Sliver (song)

"Sliver"
Single by Nirvana
B-side	"Dive"
Released	September 1990
Format	CD, 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl
Recorded	April-July 1990
Genre	Grunge, punk rock
Length	2:14
Label	Sub Pop
Writer(s)	Kurt Cobain
Producer	Jack Endino
Nirvana singles chronology
"Blew" (1989) "Sliver" (1990) "Candy"/ "Molly's Lips" (1991)
CD version cover

"Sliver" is a song by American grunge band Nirvana. It was originally released as a non-album single in 1990 by Sub Pop. DGC re-released the song to radio to support the release of the rarities compilation album Incesticide in 1992.

Recording and composition

Kurt Cobain wrote the music to "Sliver" and arranged it with Nirvana member Krist Novoselic and temporary drummer Dan Peters during a practice session.^[1] Jonathan Poneman of Sub Pop had requested that Nirvana release another single. While the band selected the previously recorded "Dive" as the b-side, Cobain wanted to take advantage of a studio break by the group Tad in July 1990 to record the a-side. Tad frontman Tad Doyle disliked the idea, but producer Jack Endino talked him into it. During a one hour period, Nirvana recorded the basic tracks for "Sliver" using Tad's equipment.^[2] Cobain completed writing the song's lyrics just before it was recorded.^[1]

Release and reception

Sliver was released as a single in 1990 making the top 100 in the UK. Retail singles were not re-released for Incesticide, however the song was released in the US for radio airplay and charted on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Sliver also charted in Ireland two years after release, shortly after the success of the Nevermind album.

Nirvana biographer Everett True wrote a favorable review for Melody Maker—"Sure, the vocals are lazily throat splitting, the guitars belligerently grungy, the bass up and out of place . . . but check the melodies, damn fools, check the melodies. The only reason this isn't 'Single Of The Week' is because three even mightier singles were released this week."^[3]

Sliver also appeared on Nirvana's self titled greatest hits album Nirvana in 2002.

Music video

A music video was made for "Sliver" as promotion for Incesticide in March 1993. Directed by Kevin Kerslake, the video starts with Kurt Cobain's daughter Frances Bean Cobain (who was an infant at the time) dancing to the opening bassline and the band in a small, dark, cramped room, playing their instruments. Kurt sings to the camera and his movements change with the music, with Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl (though not having played drums during the recording session) in the background of the room. In between shots there are scenes of the baby and a Chim-Chim toy which had been given to Kurt by Shonen Knife as a present.^[4] The video ends with Krist Novoselic destroying objects in the room.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Note	Length
1.	"Sliver"	Cobain		2:14
2.	"Dive"	Cobain, Novoselic		3:55
3.	"About a Girl" (live)	Cobain	Live at the Pine Street Theatre, Portland, OR	2:28

CD version
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Note	Length
1.	"Sliver"	Cobain		2:14
2.	"Dive"	Cobain, Novoselic		3:55
3.	"About a Girl" (live)	Cobain	Live at the Pine Street Theatre, Portland, OR	2:28
4.	"Spank Thru" (live)	Cobain	Live at the Pine Street Theatre, Portland, OR	2:59

Chart performance

Year	Chart	Peak position
1990	UK Singles Chart[5]	90
1992	Irish Singles Chart[6]	23
1993	US Modern Rock Tracks[7]	19

Other versions

• A live performance is included on the 1992 "In Bloom" single.
• A second live performance can be seen on the 1994 home video Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!.
• A third live performance was included on the live album From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah released in 1996.
• An early acoustic version would later appear on the 2004 rarities box set With the Lights Out as well as on Sliver: The Best of the Box released in 2005.
• A fourth live performance appears on Live at Reading released in 2009.
• A fifth live performance from the Paramount Theatre in 1991 appears on Live at the Paramount released in 2011.

References

• Azerrad, Michael. Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana. Doubleday, 1994. ISBN 0-385-47199-8

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Azerrad, p. 145
2. ^ Azerrad, p. 142
3. ^ True, Everett (2007). Nirvana: The Biography. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-81554-6. p. 203.
4. ^ Cross, Charles. Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain. Hyperion, 2001. ISBN 0-7868-8402-9. p.233
5. ^ [1]
6. ^ "Search the Charts". IrishCharts.ie. http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement. Retrieved 2010-06-23. 
7. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/nirvana/chart-history/5316?f=377&g=Singles

External links

• "Silver" Official music video on YouTube