Scentless Apprentice
| "Scentless Apprentice" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Song by Nirvana | ||
| From the album In Utero | ||
| Album released | September 21, 1993 | |
| Recorded | March 1993 at Pachyderm Studios, Cannon Falls, Minnesota | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Song Length | 3 min 47 s | |
| Record label | David Geffen Company | |
| Producer | Steve Albini | |
| Track Number | Track 2 | |
"Scentless Apprentice" is a song by the American rock band, Nirvana. It is the second song on their 1993 album, In Utero.
History
"Scentless Apprentice" probably dates back to late 1992, and is unique in that all three Nirvana members - singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl - contributed to writing it.
"Scentless Apprentice" was debuted live on January 16, 1993, in São Paulo, Brazil. The song's first studio version was recorded by Craig Montgomery in January 1993 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was recorded for In Utero in February 1993 by Steve Albini in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.
At one point, the band flirted with the idea of releasing "Scentless Apprentice" as In Utero's second single, after "Heart-Shaped Box." However, this never occurred; they released a split single for the songs "All Apologies" and "Rape Me" instead. "Scentless Apprentice" nevertheless remained a regular part of Nirvana's setlist until Cobain's death in April 1994.
Meaning
"Scentless Apprentice" is based on the German novel Perfume, by Patrick Süskind. Published in 1985, the novel tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a boy born without body odour but with a heightened sense of smell. Grenouille grows up to be a perfume apprentice, and uses perfume to mask his lack of odour. He also becomes a murderer, stealing the smells of his female victims in his quest to create a human odour for himself.
In a 1993 MuchMusic interview, Cobain claimed that his copy of Perfume almost never left his pocket. Cobain said he related to Grenouille's alienation.
Other versions
A live version, performed on December 13, 1993 in Seattle, Washington, appears on the band's 1996 live compilation album, From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah. A demo version, over nine-and-a-half minutes long, appears on the band's posthumous box set, With the Lights Out.
Accolades
- Ranked #11 in NME's "Top 20 Nirvana Songs" (2004)
- Ranked #9 in Q's "10 Songs Based on Novels" (2004)
References
Azerrad, Michael (1993). Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana. Doubleday, New York. ISBN 0-385-47199-8
