It’s been so WONDERFUL to be hiking again! 💛I am thoroughly enjoying this warmer weather and being outside so much! 💜(Check out my Instagram and Facebook Page for photos of some gorgeous sights I’ve enjoyed while hiking.)

While on my way to Blue Mound State Park, I heard “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” by Nirvana on the radio.

Every time I have heard this song, I have always found it to be extremely haunting and am so moved by the way Kurt Cobain sings it.

This song has a very different feeling to it than the other Nirvana songs I am familiar with, so I wanted to find out why.

Thanks to The New York Times article “A Simple Song That Lives Beyond Time,” I learned A LOT about this song.

First of all, this song is a cover of a very old folk song.

Although the original writer of the song is unknown, it is estimated that the song was created in the 1870s at the latest. The song has been more commonly known as “In the Pines” than “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?”

Nirvana released their version in 1994; however, in 1970, it had been determined that there were 160 versions of this song! 😮 It makes me wonder how many versions there are today. Although the tale that is told in the numerous versions may vary, the songs all tell a somber tale.

Here is a video of Nirvana performing “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” on MTV Unplugged.

Lyrics:

My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me
Tell me, where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I’m going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
Her husband was a hard working man
Just about a mile from here
His head was found in a driving wheel
But his body never was found
My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me
Tell me, where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I’m going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me
Tell me, where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I’m going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through

At the beginning of the video, Kurt Cobain says that the song “is written by [his] favorite performer.” This refers to Lead Belly. However, according to the aforementioned article, components of Cecil Sharp’s 1917 printed version and a cylinder recording of the folk song from 1925 were what inspired Lead Belly’s version.

Here is Lead Belly’s “Where Did you Sleep Last Night?”

Lyrics:

My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me
Tell me, where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I’m going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, don’t you lie to me
Tell me, where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My husband was a hard working man
Till a mile and a half from here
His head was found in a driving wheel
And his body has never been found
My girl, my girl, don’t you lie to me
Tell me, where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through

What do you think of these two versions of the song?

Is there a different version of this song that you enjoy?

If you’d like to learn more about the folk song, be sure to check out the article.

It is incredible to hear a song on the radio that was first created over one hundred and fifty years ago! Music is so AMAZING. 💙

Wishing you well! 💛