Pennyroyal Tea
By nirvana2007
@nirvana2007 (205)
United States
June 24, 2007 8:05am CST
This nirvana song has been search for meaning for a long time, What do you think the meaning(s) behind this song are?Fact: pennyroyal is a herb that can sometimes be used a an abortifacient (for those who didn't know)
The Lyric "I'm On warm milk and laxitaves" could be about the herion addiction Kurt suffered, A herion addict may use laxitives to combat the chronic constipation, opiates may cause
The lyric "sit and drink pennyroyal tea, Distill the life inside of me" may be in reference to pennyroyals abortifacient effects. Which could be a metaphor for killing the problems he was facing at the time, or possibly he wanted to cleanse his life and start fresh
its also been said that the term "penny-royalty" could be a play on words referring to his feelings of selling out, and being a "cheap figurehead"another twist to this song is that it was possibly in reference to His wife being pregnant.
as was mentioned pennyroyal tea can be used to induce abortion
For instance "i have very bad posture" could be in reference the bad posture pregnant women can have"anemic royaly" can be a reference to courtney being anemic while pregnant, which is not very uncommon during pregnancy
this soing can be picked apart for ever, and led in many different directions, but what do you think its possible meaning is?(I know kurt has said theres no meanings behind his songs) but that doesnt make it true, I said the same thing when i used to write myself, so so i wasnt bothered by people asking what does this mena etc
2 people like this
2 responses
@Nykkee (2522)
• Canada
24 Jun 07
I'm not really sure what the song mean exactly but I am sure it mens something. I read alot about Kurt Cobain and he was a very shy person in reality and it's not supriseing that he would refuse to share the meanings of his songs. I also read alot to imply that he didn't kill himself, that he was murdered. He was a brilliant man but he suffered alot in his life time, maybe that's what made him brilliant, who knows.
@ohcourtneystfu (72)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Wow, I never noticed a lot of those details. I think Kurt might've actually been anemic, but now that you mention it about his wife being pregnant, that's probably true.
I think the heroin part is also correct and selling out definantly because he was so ashamed of recruiting the wrong audience
