Nirvana's 'Something In The Way' Secretly Co-Written By Another Grunge Icon

Nirvana's "Something in the Way" may not list any co-writers, but in a new biographical oral history about the late Mark Lanegan, it was revealed the Screaming Trees frontman actually helped Kurt Cobain — who happened to be a close friend — write some of the lyrics. Because the two had collaborated on each other's work in the past, Lanegan went uncredited on the song, which ended up being a decision he regretted. Though he was also considered a grunge icon, the singer-songwriter never relished in financial successes like some of his peers.

“Mark said he wrote some lyrics on ‘Something in the Way’ with Kurt on Nevermind,” former Queens of the Stone Age member Nick Oliveri told Lanegan author Greg Prato. “But Kurt had played on some of Mark’s solo stuff, The Winding Sheet. So, instead of getting paid, they just did this thing where, ‘Hey man, I added a lyric on your song and you added a lyric on my song. Let’s just call it even. Whatever happens, happens.’ Little did Mark know, if he would have had publishing on ‘Something in the Way’ on Nevermind, he would have had a lot of money. I remember him kicking himself in the butt a little bit about that – ‘If I had that ‘Something in the Way’ publishing…””

Lanegan died a year ago today (February 22) at the age of 57.