Exclusive Video Premiere: Patti Smith, 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'
- Posted on Jun 20th 2007 8:00AM by Jessica Robertson
- Comments (45)
Patti Smith knows a thing or two about rock iconism. The idiosyncratic punk and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer recently offered up takes on her fellow icon's tunes with her latest album, 'Twelve.' Among the covers featured on the record is a song that defined both a movement and a generation: 'Smells Like Teen Spirit.'
"I always wanted to do a covers album, but I didn't really feel I had the range to do the kind of album I wanted to do," Smith told Spinner. "As the project evolved, a lot of the songs on the [original] list didn't make the final cut, and a lot of songs that I didn't plan on doing wound up being the ones I chose. They're all special to me for different reasons. But Nirvana was the most emotional experience."
Below is the aptly poignant video for 'Spirit,' directed by New York City filmmaker -- and longtime friend of Smith's -- Jem Cohen.
"I always wanted to do a covers album, but I didn't really feel I had the range to do the kind of album I wanted to do," Smith told Spinner. "As the project evolved, a lot of the songs on the [original] list didn't make the final cut, and a lot of songs that I didn't plan on doing wound up being the ones I chose. They're all special to me for different reasons. But Nirvana was the most emotional experience."
Below is the aptly poignant video for 'Spirit,' directed by New York City filmmaker -- and longtime friend of Smith's -- Jem Cohen.





Reader Comments(1 of 3)
chola locaat 6-20-2007
LOVE patti.
Fiq.at 6-20-2007
Great cover, Patti! We love you!
hell-mutat 7-06-2007
great voice - great cover - great video:-)
i love it!
jadeat 6-20-2007
a whole different spin on this song...
it works. :)
bobbi sat 6-20-2007
WOW!!!!!!!!!! i am at work in my office, so cannot play sound, i just watched this after finding the link announced on (buh) myspace. incredibly beautiful! it will be so interesting to go home and play full blast. patti is a goddess of sorts, there is no doubt. jem sees. so GREAT! and thank you for not using YouTube, which is such horrid quality and would detract so much from the effect.
Judyat 6-20-2007
Fantastic. Have been a big fan of Patti since the mid-seventies!
nicoleat 6-20-2007
i can go either way with this. covering nirvana is by no means good, patti is exceptional, but there is nothing like the origional, kurt created the movement, one i was swept away on... still though, it is okay
nsabol82at 6-20-2007
i can go either way with this one. it doesn't compare to the origional... patti sounds good, tori amos did it good but kurt was spectacular!
debbie lydenat 6-20-2007
Great song and a great cover, it works really well
Love it.
zakat 6-20-2007
I'm 15, and loved Patti since I hear her last year, great cover!
Heedat 6-20-2007
To the ones that that think Patti should never have done this means that you dont understand Nirvana and kurt. Kurt loved covers having done many himself and prefering to listen to many of his own songs done by numerous bands.
Kurt would have loved this.
Patriciaat 6-20-2007
Touching
*B+W gives it a timeless quality
*love the fingers softly clutching branch
*love Patti's guitar cradling
*walking out to open lit door is very thought *provoking...to the future...
*nice close up shot of banjo players face
*loved the wy he walked across the roof
*lyrics and Patti's singing brings me to tears
*leaves me thinking about poor Kurt
* very touching and profound
thank you for asking for comment
eliat 6-20-2007
few people like you and the world would spin better...its healthy to communicate through...
Georgaat 6-21-2007
Love banjo and Patti.
Waited for hell to break loose on the chorus and it didn't and it was of course the right choice!
Must check out the cover album!
Shayat 6-20-2007
Since the first time I head "Wave" so many years ago Patti Smith never stopped doing great stuff. This one shows that cover songs can actually be a great thing (unlike the millions of covers that add a cheesy drum machine and destroy good songs). Patti Rules.
Beckyat 6-20-2007
Bravo! I've been a loyal fan from the beginning...she can do no wrong.
Al the Killer Pomat 6-21-2007
Patti in the words of your pal Carly Simone nobody does it better. Right on Jersey Girl. Come play the Los Angeles Women's Music Festival we miss you out on the west coast
Maryat 6-21-2007
Patti, your beauty and the beauty of your voice is timeless. Sending you love from Chicago.
Spikeat 6-22-2007
Absolutely brilliant..love it..
Rock on
Spike
Spikeat 6-22-2007
absolutely Brilliant..love it..