the youth bandwagon and how he’s really disappointed in it, and how he doesn’t want anything to do with it,” Novoselic later recalled of the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” lyrics, admitting ...

(SOUNDBITE OF NIRVANA SONG, "SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT") KELLY: That's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana from 1991. The song became an anthem for a generation that was ambivalent about ...

This story is part of American Anthem, a yearlong series on songs that rouse, unite, celebrate and call to action. Find more at NPR.org/Anthem. There's a grainy video ...