attachment where one partner depletes the other, symbolizing the draining nature of intimate relationships.[5] This is reinforced by references to infection, tubes, and fluid exchange, such as "I travel through a tube and end up in your infection" and "Chew your meat for you / Pass it back and forth / In a passionate kiss / From my mouth to yours," which blend affection with grotesque physicality, highlighting bodily fluids as metaphors for invasive closeness.[21] Cobain's use of such medical motifs, including hospital-like scenarios of shared dependency, underscores a twisted portrayal of love as mutually destructive, with the repeated "I like you" serving as an ironic affirmation amid the decay.[18] The full lyrics, as recorded on Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind, are as follows:One baby to another saysAutobiographical elements infuse the lyrics with personal resonance, particularly tied to Cobain's early 1990s relationship with musician Tobi Vail of Bikini Kill, which ended amid tensions over dependency and independence. Interpreted as a warped love song, it captures Cobain's feelings of being overly reliant on Vail, who was more self-sufficient, while the imagery of draining and infection may also allude to the emotional toll of his emerging heroin use, portraying addiction as a consuming bond.[5][6][23] The song evolved from initial drafts written in 1990, originally titled "Formula," into its final form during spring 1991 recording sessions, where it was first demoed under the working name "The Retards" by Cobain, drummer Dave Grohl on bass, and Dale Crover on drums. This progression refined the raw, hospital-bed scenario Cobain described as two "brat kids" sharing a bed, sharpening the medical metaphors and repetitive structure for greater intensity in the studio version produced by Butch Vig.[9][18]
"I'm lucky to have met you"
I don't care what you think
Unless it is about me
It is now my duty to completely drain you I travel through a tube
And end up in your infection
Chew your meat for you
Pass it back and forth
In a passionate kiss
From my mouth to yours
I like you And would like to hold your hand
And would like to hold
All yours
As we pass out One baby to another says
"I'm lucky to have met you"
I don't care what you think
Unless it is about me
It is now my duty to completely drain you I travel through a tube
And end up in your infection
Chew your meat for you
Pass it back and forth
In a passionate kiss
From my mouth to yours
I like you And would like to hold your hand
And would like to hold
All yours
As we pass out[22]