Starr 1
Jesse Starr
Dr. Rearick
ENGL-112-VB
11/7/18
Assignment: Evaluation Essay Final Draft
“Heart Shaped Box” What Kurt Cobain Didn’t Tell Us
Nirvana was a grunge/rock band that started in 1987 in Aberdeen, Washington and the band came to an end in 1994 after lead singer Kurt Cobain was found in his Seattle home where he committed suicide. During Nirvanas’ legacy, mastermind Kurt Cobain created the song Heart-Shaped Box in 1993. The song was a love song to his wife Courtney Love who gave him a heart-shaped box when she was first interested in him. When I first listened to the lyrics it came to a bit of confusion on what he really is saying and what it does mean. People who listen to the lyrics are often confused and this is especially true of those who also watch the video. Kurt Cobain always wanted his music videos to be exactly how he saw them in his head and the “Heart-Shaped” Box video exactly does that.
Breaking down the lyrics to his song may be difficult, but he can paint a clear picture to what he was saying if you think outside the box and also know what kind of person Kurt Cobain was. The opening verse it starts with “She sees me as a Pisces when I am weak (Cobain).” Pisces is a zodiac sign that is known for having empathic abilities. When he says he is weak he is hinting at his wife Courtney Love knows when he is in pain because she can see his soul over his outer shell. The next line in the verse says, “I’ve been locked in your heart-shaped box for weeks. (Cobain)” The heart-shaped box is referring to a jail cell which is her heart. He feels as if she does not love him since he is saying heart shaped box over her actual heart, she loves the idea of being in love over being in love. The next line in the first verse has had a lot of people confused on the meaning. It says, “I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap. (Cobain)” Many people have said it refers to him being attracted into her trap (putting on a show to get Kurt in her life and make sure he stays). The other meaning people who are fans of Nirvana think it is referring to Courtney Love's vagina because she was able to draw him in with sex and she knew he would not refuse, and she could trap him in for a long-term relationship. The final line in the first verse says, “I wish I could eat your Cancer when you turn black. (Cobain)” When saying this he is telling Courtney Love that he loves her, and he wanted to stay away from using such a common term on one of his records, so he went with a different word play, also he will do anything he can help her when she needs it. Courtney’s zodiac sign is Cancer and Kurt’s is a Pisces.
The chorus has a little bit easier and clearer understanding to it. It starts off by saying “Hey! Wait! I got a new complaint” is a line he thinks the media would say expect him to say since he is a complainer to the media. Kurt Cobain said “That’s just me giving an example of how I’m perceived. People don’t realize I’ll say something, and it’ll...
