The song is called Good Grief, and it seems that it is in response to Kurt Cobain's suicide. It is widely known that Dave reported having a difficult time after Kurt's death and wrote and recorded this album in that aftermath.
"Since I'm putting down all of the true things around, but I like it"
He's in a negative mood, talking shit even about the good things in life, but it feels good to him because he's in such a negative state.
"I handed down the crown, given the jewels and the answers of may"
I think that this means that he WAS handed down the crown. Now that Kurt is gone, he and Krist are the ones who have the responsibility for carrying on the legacy of Nirvana. Given the jewels, as in he had just fallen into Nirvana before Nevermind, and all of a sudden he's the one who has these riches but feels like he doesn't deserve it. The "answers of May" could refer to the aftermath of Kurt's April suicide.
"The thought of being ousted comes and goes"
He feels like he's a fraud and that his music career won't survive now that Nirvana is over. The next big band will "oust" him from the industry.
"Run me out of town"
He's sick of dealing with all the publicity himself and just wants to leave.
"Pissed at all the bowels, always the blues and a delicate smile"
Fed up with all the shit, but he has to put on a smile for the camera and for other people despite feeling down.
"Petty band-aids"
The things that are supposed to make you feel better, the advice that people give - they're just bandages on the wound of losing a friend.
I think the rest of the lyrics are a frustrated attempt to complete the song with nonsense words, either because he was fed up with not finishing it or perhaps partly in homage to Kurt, who would rhyme seemingly nonsense words in Nirvana songs. I'm surprised that this meaning hasn't been proposed before.
The song is called Good Grief, and it seems that it is in response to Kurt Cobain's suicide. It is widely known that Dave reported having a difficult time after Kurt's death and wrote and recorded this album in that aftermath.
"Since I'm putting down all of the true things around, but I like it"
He's in a negative mood, talking shit even about the good things in life, but it feels good to him because he's in such a negative state.
"I handed down the crown, given the jewels and the answers of may"
I think that this means that he WAS handed down the crown. Now that Kurt is gone, he and Krist are the ones who have the responsibility for carrying on the legacy of Nirvana. Given the jewels, as in he had just fallen into Nirvana before Nevermind, and all of a sudden he's the one who has these riches but feels like he doesn't deserve it. The "answers of May" could refer to the aftermath of Kurt's April suicide.
"The thought of being ousted comes and goes"
He feels like he's a fraud and that his music career won't survive now that Nirvana is over. The next big band will "oust" him from the industry.
"Run me out of town"
He's sick of dealing with all the publicity himself and just wants to leave.
"Pissed at all the bowels, always the blues and a delicate smile"
Fed up with all the shit, but he has to put on a smile for the camera and for other people despite feeling down.
"Petty band-aids"
The things that are supposed to make you feel better, the advice that people give - they're just bandages on the wound of losing a friend.
I think the rest of the lyrics are a frustrated attempt to complete the song with nonsense words, either because he was fed up with not finishing it or perhaps partly in homage to Kurt, who would rhyme seemingly nonsense words in Nirvana songs. I'm surprised that this meaning hasn't been proposed before.