TERRITORIAL PISSINGS

"'Territorial Pissings'" is a song by the 1990s grunge band, Nirvana. It is the seventh song on their 1991 album, ''Nevermind''. The lyrics were written by Kurt Cobain, and the music by Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl. Some people think the lyrics are about how Kurt would fantasize about being an alien when he was a child. It contains the phrase: "Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you", which is a twist on Joseph Stalin's infamous phrase "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you're wrong". The opening lines are a subtlety twisted mock-out of "Get Together" by The Youngbloods. During its writing, it went by a working title, "P-Rock".
In the Nevermind press kit, Kurt stated about the song, "In the animal kingdom, the male will often piss in certain areas to claim his territory, and I see macho men reacting towards sex and power in the same way. I'd like to see these lost souls strung up by their balls with pages of the SCUM Manifesto stapled to their bodies."

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Other versions

Covers

Other versions

The song was frequently the occasion of the band's instrument smashing at live shows, one such performance occurring on an episode of ''Saturday Night Live''.
A live performance of the song can be found on the band's 1994 VHS home video ''Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!'' taken from two shows. The first part is from the Jonathan Ross show in the UK where Nirvana were introduced to perform their latest single Lithium but instead played Territorial Pissings (then trashed the set). The second part is from a Nirvana concert in 1991, in Amsterdam Holland.
Another live performance of the song from 1991 at the OK Hotel in Seattle was included on the DVD of the 2004 box set ''With the Lights Out''.

Covers

In 2006, it was covered by American nu metal bands Ill Niño and Soulfly.
It was also covered by American experimental band, Mr. Bungle, during a live (April 1, 1992) version of their song Slowly Growing Deaf.
The Offspring has covered it live in Seattle to honor Nirvana.
The punk rock band Pennywise sometimes covers it during their live shows.
Stormtroopers of Death covered it on their 1992 live album ''Live at Budokan.'' During the final chorus, Billy Milano sings "I think we found a better way already...there's gotta be a better way."
The Offspring covered live in the late 1990s, after Kurt Cobain died.