Nirvana: Lithium Meaning

Song Released: 1992

Lithium Lyrics

I'm so happy. Cause today I found my friends.
They're in my head. I'm so ugly. But that's ok.
'Cause so are you. We've broke our mirrors.
Sunday morning. Is everyday for all I care.
And I'm not scared. Light my candles. In a daze cause I've...

1. eddypolockski

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   Apr 2nd 2009 !⃝

   I've researched this topic extensively and I'm sorry to say that every review here is way off.
   
   Firstly the song is literally about Lithium and specifically it's widespread inclusion in commercial beverages prior to the 1950's. Secondarily it is a statement about the continued power abuse of our corporate run society.
   
   Hundreds of soft drinks included lithium salts or lithia water (naturally occurring mineral waters with higher lithium amounts). An early version of Coca Cola available in pharmacies' soda fountains called "Lithia Coke" was a mixture of Coca Cola syrup and lithia water. The soft drink 7 Up, originally named "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda", contained lithium citrate until it was reformulated in 1950. Additionally, Lithia light beer was brewed at the West Bend Lithia Company in Wisconsin.
   
   No, this is not made up . . . Google it for yourself.
   
   The song is Amy Lee's interpretation of life as a numb-lemming member of a materialistic consumer society run by an elite group who seek to exploit the masses and dumb us down with chemicals injected into our goodies. It's a statement against the establishment.
   
   You'll notice the symbolism in the video centers around liquid, the pool, the "drowning" even the snow and the falling flakes of whatever are symbolic of carbonation. This pop song (no pun intended) is clearly related to the beverages and the continued practice of corporate America to exploit the masses.
   
2. anonymous

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   Jul 22nd 2008 !⃝

   It is about his addiction to lithium. and everything that is happening to him. He found his friends in his head and he found god. Those sound like drug induced reactions
3. anonymous

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   Jul 14th 2008 !⃝

   It may be that he was bipolar, but unless he said so in writing somewhere or unless someone close enough to him made that statement, any diagnosis would be private information related to a medical condition, legally protected by HIPAA regulations. I don't know if this was ever stated in writing, but to say that he was bipolar without being able to provide proof is not only ridiculous but betrays a deep ignorance as well. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying: if you know so much, then back it up with proof.
   
   Bipolar or not, he was obviously a very disturbed individual for many reasons and on many levels. Beautifully disturbed, some might say, although the loss of his life brings great sadness to many.
   
   Those of you who have recently taken a junior high school chemistry class will, no doubt, recognize Lithium as an element on the periodic table. Woo-hoo, good for you. You should, however, grow up a bit and maybe open your mind to the possibility that you do not, despite what you think, know everything. Name calling also won't get you very far in life.
   
   Lithium salts happen to be used to treat bipolar disorder, or manic-depression as it was called years ago. It was approved for this use by the FDA in 1970 and is still very commonly prescribed due to its efficacy.
   
   I think that this song, like many songs, may be open to interpretation on a personal level. If you are bipolar and you can relate to the feelings, then maybe it's about bipolar. If you're a junior high chemist, maybe the song is a little more explosive in nature. Musically, it starts off innocently enough and eventually explodes into a murderous chorus.
   
   One telltale sign that this song is likely related to manic-depression, besides the obvious mood swings and fleeting thoughts and emotions expressed throughout the lyrics, is the line "I'm so horny, that's okay." One symptom of bipolar is hyper-sexuality. Beyond that, the music swings moodily from tame to explosive, depressive to manic and back and again. The feelings expressed certainly seem to indicate both mania and depression. ("I'm so excited...", "I'm so lonely...")
   
   This is just my interpretation, though... I'm bipolar myself, so it is easy to identify with that interpretation. Maybe some of its been said already. I didn't read all the interpretations, though.
4. anonymous

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   Jan 3rd 2008 !⃝

   Kurt was bipolar and was prescribed lithium, but he decided to take heroin instead.
   
   I think this song is about bipolar myself because I am bipolar and can relate to the lyrics.
5. anonymous

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   Dec 24th 2007 !⃝

   How come half of you talk like you were Kurt Cobain's best friend? You think you have any idea whether he was killed, killed himself, took lithium, or didn't? How would you know...aside from someone else telling you?
6. rearwin

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   Nov 13th 2007 !⃝

   I was treated for manic depression and was on lithium for 18 months. Now two years latter I still don't get angry or very upset about anything, especially going through a divorce so I thankfully like what it has done.
7. anonymous

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   Oct 20th 2007 !⃝

   Because so many show offs wrote crap I thought why not.
   Imodium was the first name for breed...read the wishkah book.Go on a manic depressive site..Look at the symptoms the lines match the symptoms.I think that the song may be about manic depression but lithium is just another drug used and like imodium that treats diahhrea he likes drugs..
   He used them to make him feel better,like musicso why not add the drugs as song titles. Happy now?
   and he hated religion apart from buddhism any one not agree or want something else explained ask me? reply using Cochise so I know its you
8. anonymous

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   Aug 29th 2007 !⃝

   Lithium is a metal but also used in mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder. most of you say this song is about bipolarity, but I'm pretty sure it's not.
   
   this is what Kurt said about this song:
   "People who are secluded for so long go insane, and as a last resort they often use religion to keep alive. In the song, the guy's lost his girl and his friends and he's brooding. He's decided to find God before he kills himself. It's hard for me to understand the need for a vice like that, but I can appreciate it too. People need vices."
9. anonymous

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   May 27th 2007 !⃝

   Umm I can't believe no one has noticed but like the second person who wrote said lithium has the line " And I swear I don't have a Gun" WRONG that's Come As You Are. So before you make dumb statements about Kurt Cobain know what song you're talking about.
10. anonymous

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    May 8th 2007 !⃝

    For your information, you bunch of idiots, it's I'M NOT GONNA CRACK, not IM NOT GONNA CRY. Get your fuggin facts straight.
11. anonymous

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    Feb 23rd 2007 !⃝

    Maybe he did write stuff without consciously thinking about it, but everything we say or do has a meaning, whether we give it conscious thought or not. Kurt's subconscious mind probably let out a lot in the form of "garbled garbage". Anyway, it's fun to try and interpret ;)
12. anonymous

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    Jan 5th 2007 !⃝

    Can't trust, can't connect, can't belong like everyone else seems to. You only have yourself.
    
    You're ugly, you're rejected, you think you're all wrong.
    
    "psychotic episodes sometimes come to believe they have been chosen by God or that they have tapped into a spiritual truth that others cannot perceive. Delusions of grandeur / an exaggerated belief in one's power or influence is relatively common in severe mania"
    
    Who says they are just delusions?
    
    You're lonely, you don't make sense to yourself or anyone else.
    
    Is it really your fault you are the way you feel?
    
    You try to deny it, but you are gonna crack and grow. There is no constant for anyone. Just be real with yourselves and those around you. Everyone's "bipolar." You can't stay comfy forever. We need things to drive and burn us. I don't think Cobain was crazy or "ill." The world just got to him too much. He felt as much as we all feel, but so many deny their own lives, creativity, love and imagination.
    
    Yes, the songs were things he would mumble and make up the words to later on. The important part is what the music makes you think about YOURSELF and where you are at in your own life. This one really expresses the ups and downs to me. It's ment dozens of different things to me at different periods of my life, but has always been uplifting to hear and sing along to.
    
    : )
13. anonymous

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    Dec 14th 2006 !⃝

    For the guy who said "Get ahold of a tablespoon of lithium and mix it with a tablespoon of water, then hope you survive the explosion.", I don't think lithium explodes in water. Im pretty sure that only happens with heavier alkali metals such as rubidium and caesium. Think the lithium only causes sparks and stuff. ^-^
14. anonymous

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    Dec 8th 2006 !⃝

    this song is about him not wanting to take lithium, hence "im not ganna crack" he was saying he didn't need it and didn't want it. Lithium dulls peoples emotions when they take it. also just to clear things up lithium is has the lowers atomic number of the alkali medals and therefor it does not explode in water, it smokes its self into nothing, patassium in its raw form is what explodes in water
15. anonymous

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    Nov 28th 2006 !⃝

    The one thing everyone has missed so far is that Kurt WAS diagnosed with ADHD as a child and was placed on Ritalin. Depression is usually a cormorbid condition with ADHD because hyperactivity comes with poor social skils (impatience, overlooking people's visual and body cues, etc.) and poor impulse control. The balancing factor is that a vast majority of the time, ADHD kids are very intelligent and very creative. While Kurt not educated, he was not stupid, and he was certainly creative.
    
    Because of his combined depresssion and hyperactivity, he MAY have been (although I have never read he actually was) diagnosed as bipolar. He also had an undiagnosed stomach problem which caused him a lot of pain. Whether he killed himself or not, it is possible. He had few very close friends, no family support system to speak of, intermittent severe gastric pain, all of which was compunded by his very sudden rise to fame with everyone kissing his ass. I think the song "Rape Me" was about the many record exec's, producers, and general hangers-on and how he was tired of being controlled/used by them.
    
    About "Lithium": I think it was just a song about his reaction to taking Lithium and how his world became just a little out of whack when it took hold, and his fight to maintain his sanity in this altered world. Or, maybe it was just about what he thought it would be like IF he took Lithium. Whatever. He never seemed to like people digging into his songs to find some deep philosophical meaning.
    Ever see Monty Python's "Life of Brian?" I think Kurt felt like that sometimes.

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