Nirvana - Lithium Song Meanings
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anonymous
January 3rd, 2006 12:44AM
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The song "Lithium" describes bi-polar disorder, also known as manic depression. Bi-polar disorder is characterized by episodes of frantic highs (mania) and catastophic lows (depression). There is some debate about whether Kurt Cobain suffered from bi polar disorder, but there is no doubt that the lyrics describe a number of the condition's most common symptoms:
"friends ... In my head" - hallucinations (both manic and depressiev)
"I'm so ugly .. So are you" and "I'm so lonely..." and "I'm to blame..." and "Sunday morning ..."- in depression, feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, dissociation and distrust of others
".. I found God" and "my will is good" - bi-polar disorder can lead people to re-examine their beliefs and their faiths. On a less healthy note, sufferers who experience 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.
"I'm so excited..." and "I'm so horny.." - both an elevated mood/energy and increased sexual drive are very common symptoms of mania.
The chorus of "I like it.... etc" reflects the frenzy, desperation and intensity of a bi polar condition. Some sufferers are aware they are bi polar but choose not to medicate as they do not wish to lose the manic highs. The progression of "I like it, I miss you, I love you, I kill you" reflects trying unsuccessfully to ride out a manic episode, an being determined not to crack.
The structure of the song itself is reminscent of bi polar disorder and its irrational thought patterns and short attention spans, jumping rapidly from image to image with little or no connection.
Lithium itself is the most common treatment of bi polar disorder, and is also used in treatment of schizophrenia. However, it carries its own horrors. It is relatively toxic and it is common to experience tremors, nausea, diarrhea, lethargy and dehyrdation. It can cuase damage to kidneys and thyroid. It can also leave the sufferer feeling tired, dull, empty and lost.
People interested in songs about bi polar disorder should check out Macy Gray's "Relating to a Psychopath". I also like "Girl Anachronism" by the Dresden Dolls.
anonymous
January 31st, 2005 01:01AM
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Lithium is the name of one of the medications that people with Bipolar disorder can take. kurt Cobain was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, so I'm guessing that he took Lithium as his medication. The song is about what the medicine made him feel and how much different he felt when he was on it. And it was also about the feelings he had before he started taking it.
"I'm so happy 'cause today I found my friends, they're in my head" (He didn't have that many friends growing up and nobody really understood him, so they really didn't take the time to get to know him just because he was different and didn't care what other people thought of him. so, he just talked to himself)
"I love you I'm not gonna cry and I miss you I'm not gonna cry I love you I'm not gonna cry I'd kill you i'm not gonna... cry" (He had trouble dealing with his feelings because of being Bipolar and he had strange thoughts and he daydreamed a lot)
"And I swear that I don't have a gun no I don't have a gun..." (He tried to convince a lot of peole that he wasn't suicidal) *Note: That is why it was such a shock when fans heard about what had happened to Kurt on that April afternoon in Seattle, WA. No one expected it at all.*
anonymous
September 20th, 2005 09:04AM
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Apparently, lithium was used as a cure for madness, but gave them short hallucinations. Kurt is desribing one of these hallucinations in this song.
anonymous
September 26th, 2005 04:54PM
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While lithium IS a basic periodic element which reacts with water, it is also the name of a drug used to treat mania. Not sure about whether Cobain was diagnosed with bipolarity.
anonymous
October 15th, 2005 08:47PM
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Kurt Cobain was not bipolar, but was very depressed. He could have had bipolar systems, however, as he rollercoastered through drug-induced highs and depression lows.
illumanati76
October 31st, 2005 08:40PM
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The first interpreter got that little description from the Nirvana website, and probably doesn't understand the terminology outside of "Copy & Paste."
The song is a contradiction, the high & lows of being bi-polar. (Doesn't necessarily mean he was, just because he spoke about it) It's a contradictory, 1st person narrative mixed with a dark, yet radiant humor, which made the song sound borderline insane and interesting. Truly craftsmanship at its finest.
And whats this shit about making explosives with Lithium? Perhaps some people should rest assure their uncertainities about sanity, quiet as kept.
anonymous
November 6th, 2005 03:00PM
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Ugh. Let's straighten some things out.
1) Lithium is both an element and a drug used to treat Manic Depression.
2) It is speculated that Kurt was bi-polar but he was never diognosed nor did he take drugs for his depression.
3) Kurt stated that this song was a reflection of his time spent with the Reed family after he moved out of his house. During this time he briefly became religious before renouncing God. Of course, I'm sure the themes of this song run deeper.
anonymous
December 13th, 2005 05:54PM
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Lithium is used to treat bipolar disorder. It is believed that Kurt had bipolar and thus this song is about dealing with it. Notice the different feelings he claims to be. 'I'm so happy' 'I'm so excited' 'I'm so lonely.' and so on. He's talking about the ups and downs of bipolar and how he's dealing with them saying that he isn't sad or scared probably because of the lithium.
Lamarcus
January 3rd, 2006 03:39PM
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Indeed, Lithium is an alkali metal, and it's the lightest one at that. But that's not what this song is about.
This song is titled after Lithium drug, used to treat several mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. A famous user of Lithium was boxer Mike Tyson.
Though most people believe this song is about bipolarism, I think it's about schizophrenia. For those who don't know, in short it's a condition where people hear voices. "I'm so happy 'cause today I found my friends / They're in my head" refers to voices in your head. It goes through emotions very quickly, like "I love you" and "I'd kill you." This is a symptom of both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
anonymous
January 4th, 2006 04:44AM
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(for the guy who said lithuim isn't a drug)
Lithium is a naturally occurring substance. As a medication, lithium reduces chemicals in the body that cause excitation or mania.
Lithium is used to treat manic episodes of manic-depressive illness. Lithium helps to prevent and control symptoms of mania such as hyperactivity, rushed speech, poor judgment, reduced need for sleep, aggression, and anger.
from http://www.drugs.com/MTM/lithium.html
nevermind
March 23rd, 2006 06:37AM
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The song was originally titled Imodium (a drug to alleviate diarrhoea) apparently Tad Doyle suffered from this on there 1990 tour of the UK. The song name was changed during the recording of Nevermind. Therefore it has nothing to do with depression. One of the best songs ever IMHO. Most Nirvana song titles have little to do with the subject – possibly to stop people looking too deeply or confusing people with his lyrics.
The lyrics in Lithium refer to the time spent with his friends family a poke at religion - can't remember the family name look it up on any biog. They were very religious and so the song is a dig at them. He did go some where to apologies by including their name on the thank you list on In Utero. I assume he was bitter about their attitude toward him and how religion could save him, making him a better person. Either way the song still sounds amazing today.
I'm so happy 'cause today
I've found my friends ...
They're in my head
....
Sunday morning is everyday for all I care ...
And I'm not scared
Light my candles, in a daze
'Cause I've found god
The second verse is Kurt renouncing his sins.
I'm so lonely, but that's okay, I shaved my head ...
And I'm not sad
And just maybe I'm to blame for all I've heard ...
But I'm not sure
I'm so excited, I can't wait to meet you there ...
But I don't care
I'm so horny, but that's okay ...
My will is good
Think the chorus refer to him saying fuck you to religion. I’m not going to give in to religion etc…
I like it - I'm not gonna crack
I miss you - I'm not gonna crack
I love you - I'm not gonna crack
I killed you - I'm not gonna crack
anonymous
April 12th, 2006 02:29AM
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Lithium is indeed a Group 1A (alkali) metal in the same periodic group as sodium and potassium. The drug "lithium" used to treat bipolar and other circadian disorders is actually lithium carbonate.
Nirvana (read Cobain) had a John Lennon streak. It is well documented in interviews that Lennon loved to write songs with little meaning beyond that the words sounded good together. It was a poke of fun at all the people who assigned deep, essentially fantastic meanings to Beatle songs (see "I Am The Walrus"). Neither man took themselves as seriously as did their fans.
ily
April 13th, 2006 07:27PM
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This is about kurts depression. Lithium is a form of an anti depressant drug. He took it because he was depressed and what people now call 'emo' (which is not correct), but was no suicidal at this point in his lfe. He was over depressed and under emotional...hence why he took this drug. He mixed this drug with other which may have caused hallucinations. This song is desribing what his feeling are during the time he took this drug, and through hallucinations.
This song expresses his self hate. He feels this is the only way he can express his feelings outwards. He feels as though he cannot keep it in any longer and must just let everything out, lithium helps him do this hence why it is the title of the song.
anonymous
April 18th, 2006 11:33AM
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To anonymous
Firstly, it is highly likely that Kurt did kill himself since he had attempted suicide before and he was a VERY ILL man. And, although it is true that no one can prove for certain either way, please stop speculating and let the guy rest in peace, it's been 12 years, ok!
anonymous
July 24th, 2006 12:14AM
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I am a bipolar myself.
I can't explain exacly why, but yes, this song is exacly how I used to feel before I took my meds.
Kurt Cobain was bipolar too, it's a known fact.
At the time of his dead lithium was used to moderate the mood of bipolar (we are extremelly happy and euphoric, or so sad that we want to die - just like in the song.) but lithium wasn't so succesfull as the meds I take today. Medicin has evoluted a lot since then, and it is a shame that Kurt didn't got to today, he could have felt much better now. I fell normal now.
But before it was a hell. When I was sad I wanted to die, and when I was happy I wouldn't care for anybody's feelings, and I used to hurt them.
If Kurt died or was murdered I donno... But 20% of bipolars who don't take meds suicide... So... I really think he probably was in a terrible pain inside. This song is exacly about that weird miscelain and contradiction of feelings.
anonymous
July 28th, 2006 09:30PM
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Being a person that was only 4 years old when Kurt Cobain passed on makes this a little harder, but I think I can figure some of it out.
I believe that the opening line of this song is pure sarcastic depression. "i'm so happy 'cause today I found my friends, they're in my head"
i think when he says this he is stating it sarcasticaly. No, he isn't happy. He is actually very depressed. He is also discovering that he is mentally sick.
Thats all I'm going to say... Thnx...And imho heart shaped box is the best nirvana song ... Byebye
anonymous
July 30th, 2006 04:31AM
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There was some comment about the first entry being 'copied and pasted' from another site and so for that reason dismissed it. However, I think it is correct when it references the notion of religion as the 'opiate of the masses'. Religion is the drug!
The title 'lithium' is used in a somewhat generic way. Perhaps chosen at random to represent the drug that religion is. But more likely as a very clever metaphor because lithium is a drug that would tend to nuetralize the ups and downs of a persons bi-ploar condition. Similarly, there are people that use religion as a way to feel better about (or nuetralize) the ups and downs of everyday life knowing that everything will be good in the afterlife. Meanwhile, they live their life 'in a daze'.
The lines "i'm so ugly, but that's okay, cause so are you" refer to the notion that everyone is with sin (ugly).
The lines "i'm so excited, I can't wait to meet you there" obvously refer to the afterlife...Heaven, I suppose.
The lines "i'm so horny, but that's okay, my will is good" refer to the general limitations placed on sex by religion.
I could go on with other lines and how I feel they fit the notion of relgion as the 'opiate of the masses'. But I'm sure my ramblings are getting tiresome already. So I'll cut it off here.
anonymous
September 10th, 2006 02:52AM
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This song kinda reaches out and tickles me. I keep mishearing the lyrics and I keep thinking he is saying "I like you.. I'm not comming back" "I miss you, I'm not coming back" "I love you, I'm not coming back" "I kill you, I'm not coming back". If Kurt Cobain knew me back then he would have probably made a shit more money if he woulda changed the words "not going to crack" to "i'm not coming back". But anyway, its a good song. Its confusing because he throws a lot of stuff at you. It's not a walk in a park. It jumps from one part of the city to another with no warning. Everyone's interpretations of the actual lyrics are good. I just wish he would have used my words.. They would have made more sense
anonymous
October 1st, 2006 01:36PM
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Just to clear it up, Kurt was never diagnosed with bipolar disorder and never took lithium.
anonymous
November 7th, 2006 07:58PM
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Wtf.. Kurt did have bipolar and he did take lithium you dumb peice of shit
anonymous
November 15th, 2006 05:14PM
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Nice people in here... :-)
some of you sound as if kurdt would have been a better man not having killed himself... Isn't it a good sign that he realized that there's something - a lot! - absolutely wrong in this world? Doesn't it show that he was a thinking and feeling a lot?
I think he did kill himself, even though I know it's not prooved (and the opposite isn't either), but I think it fits, I couldn't imagine him living today...
I thnik he'd laugh if he could hear you talking that way about his songs...
"I just noticed that people expect more of the thematic angle with our music, you know, they always wanna read into it, and before I was just using pieces of poetry and just garble, just garbage, you know, just stuff that just would spew out of me at the time, and a lot of times when I write lyrics it just at the last second because I'm really lazy... And then I find myself having to come up with explanations..." <<-- kurdt about his lyrics in 1993
don't talk too much, just listen, guys...
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