Candy / Molly's Lips: Difference between revisions

"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 [[The 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 guitarist [[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 Records. 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. Retrieved |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. Retrieved |accessdate=May 12, 2015.}}</ref>

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 Counterfeit |Molly's Lips] (live) - Counterfeit |website=nirvana-discography.com. Retrieved |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 is also notorious for being The Fluid's most famous release, due to the fact it was split with Nirvana and exposed them to a wider audience.

In 2017, to mark what would have been Kurt Cobain's 50th birthday, the [[Phonographic Performance Limited]] released a list of the top twenty most played Nirvana songs on the TV and radio in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] in which "Molly's Lips" was ranked at number eighteen.<ref>[{{cite news |date=February 20, 2017 |url=http://www.planetrock.com/news/rock-news/20-most-played-nirvana-songs-revealed-to-mark-kurt-cobains-50th-birthday/ |title=20 most-played Nirvana songs revealed to mark Kurt Cobain’s 50th birthday] planetrock|publisher=[[PlanetRock.com. Retrieved]] |accessdate=March 3, 2017.}}</ref>