Best Grunge Love Songs
Nirvana has one of the best grunge love songs – Author Anne Erickson, photo by Chris Cuffaro
Grunge music isn’t known for being particularly romantic, and it’s not. Most of the songs are angsty and about the darker things in life. But, there are a few gems that make for the best grunge love songs of all time. Pretty much every genre has at least some love songs. Of course, genres such as pop and country music tend to have more love songs than others, but they certainly don’t get all the fun. Besides, it’s fun to discover love songs in genres that don’t have many of them. In that spirit, we present Audio Ink Radio’s roster of the best grunge love songs of all time, in alphabetical order.
Best Grunge Love Songs of All Time
Alice in Chains, “Heaven Beside You”
Don’t get me started on this song. I absolutely love this song, but Alice in Chains rarely seem to play it live. There must be a reason, because it’s not only one of the songs that Jerry Cantrell sings but was also a radio single. So, there must be some big reason they’re leaving it out of their setlist. But, I beg you, Alice in Chains, please add this to your setlist. In any case, although the song is reportedly about heroine, if you listen to the lyrics, it also plays like a traditional love song.
Chris Cornell, “Nothing Compares 2 You”
Chris Cornell of Soundgarden does an amazing cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares to You.” Even though it’s not a traditional “grunge song,” seeing that Cornell is one of the greatest voices of the grunge movement, this song absolutely counts in our tally of the best grunge love songs.
Foo Fighters, “Everlong”
Foo Fighters are technically post-grunge, but I’m making an exception to include “Everlong” on this tally. “Everlong” is such a beautiful jam. It’s about being connected and drawn to someone both physically and spiritually. “I’ve waiting here for you,” Dave Grohl sings. It’s also about wanting a lasting romance, but at the same time, tells some of the dark sides of a romance ending. Either way, it’s a great wedding song, in my opinion, and one of the best grunge love songs ever.
Mark Lanegan, “I Love You Little Girl”
Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees has a love ditty in “I Love You Little Girl.” “Love you little girl, better than I love my,” he croons in the song’s opening lines. Most of Screaming Trees’ songs, however, are not about love at all.
Nirvana, “About a Girl”
Kurt Cobain wrote Nirvana‘s “About a Girl” from a place of heartbreak, as it was about his difficult relationship with then-girlfriend Tracy Marander. While this could be seen as a song about a troubled relationship, it’s also about the desire to have someone who will listen to you in a relationship, and that’s a very universal aspect of love.
Pearl Jam, “Black”
This one is a stretch, because “Black” is really a breakup song. But, it’s still beautiful and romantic, albeit tragic. Eddie Vedder wrong “Black” about first first relationships, first breakups, moving on and the darkness of lost love. It still sounds romantic, though, with its acoustic backings and Vedder’s raspy vocals.
Stone Temple Pilots, “Still Remains”
Stone Temple Pilots have a lot of mid-tempo grunge songs that could be taken as love songs, such as “Sour Girl” and “Sex Type Thing.” But, if you dig into the meaning of both of those songs, they’re not about love. “Sour Girl” is about the Scott Weiland’s divorce, and “Sex Type Thing” is about a forced sexual encounter, to put it lightly. That said, “Still Remains” is a true love song from Weiland and the crew. It’s a hot song that fits well on a romantic playlist and one of the best grunge love songs of all time.
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