What is the song lithium by nirvana about?

Question

Was kurt religious?

Answer 1

Lithium by Nirvana

Song meanings are certainly open to much interpretation, and what I am about to derive from the above song is certainly open to debate, and is simply my opinion on what the song is about.

Lithium is a drug taken by people suffering from Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness which consists of a person who experiences both manic and depressed states. This is a very difficult illness to have, and the song appears to speak to the struggles associated with this disease.

Kurt Cobain writes " I'm so lonely" and seconds later states "I'm not sad".

Kurt constructs a very interesting song which focuses on stating many opposite and confusing feelings, it results in a person that sounds as if they are experiencing feelings from both a manic and depressed state.

Kurt Cobain certainly had his own bout with depression, and unfortunately ended up ultimately taking his own life.

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Answer 2

Lithium Song Meaning

Answer 3

Lithium is a medication given to people who are bi-polar. Bi-polar is someone who is manic-depressive (intense mood swings) and schizophrenic (hears voices). The friends in Kurt Cobain's head is the schizophrenia and all the different moods (I'm so happy, I'm so horny) is the manic depression. This is the disease that lead him to kill himself.

Answer 4

Lithium is a anti depressent drug..which if u take more makes u euphoric..
i think he's singin about the drug...
i'm so happy cause today i've found my frnd its in my head(as u can see he's frnd is---- Lithium )

Answer 5

I would assume it's about lithium (the drug)

Answer 6

Depression..... mostly what his songs are about... and I see what you saying about religion probaly not. He practicly saying in the song he can't wait to die.

Answer 7

Kurt Cobain had some really great lyrics. A lot of people think that they were al gibberish (of course some were, when he just took different lines out of different poems that he had written and merged them together to make a song), but that's because they've never taken the time to really analyze what he's talking about. I was starting to believe that this song was about depression, anxiety, social anxiety disorder, and/or bipolar disorder like everyone, else. But, while I was doing it, I had an epiphany. I don't think that there is one true meaning here. I believe that the song is about Christians being high and mighty, thinking they are better than non Christians, despite all the sins they commit. I also think it is about the monotony and the drudgery of every day life, and how people cope with it (like turning to religion or drugs).

This is my line by line interpretation:

I'm so happy 'cause today i found my friends
They're in my head

*I think could just be saying that he has realized that all of his friends weren't really his friends, after all, but he had always thought they were. He is talking about how people will be friendly to you face to face, yet talk bad about you behind your back. They had convinced him they were his friends, when in actuality, they weren't. So, the idea that he had a lot of friends were in his head.

I'm so ugly
That's okay 'cause so are you
We've broken our mirrors

Here he is being self-depricating. He is concentrating on all of his flaws, and therefore appears ugly. He does this with other people. He is basically just saying "nobody's perfect," but in a much more somber tone. The "we've broken our mirrors" line evokes imagery of people whose sins/flaws are so bad, that you can't look at them. Usually when people talk about somebody cracking a mirror, it's because their face is so ugly that even the person can't look at them. Here, it is more than just the person's face, but who the person is and what he/she represents.

Sunday morning is everyday for all i care
And i'm not scared
Light my candles in a daze
'Cause i found God

A lot of people go to church on sunday, not because they want to, but because they have to. They feel obligated to. I think he is applying this to his everyday life. He feels like life is an obligation, and he thinks other people do to. I think he also is saying how a lot of people feel lost in everyday life, so they turn to religion to give them some sort of meaning. He is commenting on how people will believe whatever they are told if they are promised a better life than this one after they die.

Yeah, yeah, yeah (x6)
Yeah!

Here he seems to be in total agreement with himself.

I'm so lonely, that's okay, i shaved my head
And i'm not sad

I don't really know about the shaved my head part. Maybe he is referring to neo nazi skinheads (note: not all skinheads are nazis, contrary to popular belief) who use blind hatred to cope with their own low self esteem.

And just maybe i'm to blame for all i've heard
But i'm not sure

Here he is taking responsibility for everything he believes. He is very confused.

I'm so excited, i can't wait to meet you there
And i don't care

He is commenting on how some people live their lives on Earth by the bible, because they are convinced it will lead them to Heaven.

I'm so horny, that's okay my will is good

Once again, not sure what this has to do with the rest of the song. Maybe he is addressing man's need to procreate. Or maybe being horny is a metaphor for wanting to spread the word of Christ (i.e. his will is good)

Yeah, yeah, yeah (x6)
Yeah!

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 kill you... i'm not gonna crack
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 kill you... i'm not gonna crack

I don't know about this part. Maybe this an allusion to people's blind faith in God. No matter what they do, or what people do to them, they won't stop believing.

All in all, these are complex lyrics, and I don't think anyone could fully understand what was going through his head when he wrote them. But my theory is that they are about how people cope with their depression and self-pity. They try to find a system of living that will help them. Whether it be religion, drugs, or something else.

I really think that they should teach a literary class based on his lyrics, because some really thought provoking discussions could emerge. I wonder if one day his lyrics will be studied like Shakespeare's plays.