History Music / InUtero

''In Utero'' was the long anticipated official follow-up to ''Music/{{Nevermind}}''. It was in many ways a desperate attempt to return back to their AlternativeRock roots after hitting it so big with ''Nevermind''. It still became a best-seller, though. "Heartshaped Box", "Rape Me" and "All Apologies" became hits.

''In Utero'' was the long anticipated official follow-up to ''Music/{{Nevermind}}''. It was in many ways a desperate attempt to return back to their AlternativeRock roots after hitting it so big with ''Nevermind''. It still became a best-seller, though.

!! Pennyroyal Tropes:

''In Utero'' was the long anticipated official follow-up to ''Music/{{Nevermind}}''. It was in many ways a desperate attempt to return back to their AlternativeRock roots after hitting it so big with ''Nevermind''. It still became a bestseller, though.

* Music/DaveGrohl - drums

--> ''Throw down your umblical noose so I can climb right back''

--> ''I just want you to know that I don't hate you anymore''

* StepUpToTheMicrophone: Dave Grohl sings lead on "Marigold". Fittingly, it's the only Nirvana song the Music/FooFighters have played.

* StepUpToTheMircophone: Dave Grohl sings lead on "Marigold". Fittingly, it's the only Nirvana song the Music/FooFighters have played.

# "Serve The Servants"
# "Scentless Apprentice"
# "Heart-Shaped Box"
# "Rape Me"
# "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle"
# "Dumb"
# "Very Ape"
# "Milk It"
# "Pennyroyal Tea"
# "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter"
# "tourette's"
# "All Apologies"
# "Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip"

!!Tropes found on this album:

** "Throw down your umblical noose so I can climb right back" in "Heart-Shaped Box".
** "And then all of a sudden my water broke" in "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter".

** "She's only five months late/even though we haven't had sex for a week" in "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip".

* BurnTheWitch: "If she floats then she is not a witch like we thought" in "Serve The Servants".
* CallingTheOldManOut: From "Serve The Servants":
** "I tried hard to have a father/But instead I had a dad/I just want you to know that I don't hate you anymore/There is nothing I could say that I haven't thought before".

* CrapsackWorld
* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to ''Music/{{Nevermind}}''.
* EpicRocking

* HumansAreBastards

* TheInsomniac: "I'm so tired I can't sleep" in "Pennyroyal Tea".

** The line ''"what else should I say: everyone is gay"'' from "All Apologies".
** "My heart is broke / But I have some glue / Help me inhale / Mend it with you" in "Dumb".

--> I am my own parasite
--> I don't need a host to live
--> We feed off of each other
--> We can share our endorphins (...)
--> I own my own pet virus
--> I get to pet and name her
--> Her milk is my shit
--> My shit is her milk

* AlternativeRock: Nirvana tried to shred off all the mainstream rock fans who bought ''Music/{{Nevermind}}'' by returning to a more underground and less mainstream appealing sound. The sound, the lyrics and the album art all have NightmareFuel imagery.

** A more subtle one is "Pennyroyal Tea" which refers to the herb pennyroyal, often used to provide home made abortions, though Music/KurtCobain once said that it doesn't work.
** "She's only five months late/even though we haven't had sex for a week" in "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip".
** The image on the music singles of "Rape Me" and "All Apologies" shows a seahorse, an animal species known for the fact that the male gets pregnant and gives birth.

* BrokenRecord:

** "Your advice" in "Heart-Shaped Box".
** ''"Go awayyyyyyyyy!"'' in "Scentless Apprentice".
** "What is wrong with me?" in "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter".
* {{Bowdlerise}}: "Rape Me" [[CensoredTitle was changed to]] "Waif Me" on some album releases.
* BurnTheWitch: "If she floats then she is not a witch like we thought" in "Serve The Servants".

** "I tried hard to have a father/But instead I had a dad/I just want you to know that I don't hate you anymore/There is nothing I could say that I haven't thought before".
* {{Corpsing}}: Kurt struggles to avoid laughing in "Milk It"'s final chorus.

* FetusTerrible: Inverted and subverted. Cobain was fascinated by the concept of birth and evoked the imagery often in his work. The album art of ''In Utero'' also references child birth by showing the inside of a female body and imagery of foetuses. However, to the audience this all comes across as being nauseating and creepy.

** "Pennyroyal Tea" refers to "pennyroyal", a herb used as an abortifacient (to cause a miscarriage/abortion). However, Cobain said that he knew from friends that it didn't work.
* GuiltComplex: "Everything's my fault/I take all the blame/obviously from shame" in "All Apologies".

* HollywoodTourettes: The track "tourette's" is Cobain just [[MetalScream screaming his head off]].

* TheInsomniac: "I'm so tired I can't sleep" in "Pennyroyal Tea".
* IntentionallyAwkwardTitle: "Rape Me".
* KarmicRape: "Rape Me" is, according to one of Music/KurtCobain's explanations, about a male rapist of women being raped in jail as some sort of "poetic justice".

* LyricalColdOpen: "Drain You" and "Pennyroyal Tea".
* OneWomanSong: "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle".
* NonAppearingTitle:

** "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle".
* RapeAsDrama: "Rape Me". It was often refused airplay, but in fact it's more about Cobain's feelings about being used for rock superstar exploitation and his hatred for men oppressing and repressing women. In an interview he said it was "sort of [[LaserGuidedKarma poetic justice]], where a guy rapes a girl, ends up in jail, [[PrisonRape and gets raped there.]]"
* OurAngelsAreDifferent: The image on the album cover is a woman with wings, thus resembling an angel. Yet you can see the inside of her body, like a doll from biology class.

* RefugeInAudacity:
** "Rape Me".

** "My heart is broke / But I have some glue / Help me inhale / Mend it with you" in "Dumb".

** "I have very bad posture" and "I'm a liar and a thief" in "Pennyroyal Tea".

* ShoutOut:
** The Salem witch trials are referenced in "Serve The Servants".
** "Scentless Apprentice" is a homage to one of Cobain's favourite novels, ''Literature/{{Perfume}}'' by Patrick Süsskind.

** "Give me a Music/LeonardCohen afterworld" in "Pennyroyal Tea".
** The liner notes thank Creator/QuentinTarantino.

** From "Heart-Shaped Box": "I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn back."

--> My shit is her milk
* SpringtimeForHitler: ''In Utero'' was intended to alienate their mainstream fans, but became another big hit instead.

* SpokenWord: The voice-over in ''"tourette's"'' announces the track as "moderate rock".
* SoundtrackDissonance: The voice over in "tourette's" announces the track as "moderate rock", but it sure doesn't sound like it.

* UnreliableNarrator: The voice-over in ''"tourette's"'' who announces the following track as "moderate rock", though it sounds as anything but "moderate".
* UterineReplicator: The presumed intention of the album.
* WomenAreWiser: A major theme throughout the album.

* RecordProducer: Music/SteveAlbini.

** "My heart is broke/But I have some glue/Help me inhale/Mend it with you" in "Dumb".

** "I'll have some glue/ help me inhale/ mend it with you" in "Dumb".

[[caption-width-right:350:''"Hey! Wait! I've got a new complaint..."''']]

Released in 1993, ''In Utero'' is Music/{{Nirvana}}'s third and final studio album.

** "Scentless Apprentice" is a homage to one of Cobain's favorite novels, ''Literature/{{Perfume}}'' by Patrick Süsskind.

** "Throw down your umblical noose so I can climb right back" in "Heartshaped Box".

** From "Heartshaped Box": "I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn back."

* OneManSong: ''Floyd The Barber''.
* OneWomanSong: ''Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle''.

* HollywoodTourettes: The track "Tourette's" is Cobain just [[MetalScream screaming his head off]].

* IndecipherableLyrics: "Tourette's". And don't bother looking at the lyric sheet on ''In Utero'' for help, it just says "Cufk, Tish, Sips".

* SpokenWord: The voice-over in ''"Tourette's"'' announces the track as "moderate rock".
* SoundtrackDissonance: The voice over in "Tourette's" announces the track as "moderate rock", but it sure doesn't sound like it.
* TheUnintelligible: Cobain takes this up to eleven in "Tourette's".
* UnreliableNarrator: The voice-over in ''"Tourette's"'' who announces the following track as "moderate rock", though it sounds as anything but "moderate".

* RecordProducer: SteveAlbini.

** A more subtle one is "Pennyroyal Tea" which refers to the herb pennyroyal, often used to provide home made abortions, though Cobain once said that it doesn't work.

* OurAngelsAreDifferent: The image on the album cover is a woan with wings, thus resembling an angel. Yet you can see the inside of her body, like a doll from biology class.

** "I'll have some glue/help me inhale/mend it with you" in "Dumb".

** "Scentless Apprentice" is a homage to one of Cobain's favorite novels, ''Literature/Perfume'' by Patrick Süsskind.
** "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle" references actress Frances Farmer.

* ArtistDisillusionment: Nirvana suffered from this after the huge success of ''Music/Nevermind'' which was so unexpected that it hung like an albatross around their neck. ''In Utero'' was intended to return to their original fanbase and throw off everyone else. The first song "Serve The Servants" opens with the fatigued lines: "Teenage angst has paid off well/now I'm bored and old". It has been said that Creator/WilliamSBurroughs declared Cobain to be already dead when he first heard this song.

''"In Utero"'' is a 1993 album by Music/{{Nirvana}}.

''"In Utero"'' was the long anticipated official follow-up to ''Music/{{Nevermind}}''. It was in many ways a desperate attempt to return back to their AlternativeRock roots after hitting it so big with ''"Nevermind"''. It still became a bestseller, though.

!! Tropes found on this album

* ArtistDisillusionment: Nirvana suffered from this after the huge success of Music/Nevermind which was so unexpected that it hung like an albatross around their neck. "In Utero" was intended to return to their original fanbase and throw off everyone else. The first song "Serve The Servants" opens with the fatigued lines: "Teenage angst has paid off well/now I'm bored and alone". It has been said that Creator/WilliamSBurroughs declared Cobain to be already dead when he first heard this song.

** ''"Throw down your umblical noose so I can climb right back"'' in ''"Heartshaped Box"''.
** ''"And then all of a sudden my water broke"'' in ''"Radio Friendly Unit Shifter"''.
** A more subtle one is ''"Pennyroyal Tea"'' which refers to the herb pennyroyal, often used to provide home made abortions, though Cobain once said that it doesn't work.
** ''"She's only five months late/ even though we haven't had sex for a week"'' in ''"Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip"''.
** The image on the music singles of ''"Rape Me"'' and ''"All Apologies"'' shows a seahorse, an animal species known for the fact that the male gets pregnant and gives birth.
* BitingTheHandHumour: ''"Teenage angst has paid off well/ now I'm bored and alone"'' in ''"Serve The Servants"''.

** ''"I think I'm Dumb"'' in ''"Dumb"''.
** ''"All in all is all we are"'' in ''"All Apologies"''.
** ''"Your advice"'' in ''"Heart-Shaped Box"''.
** ''"Go awayyyyyyyyy!"'' in ''"Scentless Apprentice"''.
** ''"What is wrong with me?"'' in ''"Radio Friendly Unit Shifter"''.
* {{Bowdlerise}}: ''"Rape Me"'' [[CensoredTitle was changed to]] ''"Waif Me"'' on some album releases.
* BurnTheWitch: ''"If she floats then she is not a witch like we thought"'' in ''"Serve The Servants"''.
* CallingTheOldManOut: From ''"Serve The Servants"'':
** ''"I tried hard to have a father/But instead I had a dad/I just want you to know that I don't hate you anymore/There is nothing I could say that I haven't thought before"''.
* {{Corpsing}}: Kurt struggles to avoid laughing in ''"Milk It"'''s final chorus.

* FetusTerrible: Inverted and subverted. Cobain was fascinated by the concept of birth and evoked the imagery often in his work. The album art of ''"In Utero"'' also references child birth by showing the inside of a female body and imagery of foetuses. However, to the audience this all comes across as being nauseating and creepy.
* FilkSong: ''"Scentless Apprentice"'' was based on the novel ''Literature/{{Perfume}}''.

** ''"Rape Me"'' was released as a music single, despite its offensive title.
** ''"Pennyroyal Tea"'' refers to ''"pennyroyal"'', a herb used as an abortifacient (to cause a miscarriage/abortion). Though Cobain said that he knew from friends that it didn't work.
* GuiltComplex: ''"Everything's my fault/ I take all the blame/ obviously from shame"'' in ''"All Apologies"''.

* HiddenTrack: ''"Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip"''.
* HollywoodTourettes: The track ''"Tourette's"'' is Cobain just screaming his head off.

* IndecipherableLyrics: ''"Tourette's"''. And don't bother looking at the lyric sheet on ''In Utero'' for help, it just says ''"Cufk, Tish, Sips"''.
** SomethingSomethingLeonardBernstein: Near the end you'll hear ''"cold heart!"'' after the incoherent babbling.
* TheInsomniac: ''"I'm so tired I can't sleep"'' in ''"Pennyroyal Tea"''.
* IntentionallyAwkwardTitle: ''"Rape Me"''.
* LongTitle: ''"Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle."'' and ''"Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip"''.
* LyricalColdOpen: ''"Drain You"'' and ''"Pennyroyal Tea"''.
* NonAppearingTitle: ''"In Utero"'' is not mentioned once, though foetal imagery can be seen in the album art.
** ''"Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle"''.
* RapeAsDrama: ''"Rape Me"''. It was often refused airplay, but in fact it's more about Cobain's feelings about being used for rock superstar exploitation and his hatred for men oppressing and repressing women. In an interview he said it was ''"sort of [[LaserGuidedKarma poetic justice]], where a guy rapes a girl, ends up in jail, [[PrisonRape and gets raped there.]]"''
* RecordProducer: Steve Albini.
* RefugeInAudacity: ''"Rape Me"''.
** The line ''"what else should I say: everyone is gay"'' from ''"Rape Me"''.
** ''"I'll have some glue/ help me inhale/ mend it with you"'' in ''"Dumb"''.

** ''"I think I'm dumb"'' in ''"Dumb"''.
** ''"I have very bad posture"'' in ''"Pennyroyal Tea"''.

** The Salem witch trials are referenced in ''"Serve The Servants"''.
** ''"Scentless Apprentice"'' is a homage to one of Cobain's favorite novels ''Literature/Perfume'' by Patrick Süsskind.
** ''"Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle"'' references actress Frances Farmer.
** ''"Give me a Music/LeonardCohen afterworld"'' in ''"Pennyroyal Tea"''.

** From ''"Heartshaped Box": "I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn back."''
** ''"Milk It"'':

* SpringtimeForHitler: ''"In Utero"'' was intended to alienate their mainstream fans, but became another big hit, instead.
* SurprisinglyGentleSong: ''"Pennyroyal Tea", "All Apologies", "Dumb",...''

* SoundtrackDissonance: The voice over in ''"Tourette's"'' announces the track as ''"moderate rock"'', but it sure doesn't sound like it.
* TheUnintelligible: Cobain takes this up to eleven in ''"Tourette's"''.

* WordSaladLyrics: ''"Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip"'' which sounds like an alcoholic mumbling about.

* {{Birth}}: The album art of ''"In Utero"'' references child birth by showing the inside of a female body and imagery of foetuses. The lyrics also reference it often:

** "Go awayyyyyyyyy!" in ''"Scentless Apprentice"''.

--> We can share our endorphins
(...)

''"In Utero"'' was the long anticipated official follow-up to ''Music/Nevermind''. It was in many ways a desperate attempt to return back to their AlternativeRock roots after hitting it so big with ''"Nevermind"''. It still became a bestseller, though.