How Nirvana made the song “Love Buzz” popular by releasing its cover version
“Love Buzz” is a composition by the Dutch rock band Shocking Blue. The piece was composed by Robbie van Leeuwen and was released on the band's 1969 album At Home. Later, in 1988, "Love Buzz" was covered by the American band Nirvana, who released it as their debut single.
The history and meaning of the song Love Buzz by Nirvana
Nirvana created their own interpretation of the song “Love Buzz” for their 1988 debut single, which was released on the American Sub Pop label. The idea to perform a cover version of this composition belongs to Krist Novoselic, the band's bassist, who convinced Kurt Cobain to record it.
Nirvana's debut single, released on the Sub Pop label, became a pilot project for the Sub Pop Singles Club. The circulation of this rare edition was limited to 1000 copies, each of which was individually numbered. However, according to Sub Pop, 1,200 covers were produced, and the remaining 200 copies were distinguished from the main series by having a red slash instead of a number.
Bruce Pavitt, one of the co-founders of the Sub Pop label, recalled Nirvana's impressive performance at the Central Tavern in Seattle, which marked their debut in that city. According to Pavitt:
“After listening to their entire set, only “Love Buzz” stood out from the crowd, and it was a cover. But it was precisely this hypnotic feeling that became a kind of indicator of the direction in their work. And the recording turned out just phenomenal. They hit the spot perfectly.”
John Robb, a British rock musician, vocalist, songwriter, record producer and journalist, recalled that time:
“Last year I bought the band's debut single 'Love Buzz' at a record store a couple of weeks before the release and made the Subpop seven-inch the Sounds single of the week. At the time, no one was interested in the band, and it seemed that Sub Pop might have gone too far with their cool lineup of bands, which included Mudhoney and Tad, bands who played the raw and powerful music called grunge.
But there was something captivating about “Love Buzz,” a song I’ve always loved, a cover of the 1969 Dutch band Shocking Blue. Kurt had one of those voices that was so full of emotion that it went straight to your soul. That rough edge reminded me of John Lennon, how you could almost hear the flesh tearing in his throat.”
In a 1989 review for the British music publication Melody Maker, Everett True summed up his impression of Nirvana as follows:
“Nirvana is the epitome of beauty. Their music is a relentless, two-chord garage rhythm that creates a powerful foundation for a true monster of a guitar sound that is irresistible. A volume control has yet to be invented that can convey the full power of this trio!”
Everett True also named “Love Buzz” US Collaboration Single of the Week. In his review, he described the publication as “limited edition of 1,000 copies; love songs for those suffering from mental illness,” highlighting the uniqueness and limitations of this release.
Kurt Cobain was not completely satisfied with the results of the recording of the song “Love Buzz”. In one interview, he spoke about her as follows:
“I wish we could record it a lot harder. It was one of our early records and we weren't quite sure what we wanted to create yet, so compared to our subsequent work it came out a little pale.”
When Shocking Blue learned of Nirvana's cover version of their song “Love Buzz,” bass guitarist Clashe van der Wal was flattered by such attention to their work. However, Robbie van Leeuwen, guitarist and songwriter, did not share his enthusiasm and spoke of grunge as inferior music.
The original 7" single "Love Buzz" is a rare find for collectors, as Sub Pop limited the release to 1,000 copies and pre-sold them as exclusive editions to its subscribers.
Nirvana was not entirely satisfied with this marketing strategy. According to Novoselic, “we released a single and no one could buy it,” it quickly sold out and brought attention to the group.
The song “Love Buzz” is about love, the most powerful feeling in the Universe. The divine meaning of the song is very simple. A person turns to God, who, despite any mistakes, loves the questioner.
Lyrics and translation of the song Nirvana Love Buzz
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