Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' played in a major key turns the track into a pop-punk anthem

One that would slot nicely into Green Day’s back catalogue

Nirvana (Getty)

Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” almost perfectly captured the teenage angst of the early ‘90s, propelling the track beyond cult fandom to mainstream success.

But what would the song have sounded like if Kurt Cobain had written in a major key, rather than F-minor?

Well, one Internet user decided to find out what that would have sounded like, the result being a pop-punk piece that would slot nicely into Green Day’s back catalogue.

Vimeo user Sleep Good from from Austin, Texas, was the person to transform the song, transforming the song, which you can listen to below.

Talking about the original composition in 1994, Cobain told Rolling Stone: “I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it.”

As you can hear, Sleep Good’s version sounds more like Weezer than The Pixies. Chances are it wouldn’t have been the hit everyone knows and loves today, but still makes for interesting listening.