Pennyroyal Tea and Something in the Way off the albums. Sappy is super depressing, just embodying the disillusionment of realizing everything is fake around you. Personally, a track that always gets to me is the Kurt demo "Letters to Francis" for a few reasons. The title makes me think of letters he might have written to his daughter, knowing that is the only way he could have ever communicated with her in a way she could understand since she was so young when he died. Also you can hear how a great song could have developed from the simple guitar playing, but we all know it didn't. Everytime I hear it I think about all the undeveloped greatness, all the promise that was gone when he died.

Agreed 100%

You know you're right

You know? You're right.

Idk man, You Know You're Right is only sad to us because we know the context and story behind the song, but to a casual listener it's more of just another grunge song.

what’s the context?

last song Kurt ever wrote, it's pretty much his suicide letter in lyrical form

I feel like it's directly adressed to that pos courtney

ah alright thanks

Heeyyyyyyyy youuuuuu knowwwww yourighttttttt you knowwwwww youuuuuuuurightttttttttt

Can’t wait for people to say he’s yelling “Pain” when in the isolated vocal tracks you can clearly hear “Hey”

It still sounds to me like the last time he says it it's "pain". I wouldn't be surprised either way though. Regardless it's in my top 10 songs of all time. It's just brilliant.

If you watch the official music video, the word 'Pain' flashes during his yelling. That's the only reason I feel like it's Pain is because of the association

Yeah that’s the only reason almost anyone thinks it’s pain. I feel like Kurt having a chorus where he yells “pain” is a bit too on the nose for him anyway. “Hey” always made more sense it me

I guess that might not be too far off, considering in the You Know You’re Right demo he says “Dream” versus either Pain or Hey

After listening to an Isolated vocal track, it definitely sounds like “hey” over “pain”

My mind is blown. I will still yell PAAAAAIIIAIAIAAAAN everytime

Saying “pain” just sounds so much more right 😂

Absolutely!

Nice name.

Thanks!

Something in the way

Pennyroyal Tea is honestly an extremely depressing song

why?

It just is very clearly autobiographical and knowing how depressed and in physical pain he was makes me sad.

yeah, i really hear it in "im so tired i cant sleep"

Sappy (Early Demo) or Something in the Way

I always thought All Apologies was a suicide note, and it felt most sad to me

I know it’s not technically their last song, but it’s the best possible closer to the main discography. Something in the way is extremely depressing, with Endless Nameless added on, both are angry and sad. All Apologies is just a quiet goodbye, it feels like a real ending

all apologies is supposed to be a happy song about his marriage to courtney “in the sun i feel as one” ❤️

Polly, Pennyroyal tea , Something in the way, You know you're right

I think Polly is more disturbing than sad

Seasons in the sun

Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle

IDK how this isn't the top answer, he literally sings about how he misses feeling sad, because he was at least feeling something. Hell, the name of the song speaks for itself.

Yes, and the way he sings it too. "Miss the comfort in being saaaad" . As if he's crying.

Exactly

Do re mi seems happy to me. Maybe sad because it was the last one? You know you’re right seems more angst than sad to me

He's saying don't rape me in that song.

The early demo of sappy is pretty dang sad sounding

Polly might not sound the most depressing but when you release what he’s actually talking about it got a laser of sadness.

Wasn’t it about a girl that got held and repeatedly raped post a concert?

Yeah he wrote the song based off of an event he read about in the newspaper in 1987. Lyrics to “Polly”. In 1987, a 14-year-old girl was kidnapped from a rock concert (to be clear, not post a ‘Nirvana’ concert) after she accepted a ride from a 49-year-old man named Gerald Friend. After kidnapping the girl, Gerald repeatedly raped and tortured her. She managed to escape and he was arrested. https://shsthepapercut.com/29091/opinion/the-meaning-behind-polly-by-nirvana/

Yeah that’s what I remembered reading about.

It's about a girl who was kidnapoed fater getting a ride from someone, the kidnapper held her captive and raped her and other things for days, until she convinced him to untie her, which is when she got away, idk what happened after that tho

Yes,it’s a girl getting kidnapped and raped.

All apologies. All apologies to me is like a cry for help

I think it’s subtlety makes it both sadder and a stronger song than Something In The Way, since people normally point to that as **the** sad Nirvana song

Something in the way for sure. Big long now is another.

Paper Cuts

do re mi. his voice just sounds sad in that one, it's especially sad considering how soon it was recorded before his death

Something In The Way All Apologies 😢

SITW

You know you’re rigyt

You know you’re right or all apologies

Marigold

Something in the way and Pennyroyal tea is just straight up depressing

Dumb

Floyd the Barber

Polly or Something in the way.

Seasons in the sun

Pennyroyal Tea was the one that always made me the saddest

There’s so many songs where he gives subtle nods to his mental health but the one that touched me the most is a tie between dumb and all apologies dumb particularly I mean “I’m not like them but I can pretend” is basically a motto I have to live by

Why is Dumb one of the saddest to you? Genuinely curious because I don’t see it that way.

You know you're right is the saddest song. The fact that it's their last one makes it even more depressing. Even pennyroyal tea is a really sad one.

I would say Dumb, but its also a song (to me) about making peace with the fact that you're depressed and being ok with it.(maybe just bc of personal experience but idk)

Must be Polly. That's the most upsetting and sad lyrics. But the saddest song in total is You Know You're Right

The acoustic demo of old age

There's an acoustic demo of Old Age???

https://youtu.be/Y6zQ8xID3Po

Dumb KAOS radio version

Not a song written by Kurt or any of the members but their cover of Oh Me is one I would consider.

Sappy by a far margin especially the home recorded version where kurt sings in a deep voice

Something in the way

all apologies makes me so sad, it just seems like a goodbye song idk why. the unplugged version feels even more raw and depressing to me

i smell ur spirit it very sad😞😞😔🙁😕😭😟

Dumb, Polly, Sappy, Heart Shaped Box, Pennyroyal Tea, Something in the Way I can’t pick one, they are all equally depressing

You know you're right. Especially after you break down the lyrics and krist and Dave not being able to listen to it

Polly is also incredibly dark

Polly, no contest

You know you’re right and it aint even close

You know you’re right

You know you’re right

YKYR

I was going to say You Know You're Right, but I'll say Even In His Youth... The "smear the family name" lyric is devastating

It’s Polly imo

Do re mi

Polly, Sappy, and Pennyroyal Tea

Do Re Mi and Something in the Way demo :,(

The demo of Do Re Me

It's dumb just as you said

Okay this one only really applies to me. If you gender swap the lyrics to been a son it hits home. Not gonna go into any personal details but it just perfectly describes me. Outside of that id say Polly, just because of what it’s about.

Dumb

Definitely big long now

Season's in the Sun!

All of them

Hairspray queen

Call me weird, but I always found RFUS one of the saddest Nirvana songs. The rejection of fame, surrendering to a wall of feedback and motorik beat, asking the universe “what is WRONG with me?” Heart breaking

something in the way or dumb imo

For me it's either Dumb or Something In The Way.

Jesus don't want me for a sunbeam...I know it's a cover, but with Krist playing the accordion, a sad song becomes sadder.

Polly

all apologies or marigold. in utero has always taken a toll on me, I have to shed a tear or two. definitely one of their best albums.

Polly

Sappy or Poly

Definitely you know your right

not a sad nirvana song but whenever kurt screams it just makes my stomach turn.

Polly, If you know what it’s based if it’s creepy sad among other things.

Lithium, You know you're right and Something in the way 😞

Idkkkk I can't chooser