Floyd The Barber by Nirvana

Album: Bleach (1989)

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Songfacts®:

This song is about a small American town where everyone has become a mass murderer. A man goes into a barber shop for a haircut and (in a more detailed way) gets a hot towel put over his face, is tied to the chair, forced to suck Floyd's privates, and is cut up and slashed to death by the other people he senses in the room. The musical equivalent of a slasher movie. >>
Suggestion credit:
Jeff - La Pine, OR
The people mentioned in this song are all based on characters from The Andy Griffith Show, a wholesome family sit-com from the '60s. Kurt Cobain wrote the song thinking, "What if all these people were mad, sadistic, killers?" The guy in the song goes into the barber shop for a shave, but instead gets urinated on by Floyd, cut up by Opie and Aunt Bea, and suffocated by Andy Griffith. Now you know how Kurt Cobain wrote fan fiction!
The band was known as Skid Row when they first started playing "Floyd The Barber" in 1987. They recorded it for the first time at KAOS, the student-run radio station of Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and released it on their debut album, Bleach, in 1989.
According to Bleach producer Jack Endino, this was slated to be the album opener, but instead they chose "Blew."
Chad Channing was Nirvana's drummer at the time - Dave Grohl came on board for their next album, Nevermind. He liked the heavy stuff, which is reflected in the sound of Bleach. "I was super into bands like Slayer, Sodom, Destruction, Kreator, and of course Celtic Frost before I joined Nirvana and the whole grunge scene," Channing told Songfacts.

Comments: 18

Scott Wozniac from The Desk Scott The Woz Is FlimedHey Yall, this is f--ked up.
Floyd_the_murderer12 from Barbershophey, who wants a haircut?
Deb from NcWhy this? Just why! Too many drugs
Sonya from Hell, BrazilI imagine the dude in this song is Mr. Nonexistent. Let me create an image of him in your mind. Light brown hair down ti his waist, a chiseled jawline, blue eyes, and honey-ish skin. I also think he says I die smothered Andy’s not
Karl from Ingatestone, United Kingdomi am a massive Nirvana fan and this song is a true amazing classic.
Lin-young from Soho, NyActually the character he got was for the andy griffen show yepp this song is soo disturbing but it makesyou think about people
Don't Have A Mind from Pleasure Town - SerbiaActually the final line is 'I die smothered in Andy's clutch'.In accordance with the Kurt Cobain 'Journals' book.
Micheal from Sunshine Coast, AustraliaFoolish people, the final line is not 'I die smothered in Andy's butt'

It is..

'I die smothered in Aunt Bea's Muff' (meaning vagina)

Rape, torture and lots of nasty stuff going on here, go away and really listen closely
Jeff from La Pine, Orit was either Sifting or Scoff i cant remember but one of those was the song in which Kurdt expressed his feelings about his parents divorce and being shunnted from his mother.
Oh, and the last verse is:
i sense others in the room,
Opey, Aunt Bee I presume,
They take turns in cut me up,
I died smothered in Andy's butt.

The version from Bleach sounds so much better than the live version and is not as slurred.
Ed from Chodania, Fli think this song migght be about sexual harrasment/rape? because of the lines "pee pee pressed against my lips" and "i die smothered in andy's butt" anyone else feel the same way?
Seph from Pittsburgh, PaI think this song this song is about self - mutilation.
Joe from Idiotville, KyGreat song. Me and my band play it every time we get together.
Jordan from Shokan, Nyi like the part where they talk about the guy named floyd. floyd is good.
Zac from Olive Bridge, Nyi find this song rather awsome, its definately on my top 10 nirvana songs
Marlee from Nova Scotia, CanadaI think this song is kurt's metaphorical way of expressing his feelings about his parent's divorce, and the feeling of being all alone and afraid.
Thral from Seatle, Wai love this song reminds me of my old town the midle of nowhere virgina lol
Matt from Millbrae, Cavery cool song...ive only heard the live version and its still really good, though i cant understand what he says in the last verse because he screams so loud
Tourette from Aberdeen, Wathis song describes aberdeen perfactly. it discribes the rot of subsurface paranoia and psycosis in the facade of small town usa