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Nirvana, ladies and gentlemen! The group that started grudge rock! Some may argue but I know most of you guys who grew up in the 90s will agree with me, yeah?

What do Kurt Cobain, Tony Iommi, and Jimi Hendrix have in common? They’re all left handed.

So anyway, this song is in their second album – Nevermind – released in early 1991. It reached #6 in the US Chards and #7 in the UK!

How to Play Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit Riff

For the quiet part of the intro, you may refer to the image below and the explanation and more info after the break.

For this song, you may need to know string muting, fast strumming and all those guitar techniques that Nirvana is using. As you can see from the image/tablature above, the ‘x’ represents that the strings/notes of the guitar should be muted and must not ring out.

The up and down arrow represents the strumming action of the right hand.

How to play “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Smells Like Teen Spirit Chords and Lyrics

Check out the chords used for the song.

ARTIST: Nirvana
TITLE: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Lyrics and Chords

Load up on guns and bring your friends
It’s fun to lose and to pretend
She’s over bored and self assured
Oh no, I know, a dirty word

/ E A G C / :

{Refrain}
Hello, hello, hello, how low (3X)
Hello, hello, hello
With the lights out it’s less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us
A mulatto, an albino
A mosquito, my libido
Yeah

I’m worse at what I do best
And for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end

{Refrain}

And I forget just why I taste
Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard, it was hard to find
Oh well, whatever, never mind

{Refrain}

A denial, a denial, a denial, a denial, a denial
A denial, a denial, a denial, a denial