Drain You

A love song about two people reduced to a state of perfect innocence by hospital-bed intimacy.

"Drain You" is the eighth track on Nirvana's landmark second album, Nevermind, released in September 1991. Written by Kurt Cobain, this alternative rock song was originally titled "Formula" and first recorded in the spring of 1991 with Dale Crover during a makeshift session as the band the Retards. Although intended to be the second single from the album, it was released only as a promotional single in late 1991, overshadowed by the massive success of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Despite not being a commercial single, Cobain held it in high regard, telling Rolling Stone in 1993 that it was "definitely as good as" their biggest hit and one of his favorite compositions.

Quick Facts

Artist

Nirvana

Album

Nevermind

Released

September 24, 1991

Recorded

May 1991

Studio

Sound City (Van Nuys, California)

Genre

Grunge
punk rock
alternative rock

Length

3:43

Label

DGC Records

Lore & Background

The song's origins trace back to San Francisco in the spring of 1991, where Cobain and Dave Grohl visited Dale Crover. There, they formed the temporary band "the Retards" with Debbi Shane, recording several songs on a four-track. During this session, the instrumental interlude took shape, shifting the song's character from metal to a "more Sonic Youth noise thing." By May 1991, the band brought the fully structured track to Sound City Studios for the Nevermind sessions. Producer Butch Vig noted that "Drain You" featured more guitar overdubs than any other album track: one clean and five distorted tracks using Mesa Boogie and Fender Bassman amps, including a specific "super grunge" pedal track. Cobain recorded three vocal takes, all of which were used. The distinctive sounds in the interlude were created by Cobain using squeaky mouse and rubber duck toys, to which engineer Andy Wallace added delay.

Reader's Guide

Fans have tracked multiple live versions beyond the studio recording. A version recorded on December 28, 1991, at Del Mar Fairgrounds was released as a promotional single from From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah in 1996, peaking at number 44 on the Radio & Records US Alternative Top 50 chart. This specific performance remains absent from visual archives; no known footage exists of it. Conversely, a music video aired on MTV2 in November 1996 featured a Live and Loud performance from December 13, 1993, which differed from the album version. Other notable recordings include a John Peel session from September 3, 1991 (released on the 20th anniversary Nevermind editions), a live b-side for "Come as You Are" recorded at Seattle's Paramount Theatre on October 31, 1991, and a Paris TV appearance on February 4, 1994, where Cobain threw his guitar during an interlude cutout. The final performance occurred on March 1, 1994, in Munich.

Did You Know?

During a February 4, 1994 TV performance in Paris, Cobain's guitar cut out completely, leading him to throw it and finish the song on vocals only.
In 2020, Post Malone performed "Drain You" during a livestreamed Nirvana tribute concert that raised over $4 million for COVID-19 relief.