In Defense of Miley Cyrus Covering Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'

In Defense of Miley Cyrus Covering Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

By Ian S. Port Tue., May 3 2011 at 4:22 PM

It is with zero regret that we inform you of the existence of this: Miley Cyrus, Hannah of Montana, daughter of the "Achy Breaky Heart" dude, covering the Nirvana anthem/gauntlet/ masterpiece "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Horrified? Witness:

Are you cringing in disgust at this apparent moral catastrophe? Are you vomiting right now? Are you dead?

Well, fuckin' deal with it. Watch that clip again, get over your holy pretensions, and realize: Miley's Nirvana cover is actually pretty decent. It's certainly not as shoot-me-now awful as you (we) pretentious music snobs want it to be. After all, hers is nearly a note-for-note replica of the original -- right down to the guitar tone and the drum fills. Her voice is the major liability here, not only because it's her voice, but because no one can sing that song like Kurt Cobain and anyone would sound bad trying. Given those shortcomings, Miley's "Teen Spirit" isn't anywhere near as atrocious as it could have been. (Her stage moves, on the other hand, we will not defend.)

What some will really hate about this is not the song itself, but the reality that for people the age of Miley Cyrus and her fans, there's nothing wrong with a fluffy popstar/teen-idol sensation/daughter of the "Achy Breaky Heart" dude sincerely covering Nirvana.

Yes, dear readers, Miley Cyrus was not even born in 1991, when "Smells Like Teen Spirit" turned the cock-rockin' world of mainstream guitar music on its bleached and permed and brain-dead head. She didn't get stuffed into lockers in high school for wearing Nirvana T-shirts bemoaning corporate rock whores. She didn't cut class to mourn the day Kurt killed himself. She was probably watching Sesame Street the last time an artist actually suffered as a result of accusations that he'd sold out.

So for Miley, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is just a damn good rock song. It's expected that serious types will mock her, deride her, and maybe even hate her for covering it. But what they're really bemoaning -- pointlessly -- is that she wasn't born early enough to hold it in the same exalted status they do.

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Tags:

covers, Miley Cyrus, Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit

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Joe-loro

why is the author of this article defending this??? They must have hated Nirvana or something... I mean, for real... for REAL?????? There is so much to say that I can't even say it because I think there is something seriously wrong with just about every single word in this piece and the topic/Hannah Montana pretending to cover Smells Like Teen Spirit with a bunch of old men on guitars behind her on-stage seizure

Yazy1987

I like some of her music and love Nirvana but in all honesty the dancing was terrible but the cover wasn't like the write said "shoot me now" terrible but it was pretty bad.

Jack

Miley Cyrus is a rockstar. Sold out every concert, hit TV show, 3 very successful movies, two more movies completed; soon to be released. Authored a best seller, written a number of songs and sold nearly 20 million records. Kurt Cobain writes one rock classic, kills himself and he's anointed a god.

Jon Iordanides

YUZE ARE THE REAL ASS LICKERS! That fucking Miley is AWESOME So please SHUT YER FAT BALD ASSES UP .. IT IS OUR TIME DINOSAURS- AND TO THE COMPLETE WASTE OF SPERM WHO SAID "f- yOU TO NO ANGEL? hEY dORK! FUCK OFF AND DIE .. TONIGHT! YOU ARE A TURD! GO LISTEN TO YER "SHONEN KNIFE " AND MAYBE STAB YERSELF IN THE ASS... YOU MIGHT LIKE IT - LOSER!

Dude

This is the worst day in music history...make that human history, on the upside, if she wants to be a legend we aren't far form the eventual suicide, then we'll "party in the USA".

Sfjonmoon

AgentEd

1 Like

Okaaaaaaaayyy... Um, this IS NOT a good cover of this song. It's middling at best. Really, if you think is good well then, God bless ya! I don't know what to say except I don't think you really have a good barometer for taste.

Can she sing. Sure, I suppose. But so are many of the horrible singers on American Idol who can "sing" a song, but is lifeless and mediocre as this is.

I don't hate Miley. But, come on.

Brandt Hardin

Kurt Cobain changed my life with his music. This is sacrilege and he’s surely turning in his grave. This Miley cover embodies EVERYthing he fought against! I paid homage to him on the anniversary of his death with my portrait of the grunge legend on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot...

ElSteveO

I was in the Seattle scene when Nirvana was coming up, but somehow never saw them live, but we all know they were a great band. I'm also, perhaps surprisingly, a big Miley fan, and Miley has said for years that she loves Nirvana. I think she did a fine cover of SLTS. I even compared it to live versions by Nirvana. She doesn't do it as well as Kurt, but she's competitive, and keep in mind this is bootleg video. Miley is the real deal. That's probably why Joan Jett asked Miley to perform with her on Oprah, because Miley adores Joan and has covered her for years, and does a killer "Cherry Bomb." Peace.

Debbo

I had no problem with it, its just i cant stand watching her try to walk in them heels! Heels are not cute if the person wearing them stomps around like a monster with a hump back and omg that thing she does with her arm, leting hang and just swing! The music was ok but the preformance was awkard and a little uncomfortable to watch. I love miley, i just dont like to see her look like fucking drunk fool on stage!

Geoffw48

Grow up Nirvana is a thing of the past! Cobain is dead:( Miley is the future:) Did you even hear her say she did it for her brother who sings it with her all the time...?

Mikejx

Nirvana is over-rated...she did a crappy song. Big whoop.

Krkv23

Have you haters considered the fact that she is exposing Nirvana's music to a group of kids that otherwise most likely would never have paid attention to a song like SLTS? "Lighten up Francis...." Do you ultra cool dudes know that line? or are you too cool for Stripes?

Guest.0

What she should do is say "Nirvana is pretty cool, y'all. Go buy the album. Now, here's dancing in the usa."

Dumb poser bimbo.

Thomescelontes

FUCK YOU TOO AND THESE KIDS!

No Angel

Like the writer says get over your holy pretensions haters!!!!!

Guest.0

This was plain awful. Stick to your BS disney crap.

Andres Tender

Fuck you!!!!!!!

redjohn

No, in all honesty, that was complete shit

Wizard

Except it WAS fucking awful.

Leakarley

Way to miss the entire point...

Tim

No that was the point. It was terrible.

Hannah

Truthfully I can't stand her music. And i was actually looking for the song ( smells like teen spirit) and i saw this so i clicked on it. I do not agree with you that she did a good cover with this song. That's just me though. But i love nirvana and never knew that she had pretty good taste in music. =) U did pretty good defending her cover of this song though. Thanks for posting!!