Which Nirvana song is a cover of David Bowie's “The Man Who Sold the World”?

Nirvana performed a cover of David Bowie's “The Man Who Sold the World” during MTV Unplugged in New York.

The song originally appeared on Bowie's 1970 album The Man Who Sold the World. Nirvana's version was recorded during the band's famous MTV Unplugged session in New York in November 1993 and included on the live album released in 1994.

Nirvana's rendition introduced the song to many listeners who were more familiar with the band's work than with Bowie's early catalog. Its restrained arrangement suited the acoustic setting, although the band used amplified instruments and did not present the episode as a purely unamplified concert.

The other covers in the session came from artists including Lead Belly, the Vaselines, Meat Puppets, and Roy Orbison. Confusion can arise because Nirvana also performed three songs with the Meat Puppets, but those were “Plateau,” “Oh, Me,” and “Lake of Fire,” not Bowie's composition.