Monkey see, monkey do
(I don't know why)
Rather be dead than cool
(I don't know why)
Every line ends in rhyme
(I don't know why)
Less is more, love is blind
(I don't know why)

Stay
Stay away
Stay away
Stay away

Give an inch, take a smile
(I don't know why)
Fashion shits, fashion style
(I don't know why)
Throw it out and keep it in
(I don't know why)
Have to have poison skin
(I don't know why)

Stay
Stay away
Stay away
Stay away

I don't know why
I don't know why

Stay
Stay away
Stay away
Stay away

Monkey See, monkey do
I don't know why)
Rather be dead than cool
(I don't know why)
Every line ends in rhyme
(I don't know why)
Less is more, love is blind
(I don't know why)

Stay
Stay away
Stay away
Stay away

I don't know why
I don't know why

Stay
Stay away
Stay away
Stay away

Stay
Stay away
Stay away
Stay away
Stay away
Stay away
God is Gay


Lyrics submitted by spitfirek7, edited by s0ngfly, y2kevo

Stay Away Lyrics as written by Kurt Cobain

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Stay Away song meanings
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47 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    GOD IS GAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is not anti-god. He is mocking homophobic people. He wants everyone to be treated equally, and to mock people who make fun of queers, he tells them god is gay, their god is gay, the one person they worship is gay. He ment the same thing in all apologies. Everyone is gay, everyone is equal.

    NoseDragonon August 24, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Its one of those anti-comformity songs.

    knottygirlon August 04, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Oh my God, Kurt's voice when he screams "staaaaaaaay awaaaay" is just..... excellent. I love when his voice cracks.

    subterranean_summeron June 30, 2004   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    this song is referring to all the stuff Kurt didnt like in life, like macho guys, mass media attention, and speculation, Kurt wishes they would all go away, "I don't know why?" is refering to how kurt doesn't know why he has to put up with all the stuff he hates

    stezzaon January 03, 2005   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    "Rather be dead than cool" is more interesting than ironic... at the time it just meant the high school macho type of guy, which was all that 'cool' was, yet this very album would soon change the idea of what 'cool' could be. And Nirvana was it.

    AlexanderDumbasson May 02, 2015   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I really like the solo, its kind of blues!!!

    The Kurt's Voice On the live shows is fuckin' sucks. if i just had to listen to them, i would never ever became a nirvana fan

    ColdenScenceon January 31, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    The official liner notes to this song (only found in the "Lithium" single) say that the final line are "God is gay, burn the flag." However, "burn the flag" is clearly not an audible lyric in this song.

    JohnnyLurgon April 22, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    if god is, it's a woman. but, "god is a lesbian" does not rhyme with "stay away" now does it? im just having fun, this is a great song and i know gay is a term for both genders. i loved how kurt kissed dave and krist on sat night live to spite the you know whos!!

    GCKon March 06, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    the only line in this song i can relate to is "i'd rather be dead then cool" because i think he was saying that he wasn't bothered about whether or not people disagreed with him and he didn't want to pretend to be something he wasn't just to be popular and wanted to be himself..................god i'm stupid

    weedwizard420on July 28, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    anti conformity anti homophobia anti "pretenders" and arrogance anti the "angry Christian God" anti everything that is wrong with this world

    nirvana7777on July 21, 2010   Link

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