From album
Nevermind
Nirvana · 1991 · Track 10
Details
TonalidadD
Compás4/4
Tempo83 BPM
Duración3:32
CompositorDave Grohl / Krist Novoselic / Kurt Cobain
ÁlbumNevermind
Año1991
ISRCUSGF19942510
Credits
Music Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Kurt Cobain
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The story behind
The sound of Stay Away, the tenth track on Nirvana's album Nevermind, kicks off with a raw energy that feels almost like a challenge. The music, born from the collaboration between Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl, relies on a main riff that has a curious history. It turns out that Cobain had conceived it some time ago, even before the band signed with Geffen, on a home demo with Dale Crover under the name Fecal Matter in 1985. The percussion that Grohl contributes is particularly noteworthy, even including a drum solo at the end that adds a layer of intensity to the piece.
Originally, this song was going to be called Pay to Play, a title that reflected the difficulties emerging bands faced in getting gigs, sometimes even having to pay for them. However, the record label considered the title not the most suitable, and a change was opted for. That idea of Pay to Play didn't disappear completely, as it appears on later compilations like With the Lights Out and on a collection of DGC Records rarities. The lyrics, written by Kurt Cobain, seem to be a critique of conformity, and the shouted phrase at the end, "God is gay," has its roots in graffiti that Cobain used to do as a teenager. The recording of Nevermind, which included Dave Grohl as drummer for the first time, took place between May and June 1991 in studios in California and Wisconsin, and was mixed by Andy Wallace.
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