I am buried up to my neck in
Contradictionary lies
I take pride as the kind of illiterature
I'm very ape and very nice

If you ever need anything, please don't
Hesitate to ask someone else first
I'm too busy acting like I'm not naive
I've seen it all, I was here first

Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the dirt

If you ever need anything, please don't
Hesitate to ask someone else first
I'm too busy acting like I'm not naive
I've seen it all, I was here first

Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the ground
Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the dirt

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Lyrics submitted by justinjtp, edited by spacebat11, BudGreen0420, KurtDC, sony105798, daniels102

Very Ape Lyrics as written by Kurt Cobain

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Very Ape song meanings

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67 Comments

+22
General Comment
at age 16 in my bedroom with a hand gun to my head had just about enough of this fucking life nirvana is playing in the background and just when i'm about to pull the trigger i hear "... if you ever need anything please don't hesitate to ask someone else first i'm too busy acting like i'm not naive I've seen it all i was here first ..." what it meant to me at that moment i'm gonna keep to myself (and its noway near to what some of you are posting here) but it did save my life i'm 34 now and have no plans to check out early. thank you Kurt for being there at the right time, i wish i could have been there for you man. any who, my point is, stop arguing about the meaning of songs and lyrics. get it the way you want to get it because none of you really knows true meaning of it and the only one who really knows what it means is no longer available for comments.

at age 16 in my bedroom with a hand gun to my head had just about enough of this fucking life nirvana is playing in the background and just when i'm about to pull the trigger i hear "... if you ever need anything please don't hesitate to ask someone else first i'm too busy acting like i'm not naive I've seen it all i was here first ..." what it meant to me at that moment i'm gonna keep to myself (and its noway near to what some of you are posting here) but it did save my life i'm 34 now and have no plans to check out early. thank you Kurt for being there at the right time, i wish i could have been there for you man. any who, my point is, stop arguing about the meaning of songs and lyrics. get it the way you want to get it because none of you really knows true meaning of it and the only one who really knows what it means is no longer available for comments.

Reason:

muddywateron April 22, 2012 Link
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@muddywater
+6
My Interpretation
"Out of the ground Into the sky Out of the sky Into the dirt" I see this as bipolar mania.. Because "out of the ground, into the sky" during mania you feel depressed and all of the sudden feel great and on top of the world.. "Out of the sky, into the dirt" back into depression...

"Out of the ground Into the sky Out of the sky Into the dirt" I see this as bipolar mania.. Because "out of the ground, into the sky" during mania you feel depressed and all of the sudden feel great and on top of the world.. "Out of the sky, into the dirt" back into depression...

Reason:

megnannon June 18, 2013 Link
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@megnann

@megnann Seems valid. Also similar to an addict's cycle of being high and sober with cravings.

ashquarter8on January 23, 2015
+4
General Comment
Well, I once read about how kurt refered to himself as 'the king of illiterature' to mock Coutney when she would rub it in his face, the fact that she was had read a lot more books than he had. And the rest of the song, I think, is not pointing the finger at the people he grew up with, but is revelaing his own warts. In interviews toward the end of his life, a Kurt who is becoming more and more painfully aware of his own short comings of chartactor emerges. Hence, I would be inclined to beleive that this song is a minor 'inventory' of defects. I could be wrong...

Well, I once read about how kurt refered to himself as 'the king of illiterature' to mock Coutney when she would rub it in his face, the fact that she was had read a lot more books than he had. And the rest of the song, I think, is not pointing the finger at the people he grew up with, but is revelaing his own warts. In interviews toward the end of his life, a Kurt who is becoming more and more painfully aware of his own short comings of chartactor emerges. Hence, I would be inclined to beleive that this song is a minor 'inventory' of defects. I could be wrong...

Reason:

Oh Peaon July 02, 2003 Link
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@Oh Pea

Yea, I think this has Kurt himself written all through it, but it's also a look at himself through the lens of the media (and in this case, sarcastic/sardonic).

It's quite clear he had difficulty making his ideals a reality; the popularity explosion and constant media exposure meant he could not escape from the lies, the contradictions - even if some of these were media fabrications; and some of the contradictions, part of the media persona he created himself.
"...and very nice. If you ever need anything..."
he was a nice, caring guy, and yet selfish and insular - both are true.

I think this, and the "too busy acting like I'm not naive" is a pretty good description of the lengths kind people will go to so they do not get used and abused - and hence another contradiction. I also think it's a sarcastic (and self-immolating) remark about the "punk rock ethic".

The chorus is chilling.

--
I think that kurt was probably aware of other interpretations of these lyrics - as an attack on other people/society - that others have mentioned, and that in a sense he intended these also, but I feel that the real drive behind the lyrics is against himself, though never with total sincerity.

dazelnuton February 17, 2012
+4
General Comment
I always assumed the song to be kind of about evolution. I figured that's what the title meant, kind of a reference to the theory of evolution where we all came from apes. Then, I think because of Kurt's negative view of humans the lyrics tend to bring out common human short comings, such as the common arrogance displayed my most humans that he seems to be addressing with the line "I've seen it all, I was here first." Then also the "out of the ground, into the sky, out of the sky, into the ground" lines seem to be speaking of evolution because if you follow that pattern we came from dirt (out of the ground), we "blossomed" or "peaked" in terms of our human capabilties (into the sky), and then our downfall (out of the sky and into the ground).

I always assumed the song to be kind of about evolution. I figured that's what the title meant, kind of a reference to the theory of evolution where we all came from apes. Then, I think because of Kurt's negative view of humans the lyrics tend to bring out common human short comings, such as the common arrogance displayed my most humans that he seems to be addressing with the line "I've seen it all, I was here first." Then also the "out of the ground, into the sky, out of the sky, into the ground" lines seem to be speaking of evolution because if you follow that pattern we came from dirt (out of the ground), we "blossomed" or "peaked" in terms of our human capabilties (into the sky), and then our downfall (out of the sky and into the ground).

Reason:

Cornerstoneon April 19, 2004 Link
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@Cornerstone
+2
General Comment
This is basically Kurt talking about all the hicks he used ot live by in Aberdeen, who were completely stupid, but failed to realise it. When they did realise it, they always tried to cover it up... He's also talking about how they feel that Aberdeen belongs to them, because their whole family was born and raised in this one little town.

This is basically Kurt talking about all the hicks he used ot live by in Aberdeen, who were completely stupid, but failed to realise it. When they did realise it, they <i>always</i> tried to cover it up... He's also talking about how they feel that Aberdeen belongs to them, because their whole family was born and raised in this one little town.

Reason:

WishingOfHeron April 28, 2002 Link
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@WishingOfHer
+2
General Comment
This is probably one of my favorite Nirvana songs of all time. I'm actually from somewhere close to Aberdeen, and for anyone who wants to know, it is a dank, muddy little piece-of-shit town not even worth visiting. I have to go there almost every day to go shopping. But yeah the people around here are exactly the way he expressed them in his song. They are so idiotic and they think theyre smart, which is sad because its so obvious that theyre morons. They think they are better than everybody because their ma's n' pa's were born and raised here and blah blah fucking blah. They try to act like they know everything and that they've "seen it all" when most of them had never even left the state. I always plast the song during PE when the jock guys are playing basketball and I chuckle to myself because they have no idea that I'm mocking them hardcore. Whenever they say something stupid in class, i start singing that song under my breath and they look all confused. haha. its great.

This is probably one of my favorite Nirvana songs of all time. I'm actually from somewhere close to Aberdeen, and for anyone who wants to know, it is a dank, muddy little piece-of-shit town not even worth visiting. I have to go there almost every day to go shopping. But yeah the people around here are exactly the way he expressed them in his song. They are so idiotic and they think theyre smart, which is sad because its so obvious that theyre morons. They think they are better than everybody because their ma's n' pa's were born and raised here and blah blah fucking blah. They try to act like they know everything and that they've "seen it all" when most of them had never even left the state. I always plast the song during PE when the jock guys are playing basketball and I chuckle to myself because they have no idea that I'm mocking them hardcore. Whenever they say something stupid in class, i start singing that song under my breath and they look all confused. haha. its great.

Reason:

diseased_and_amusedon May 10, 2004 Link
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@diseased_and_amused
+1
General Comment
This song is about macho guys and what not, its making fun of them. "I take pride as the king of illiterature I'm very ape and very nice" Mocking them so badly.

This song is about macho guys and what not, its making fun of them. "I take pride as the king of illiterature I'm very ape and very nice" Mocking them so badly.

Reason:

floppyon August 23, 2002 Link
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@floppy
+1
General Comment
I agree with floppy.

I agree with floppy.

Reason:

fuckyouallon August 27, 2002 Link
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@fuckyouall

The ID taking over. ;)

isimplyfoldon March 18, 2011
+1
General Comment
Out of the ground Into the sky Out of the sky Into the dirt if it is talking about the people in Aberdeen, maybe this bit is talking about how they believe that they are better than everyone, high ang mighty, while in reality they are the lowest u can get, the real dirt of society i dont know...whatever

Out of the ground Into the sky Out of the sky Into the dirt if it is talking about the people in Aberdeen, maybe this bit is talking about how they believe that they are better than everyone, high ang mighty, while in reality they are the lowest u can get, the real dirt of society i dont know...whatever

Reason:

ninjamonkeyson February 28, 2005 Link
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@ninjamonkeys
+1
General Comment
I think it's about people who believe they're inteligent just because of his age (like my grandpa) he's a moron but he feels more intelligent than the entire family just because he was here first... ._.

I think it's about people who believe they're inteligent just because of his age (like my grandpa) he's a moron but he feels more intelligent than the entire family just because he was here first... ._.

Reason:

danundergroundon August 12, 2010 Link
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@danunderground