Jesus christ people. If you think this song has nothing to do with abortion than what the fuck does the line "distill the life that's inside of me" mean?? There's several refrences to stomach pain, there's also several refrences to abortion. You also have to overlook the uteral theme of the whole album. The pregnant woman drawing by Alex Grey. The aborted fetus collage on the back of the cd case. Maybe it wasn't the central idea of the song. But the idea is there.
After hearing that pennyroyal was a centuries-old abortion method, I think it's totally fair to say that that line might reference abortion.
After hearing that pennyroyal was a centuries-old abortion method, I think it's totally fair to say that that line might reference abortion.
Since his stomach problems are well known now and somewhat public when In Utero came out, it's certainly understandable to interpret the song through the lens of his medical issues. Yes he had bad posture and heroin addiction and had experienced withdrawals.
Since his stomach problems are well known now and somewhat public when In Utero came out, it's certainly understandable to interpret the song through the lens of his medical issues. Yes he had bad posture and heroin addiction and had experienced withdrawals.
My wife has given birth twice and her pregnancy had pretty much all these same things mentioned in the song, pain and posture and constipation and anemia. For this she drank herbal teas, took antacids, sat,...
My wife has given birth twice and her pregnancy had pretty much all these same things mentioned in the song, pain and posture and constipation and anemia. For this she drank herbal teas, took antacids, sat, and had to take her time. Sometimes I bet she had the feeling of just wanting an "out."
So maybe he was aware of pregnancy and the ways women suffer to carry a child, and was able to relate it to his own life. With drinking pennyroyal tea perhaps he is trying to abort his addiction or himself or neither. Or perhaps it's just a soothing drink. But there is no doubt that Kurt was a staunch feminist, obsessed with female reproduction at that time, so a pregnant woman suffering (as with anemia) is certainly a queen to him.
The mystery to me is the Leonard Cohen line. A notable musician with a broad poetic appeal, best known for "Hallelujah" by Kurt's time perhaps, but a man with many notable career highs and lows.
I think the wordplay of "pennyroyal tea" and "penny royalty" wasn't lost on him, but he already rhymes it with royalty so it's not like a hidden message.
Jesus christ people. If you think this song has nothing to do with abortion than what the fuck does the line "distill the life that's inside of me" mean?? There's several refrences to stomach pain, there's also several refrences to abortion. You also have to overlook the uteral theme of the whole album. The pregnant woman drawing by Alex Grey. The aborted fetus collage on the back of the cd case. Maybe it wasn't the central idea of the song. But the idea is there.
After hearing that pennyroyal was a centuries-old abortion method, I think it's totally fair to say that that line might reference abortion.
After hearing that pennyroyal was a centuries-old abortion method, I think it's totally fair to say that that line might reference abortion.
Since his stomach problems are well known now and somewhat public when In Utero came out, it's certainly understandable to interpret the song through the lens of his medical issues. Yes he had bad posture and heroin addiction and had experienced withdrawals.
Since his stomach problems are well known now and somewhat public when In Utero came out, it's certainly understandable to interpret the song through the lens of his medical issues. Yes he had bad posture and heroin addiction and had experienced withdrawals.
My wife has given birth twice and her pregnancy had pretty much all these same things mentioned in the song, pain and posture and constipation and anemia. For this she drank herbal teas, took antacids, sat,...
My wife has given birth twice and her pregnancy had pretty much all these same things mentioned in the song, pain and posture and constipation and anemia. For this she drank herbal teas, took antacids, sat, and had to take her time. Sometimes I bet she had the feeling of just wanting an "out."
So maybe he was aware of pregnancy and the ways women suffer to carry a child, and was able to relate it to his own life. With drinking pennyroyal tea perhaps he is trying to abort his addiction or himself or neither. Or perhaps it's just a soothing drink. But there is no doubt that Kurt was a staunch feminist, obsessed with female reproduction at that time, so a pregnant woman suffering (as with anemia) is certainly a queen to him.
The mystery to me is the Leonard Cohen line. A notable musician with a broad poetic appeal, best known for "Hallelujah" by Kurt's time perhaps, but a man with many notable career highs and lows.
I think the wordplay of "pennyroyal tea" and "penny royalty" wasn't lost on him, but he already rhymes it with royalty so it's not like a hidden message.