Considered by many to be the ultimate grunge anthem, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was the lead single for Nirvana’s second studio album and major label debut, September 1991’s Nevermind. The song’s success and omnipresence in the early ‘90s brought the band unrivaled popularity. Eventually, Kurt Cobain grew tired of it and removed it from their live set as often as possible.

Rock history recalls Kathleen Hanna from Bikini Kill scrawling the phrase “Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit” in spray paint on a wall, from which Kurt took the title. Some say Kurt took it as a call for a revolution, in reference to the Bikini Kill-led riot grrl movement; but according to producer Butch Vig, Kurt just thought the phrase “was stupid,” and it didn’t really mean anything at all. However, it was later revealed that Hanna was referring to the brand of deodorant worn by Kurt’s then-girlfriend and Hanna’s then-bandmate Tobi Vail.

In a 1994 interview with Rolling Stone, Cobain said:

I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it. When I heard [them] for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily I should have been in that band—or at least in a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.

It was one of the last tracks written and recorded for the album, and the final version is comprised of the second take out of just three takes, according to Montage of Heck and other sources.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” was voted #9 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.