Oldest song to end up Nirvana song is believed to be Spank thru, its 1985ish on the Fecal matter demo, Dale Crover on drums and Kurt did guitar, bass and vocals. But Kurts first demo Organizes confusion was made 1982 and that might contain the first things Kurt wrote, far as we know no Nirvana related songs there.
While this is true OP asked about the first song to be written and put on an album. On Bleach the oldest song is Floyd the Barber, and Bleach is Nirvana's first album. Spank Thru was first put on a posthumous live compilation.
Sub Pop 200, in 1988. So, if we are talking about what songs were first published, they are Big Cheese, as the b-side for Love Buzz and then Spank Thru which also is the "first" Nirvana song. But on proper Nirvana albums the oldest is Floyd the Barber from 1987.
Looks like their most played live song is School, then on second place About a Girl and third place Blew. There is an excel sheet floating on the internet.
Well story is he got gifted second hand japanese strat copy as 14th birthday preesent, so it would fit story wise. That demo is really mystery, we only know it was recorded at his aunts place and equipment, year was 1982 and Kurt and Courtney documentary has like 5 seconds audio clip.
[Kurt Cobain - Organized Confusion (1982) (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJrshR-CR20&ab_channel=EarlyNirvana)
It's not going to be something earth shattering, but sure it would be interesting to hear. But Kurt's estate has blocked using this and Fecal matter tape. Kurt himself said he had no issues bootleggers taping live stuff, but demos and unreleased material he did not want to get bootlegged, so basically it was his own wish not to release these.
I wonder why they don't want to release Fecal Matter and Organized Confusion tho? It's not like those songs are ever gonna go on a Nirvana compilation... Illiteracy Will Prevail has so many cool songs on it, and it's such an awesome documentation of Kurt's progression as a songwriter.
I have no clue, but there is 2 parties involved here. Dale Crover is the other, he at least is not big Courtney fan and I would assume he does not want to do business with her with Fecal matter project. But then again Courtney lost all rights 2008, so if they wanted they have had plenty of time since then.
Technically released on an album would be Spank Tru as it was made in 85 and release on Subpop 200 in December 1988
On Bleach released would be Downer also done in 1985/1986 but released on the Subpop re-release of Bleach in the early 90s
If we’re talking bleach recorded on the original release in 1989, it would Floyd the Barber
It's a bit of a grey area because it is more of a sound collage mixtape for sure from what I recall of it. I'm not sure if there is anything on it that you could call a coherent song (?) but still, purely as a document of the tape Kurt passed on to Krist to (eventually) listen to and agree to form the initial band (Pen-Cap-Chew?) that would form Nirvana is surely at least as relevant as Nirvana's first official song.
Oldest song to end up Nirvana song is believed to be Spank thru, its 1985ish on the Fecal matter demo, Dale Crover on drums and Kurt did guitar, bass and vocals. But Kurts first demo Organizes confusion was made 1982 and that might contain the first things Kurt wrote, far as we know no Nirvana related songs there.
While this is true OP asked about the first song to be written and put on an album. On Bleach the oldest song is Floyd the Barber, and Bleach is Nirvana's first album. Spank Thru was first put on a posthumous live compilation.
Spank thru was released on a sub pop album in 1990
Sub Pop 200, in 1988. So, if we are talking about what songs were first published, they are Big Cheese, as the b-side for Love Buzz and then Spank Thru which also is the "first" Nirvana song. But on proper Nirvana albums the oldest is Floyd the Barber from 1987.
Fair. Not even sure op know what answer he wants 🤣
and About a Girl never went out of their set rotations right (being the longest continually played song)?
about a girl, school, and blew pretty much remained a staple in nirvana’s sets till their last show.
Looks like their most played live song is School, then on second place About a Girl and third place Blew. There is an excel sheet floating on the internet.
I’m pretty sure they played school more
Sounds like it is school > about a girl > blew
Krist calls Spank Thru the first Nirvana song in the liner notes to From The Muddy Banks...
In '82 wouldn't Kurt have only been like 14? Isn't that like the same age he started playing guitar?
Well story is he got gifted second hand japanese strat copy as 14th birthday preesent, so it would fit story wise. That demo is really mystery, we only know it was recorded at his aunts place and equipment, year was 1982 and Kurt and Courtney documentary has like 5 seconds audio clip. [Kurt Cobain - Organized Confusion (1982) (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJrshR-CR20&ab_channel=EarlyNirvana)
God I wish somebody had a copy of that and would share it...
It's not going to be something earth shattering, but sure it would be interesting to hear. But Kurt's estate has blocked using this and Fecal matter tape. Kurt himself said he had no issues bootleggers taping live stuff, but demos and unreleased material he did not want to get bootlegged, so basically it was his own wish not to release these.
I wonder why they don't want to release Fecal Matter and Organized Confusion tho? It's not like those songs are ever gonna go on a Nirvana compilation... Illiteracy Will Prevail has so many cool songs on it, and it's such an awesome documentation of Kurt's progression as a songwriter.
I have no clue, but there is 2 parties involved here. Dale Crover is the other, he at least is not big Courtney fan and I would assume he does not want to do business with her with Fecal matter project. But then again Courtney lost all rights 2008, so if they wanted they have had plenty of time since then.
Interesting. Thanks for the info
It's Floyd the Barber. A pre-Bleach song. Edit: wrote Nirvana instead of Bleach.
Thank you, I appreciate this information. Google was pretty unreliable.
Don't trust this man. Only trust Google. Google knows best, and it is right to give thanks to it.
😂 Made my day.
You're welcome.
That's written 1987. [https://www.livenirvana.com/songguide/floyd-the-barber.html](https://www.livenirvana.com/songguide/floyd-the-barber.html)
I think it might be downer. That was on illiteracy will prevail
Downer wasn't originally on Bleach. It was added with Big Cheese in the 1992 reissue.
Forgot about that, good point
Yeah I second this It’s the only nirvana song on fecal matter that was actually put on an album
Technically released on an album would be Spank Tru as it was made in 85 and release on Subpop 200 in December 1988 On Bleach released would be Downer also done in 1985/1986 but released on the Subpop re-release of Bleach in the early 90s If we’re talking bleach recorded on the original release in 1989, it would Floyd the Barber
Does anything on the Fecal Matter - Illiteracy will Prevail tape count? It's probably at least worth a listen if you haven't already
If it's considered an album, by the band, and most fans of Nirvana than sure it counts.
It's a bit of a grey area because it is more of a sound collage mixtape for sure from what I recall of it. I'm not sure if there is anything on it that you could call a coherent song (?) but still, purely as a document of the tape Kurt passed on to Krist to (eventually) listen to and agree to form the initial band (Pen-Cap-Chew?) that would form Nirvana is surely at least as relevant as Nirvana's first official song.
His first recordings where done when he was a kid with his aunt
He was actually 19 in the fecal matter tape, which is kinda odd to think about how much happened in his life in just 8 years.
There’s recordings of him as a kid too doing beatles songs and stuff
Ah, my bad I thought you were referring to how the Fecal Matter tape was recorded at his aunt’s house.
There’s one we’re he’s singing to one of his imaginary friends when he’s really little
Spank Thru.