"THE DARK STORY BEHIND "WHERE DID YOU SLEEP LAST NIGHT"
(Special Report)
Written by: Raquel Rodrigues
When Kurt Cobain enchanted a whole audience with his version of "Where did you sleep last night", few people could imagine the story behind it. Not only was it not an original Nirvana song, but it first came to light in the 1870s. At least that's what is speculated.
From an unknown author, the song is a combination of "In the Pines" and "The Longest Train." Many musicians came up with their interpretations, such as Bill Monroe and Lead Belly, who recorded in the 40's.
But it was only in the early 90's that the song achieved global recognition with a very emotional performance from Nirvana on MTV Unplugged.
The story that inspired the lyrics has some dark messages. It's something that makes fans wonder, but it's pretty much impossible to find answers. A decapitation is mentioned. It has been said that it refers to an accident caused by a train in the coal mines led by Joseph E. Brown, a former Governor of Georgia.
The meaning was also debated. There is a theory that the pines can represent sexuality, loneliness, or death. The train can be seen as something that kills or takes a loved one away.
Someone wants to know where a girl slept the night before. Many fans speculated whether it's a husband asking his adulterous wife or a mother who is demanding answers from her daughter. All we know is that she spent some time in the pines.
The Four Pennies presented us with a version where it was the girl's husband who was the victim, and now the newly widowed woman is wandering in this place.
While Lead Belly showed a more optimistic tune, Bill Monroe chose a more melancholic one. But it's nothing compared to all the sadness that we get from the most famous version — especially when we consider that it was the final song in one of Cobain's last performances.
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Written By: Raquel Rodrigues
(Report)
(Sources)
Wikipedia,
Spotify,
Youtube,
Song Facts,
KZSC Santa Cruz,
Slate,
American Routes (Emory Scholar Blogs),
Luke McKernan,
Treble Zine,
Smithsonian Folkways,
WhoSampled,
SecondHandSongs,
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