Candy / Molly's Lips: Difference between revisions

| artist = [[Thethe Fluid]] and [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]

| released = January{{start date|1991|1}}

| genre = {{hlist|[[Alternative rock]]|[[pop -punk]]<ref name="beta">{{cite web |last1=Beta |first1=Andy |title=Every Nirvana Song, Ranked |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-nirvana-songs-ranked.html |website=[[Vulture (magazine)|Vulture]] |access-date=December 29, 2022 |date=June 17, 2019}}</ref>|[[grunge]]}}

| length = 35:15 / 2:00

| label = [[Sub Pop Records|Sub Pop]]

"'''Candy'''"/"'''Molly's Lips'''" is a [[gramophone record|vinyl]]-only [[Split record|split-single]] from the [[United States|American]] [[rock music|rock]] bands [[Thethe Fluid]] and [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]. It was released in January 1991 on [[Sub Pop]] records and includes two live tracks: "Candy" by Thethe Fluid; and "Molly's Lips", a cover of a song by [[Thethe Vaselines]], performed by Nirvana.

"Candy" first appeared on Thethe Fluid's 1990 [[Extended play|EP]], ''Glue''. The EP was re-released on [[CD]] in 1993 along with their 1989 album, ''Roadmouth''.

"Molly's Lips" was recorded live on February 9, 1990, at the Pine Street Theatre in [[Portland, Oregon]]. It was written by the [[Scotland|Scottish]] band [[Thethe Vaselines]] about [[Molly Weir]], according to band member [[Eugene Kelly]], presumably because her ''[[Rentaghost]]'' television character Hazel McWitch typically appeared in whiteface with emphatic red lips. According to [[Michael Azerrad]]'s 1993 Nirvana biography ''[[Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana]]'', the band's singer and guitaristfrontman [[Kurt Cobain]] was opposed to the release of the track, feeling that this version was not strong. However, the [[Single (music)|single]] constituted part of the band's buyout deal from their former [[record label]], [[Sub Pop Records]].; "Candy/Molly's Lips" was Nirvana's final release on Sub Pop Recordsthere. The word "Later" is etched into the single's run-out groove.<ref name=official>{{cite web |url=http://www.nirvana-discography.com/pages/official/molly.html |title=Molly's Lips (live) |website=nirvana-discography.com |accessdate=May 12, 2015}}</ref> A remix of this version of "Molly's Lips" was included on the 2009 reissue of the Nirvana debut album [[Bleach (Nirvana album)|''Bleach'']].

Nirvana also recorded a studio version of "Molly's Lips" on [[BBC Radio 1]] for [[John Peel]] in October 1990 during drummer [[Dave Grohl]]'s first recording session with the band.<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news |last=Barlow |first=Eve |date=August 16, 2019 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/aug/16/dave-grohl-i-never-imagined-myself-to-be-freddie-mercury |title=Dave Grohl: 'I never imagined myself to be Freddie Mercury' |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |accessdate=August 22, 2019}}</ref> It appeared on the 1992 tour EP ''[[Hormoaning]]'', and was included on the rarities compilation ''[[Incesticide]]''. This version was released as a 12" vinyl [[promotional single]] in [[Brazil]], to promote ''Incesticide''.<ref name=promo>{{cite web |url=http://www.nirvana-discography.com/pages/promo/molly.html |title=Molly's Lips - studio version - promo single |website=nirvana-discography.com |accessdate=May 12, 2015}}</ref>

"Molly's Lips" is an uptempo [[alternative rock]] song that lasts for a duration of two minutes and nineteen seconds.<ref name="Nirvana">{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0126195|title=Nirvana 'Molly's Lips' Sheet Music in G Major - Download & Print|author=Nirvana|work=Musicnotes.com|publisher=[[Universal Music Publishing Group]]|access-date=March 9, 2019}}</ref> According to the [[sheet music]] published at Musicnotes.com by [[Universal Music Publishing Group]], it is written in the [[time signature]] of [[Time signature#Frequently used time signatures|common time]], with a fast [[tempo]] of 160 [[Tempo#Beats per minute|beats per minute]].<ref name="Nirvana" /> "Molly's Lips" is composed in the [[Key (music)|key]] of [[G Majormajor]], while Kurt Cobain's [[vocal range]] spans from the low-note of [[F (musical note)|F₃]] to the high-note of [[E (musical note)|E₄]].<ref name="Nirvana"/> The song follows a basic sequence that alternates between the power chords of G₅ and C₅ duringthroughout the verses,whole at its chorus and all throughoutsong as its [[chord progression]].<ref name="Nirvana"/>

The single was only released on 7&nbsp;inch vinyl, and in limited numbers of 7500. The first 4000 copies were pressed on green swirled vinyl, the final 3500 pressed on black vinyl.<ref name="Goldmine">{{cite web |last=Gaar |first=Gillian G |date=March 31, 2020 |url=https://www.goldminemag.com/collectors-corner-collector-resources/a-look-at-nirvanas-collectible-recordings |title=A look at Nirvana's collectible recordings |publisher=[[Goldmine (magazine)|Goldmine]] |accessdate=April 1, 2020}}</ref><ref name=official/> Counterfeit versions of the single also pressed on black vinyl exist, but can be distinguished from the real version as the [[Matrix numbers|matrix number]] is different.<ref name=counterfeits>{{cite web |url=http://www.nirvana-discography.com/pages/counterfeits/molly.html |title=Molly's Lips (live) - Counterfeit |website=nirvana-discography.com |accessdate=May 12, 2015}}</ref> The live version of "Molly's Lips" by Nirvana was exclusive to the single, though was subsequently released on the 2009 [[Bleach (Nirvana album)|''Bleach'']] reissue. The single islater alsobecame notorious for being Thethe Fluid's most famous release, dueas totheir the fact it was splitappearance with Nirvana and exposed them to a wider audience.

Apart from this 1990 live version, released on limited edition single in 1991, Nirvana performed "Molly's Lips" several other times in concert from 1989 to 1993. On August 23, 1991, it was performed live with its author, the Vaselines' [[Eugene Kelly]], at the 1991 [[Reading Festival]] in [[Reading, Berkshire]]. It was again performed live with Kelly on December 5, 1991 in [[London, England]]. On both occasions, Kelly and Cobain shared vocal duties.

#"Candy (Live)" by Thethe Fluid – 3:15