Very Ape

Album: In Utero (1993)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is another one of Kurt Cobain's songs about the stereotypical "Macho Man." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Matt - Millbrae, CA

Comments: 10

  • Hattie from Ma, Us"Goody Proctor, you are not summoned here for disputation. Be there no wifely tenderness within you? He will die with the sunrise. Your husband. Do you understand it? [She only looks at him.] What say you? Will you contend with him? [She is silent.] Are you stone? I tell you true, woman, had I no other proof of your unnatural life, your dry eyes now would be sufficient evidence that you delivered up your soul Hell! A very ape would weep at such calamity! Have the devil dried up any tear of pity in you? She is silent. Take her out. It profit nothing she should speak to him!" - Judge Danforth, The Crucible.
  • Alexander from Barnaul, RussiaI agree with the comments of people from Brazil. Thanks for the information. I from Siberia did not know such facts about the song.
  • Marito M from CórdobaI think the song refers direct to a argentine audience sexist attitude. This song was recorded just after the failed concert in Agentina in 1992 where an angry crowd attacked the support band Calamity Janes til make them stop the show twice. Besides the song is pretty similar to "Kanishka" one of the hits of the local support band Los Brujos. Some people says KC was very impressed by them...
  • Brent from Clarksville, TnFor all you people saying that the chiming sound is just the feedback of the guitar, a simple search for a Very Ape guitar cover reveals that the sound is another guitar playing rhythm. If you listen to a live version of Very Ape, especially the Rome concerts of February 1994. You can clearly hear the other guitar making the noise. It is played by Pat Smear, the backing guitarist for Nirvana from 1993 to 1994
  • Zero from Nowhere, NjI think he's comparing macho men with apes or neanderthals (well duh). I've heard the term "very ape" was big in the 70's. Actually it's become my catch phrase. It could also be about egotistical people who think they know everything ("I'm too busy acting like I'm not naive. I've seen it all, I was here first.") The part of contradictory lies could be about how they are nice when you first meet them, but then they slowly begin to show their dark side ("I'm very ape and very nice.") Finally about the "Out of the ground, into the sky, out of the sky, into the ground..." part, I heard someone else interpret it as reincarnation. Well, that's just my 2 cents. Peace.
  • Adam from Minetto, NyThere is a solo acoustic recording of this on the "With the Lights Out" box set. If you listen to it, the song cuts out at about 1:33 and comes back at 1:40. The time in between there is Kurt yelling "A da da dum da da da da."
  • Echo from Normalville, MaUsually you can tell who's playing the drums right offhand...If you didn't know it was in utero, you'd think it was bleach
  • Jeff from La Pine, OrIn Utero was NIRVANAs purest album and i like the Very Ape solo acoustic home demo
  • Jordan from Victoria, CanadaThe guitar intro isnt 'crunchy', it is an overdriven guitar. The 'chimey' noise is guitar feedback if that is what youre talking about, or it is the guitar itself.
  • Marc from Niagara Falls, Canadalove the crunchy guitar intro and the little chimey noise that goes on through sum of the verses.In utero is a brilliant album
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