Candy/Molly’s Lips is a vinyl-only split-single from the rock bands the Fluid and Nirvana. It was released in January 1, 1991 on Sub Pop Records and includes two live tracks: Candy by the Fluid; and Molly’s Lips, a cover of a song by the Vaselines, performed by Nirvana.
“Candy” first appeared on the Fluid‘s 1990 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 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, and described by Kelly as what he“would like to do up a dark alley with her one night.”
According to Michael Azerrad‘s 1993 Nirvana biography Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, the band’s frontman Kurt Cobain was opposed to the release of the track, feeling that this version was not strong. However, the single constituted part of the band’s buyout deal from their former record label Sub Pop; “Candy/Molly’s Lips” was Nirvana‘s final release there. The word “Later” is etched into the single’s run-out groove. A remix of this version of “Molly’s Lips” was included on the 2009 reissue of the Nirvana debut album Bleach.
Nirvana also recorded a studio version of “Molly’s Lips” onBBC Radio 1 forJohn Peel in October 1990 during drummer Dave Grohl‘s first recording session with the band. 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.
Tracklist:
SIDE A:
- The Fluid: Candy (Live)
Mixed by Jack Endino
Written by The Fluid
SIDE B:
- Nirvana: Molly’s Lips (Live)
Mixed by Gary Held
Written by The Vaselines
Credits:
Design: Brad Clemmons
Photography: Charles Peterson
Recorded: Drew Canulette
Kurt Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994).
