“Come As You Are” is a blatant ripoff of Killing Joke’s “Eighties¹.” Yes, it cribs the main riff but it also mimics the guitar tone! The guitar tone! The structure is somewhat similar but “Come As You Are” changes the chorus enough to get away with it, I guess. 

“Eighties” wasn’t a deep cut. It was the first single from Killing Joke’s fifth album. It had a music video upon its initial release. It charted in the UK. It did not become a hit after “Come As You Are” was released as a single and became a hit. Based on what was charting in April 1992, it seems like “Eighties” would be more suitable for success than “Come As You Are.” 

The Nirvana song has a weird structure. We’ve already established the intro and verses are a slightly slower, less dancey, more sway-y version of Killing Joke’s “Eighties.” It’s a relatively standard rock song. But the chorus is just weird. 

One minute and thirty five seconds in, the song takes a turn. The main riff disappears for 15 seconds and there’s a confession about not owning a firearm. Then we’re back to a slower version of “Eighties” and a guitar solo acts like Weezer still use a blueprint for all of their songs. 

Two minutes and forty five seconds in, we are yet again confronted by a PSA about guns. But now it repeats multiple times and the song collapses in on itself, finally smashing Killing Joke into a ‘classic’ Nirvana structure. 

Why was this a hit? 

No other song in the Billboard Hot 100 of April 1992 sounds like “Come Are You Are.” Vanessa Williams’ “Save The Best For Last” owned the entire month. Eric Clapton’s “Tears In Heaven” made people very happy to buy his MTV Unplugged and increase Slow Hands’ bankroll. Kriss Kross was to jumping in the 1990s as Van Halen was to jumping in the 1980s. Wayne’s World catapulted Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” back into the top 10. 

The only other song in the Hot 100 remotely similar to “Come As You Are” is “Under the Bridge” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. They both begin with memorable riffs². They both might be about heroin. But the Chili Peppers song is about not wanting to feel a certain way. Nirvana’s song is vague and full of screams. Literal screams. The Chili Peppers end with a choir and beautiful instrumentation. Nirvana’s song ends with a guitar whine. 

The other rock songs in the Top 100 are The Cure’s “High,” Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters,” The Smithereens “Too Much Passion,” Ozzy’s Lemmy Kilmister penned “Mama I’m Coming Home,” Ugly Kid Joe’s “Everything About You” and a bunch of hair metal stragglers (Def Leppard, L.A. Guns, Tesla, Warrant, Van Halen). None of them have much shared musical DNA with “Come As You Are.”

The song is also an outlier in Nirvana’s catalogue. No other song is as a direct imitation of another (Yes, “Smells Like Teen Spirit’s” main chord structure is the same as Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” but it’s played very differently and most any amateur musician familiar with the most rudimentary power chords will stumble upon the riff within weeks of playing guitar) (Not counting Nirvana’s version of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” against Mark Lanegan’s 1990 version of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” since Cobain and Novoselic are on the Lanegan track.). No other song predicts Cobain’s next three years (Not counting “I Hate Myself and Want To Die” since only the title accurately foresees the future. The lyrics are great, just not about putting a gun in one’s mouth.) No other song is drenched in this much reverb. 

“Come As You Are” was odd upon release and remains odd 30 years later. 

“In Bloom” isn’t odd. This one makes sense. Still don’t understand why this was released as the fourth single and not second or third. 

¹If Nirvana doesn’t steal “Eighties” from Killing Joke, Dave Grohl doesn’t play on Killing Joke’s The Death and Resurrection Show and we all miss out on one of Dave Grohl’s and Killing Joke’s best songs. In other words, I’m really glad Nirvana stole from Killing Joke.

² John Frusciante actually plays a 1966 Fender Jaguar on “Under The Bridge” and in the video. A 1965 Fender Jaguar became Cobain’s main guitar on the Nevermind tour. Not at all relevant to this since it’s not the guitar on “Come As You Are” but now you know what these dudes like(d) to play.

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