Turnaround Lyrics
And turn around.
Take a look at who you are,
It's pretty scary.
So silly,
Revolting.
You're not much.
You can't do anything.
And turn around.
Take a look at what you are,
It is revolting.
You're really nowhere.
So wasteful,
So foolish,
Poppycock.
Don't believe 'em.
Go for that crazy sounding restaurant
''cause they're gonna try and get behind you.
Don't you let them do it.
You know what I'm talking about?
You hear me talking?
You hear me talking?
Take a step outside the country,
And turn around.
Take a look at what you are.
It is amazing.
Take a good look.
You're no big deal,
You're so petty.
It's a laught.
Turn around and around.
Take a look at where you are.
It's pretty scary.
This is a good cover, and it is pretty fun to play on guitar, try it!
I think it's worth noting that the lyrics are not by Kurt, but actually this is a cover of a Devo song. I mean, yeah, Kurt was a frickin brilliant songwriter, but this song is more an example of his good taste than his brilliant songwriting.
I see this as self-directed towards the depressed individual.
Connection with Kurt's demise.
People say it's a "disease" to remove accountability, but more likely an honest appraisal of your life and accomplishments.
You might be 43 with no kids or girlfriend sitting alone in an apartment drinking and ordering takeout, trying to not succumb to the porn.
It is revolting, and pretty scary for sure.
I find the song to be either motivating or providing solace in that context. It is pretty scary, but you're not a total loser if you understand the seriousness of the situation and are not denying anything, trying to think of a way out, with Kurt's ability to be a role model ending before that point.
Take a look at where you are. Turnaround. Step outside. Get your shit together. You want to have an impact with your life. To be a big deal.
Step outside the city/planet: As painful as all this failure is, it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. There is a spiritual dimension oustside of the suffering.
The "crazy restaurant" "don't believe 'em" verse would be about having the confidence and tenacity to push through self doubt and haters/trauma. Go for the moon. You deserve it. "You hear me talking" Higher self trying to push through to make you think it is possible. Crazy restaurant: Bounty which you should claim in spite of shameful hesitation.
[Edit: More detail]
this song is about the macho man and Kurt's dislike for them
yeah, this is one of my faveorite songs, they lyrics are brilliant.
Oh, I didn't know that this was a Devo song, well devo have done a good job.
kurt wrote in a less straight way ... as he said: "if the lyrics are to obvious it often gets boring and banal'.
I think this song is about how people look at themselves . "Popular" people in society think way to much of themselves so he sayin " take a step outside yourself" Then he goes on to say "take a step outside the planet" i think he is trying to imply nothing matters, We take life way to seriously and i cudbe SO wrong .
i think that this is a 'feel good' song, the lyrics kinda give me a sense of hope for nothing... which is satisfying, it makes you realise that the things that we strive for and worry about, don't make a difference, so its ok. i don't see that this song is an insult to the people he hated, more of the opposite, aimed at everybody else
ummm, yeah, this song wasn't even written by Kurt Cobain, it was written by Devo. Kurt liked "new wave" stuff, so he experimented with this song. Listen to the New Wave Polly if you want something like this too.