Nirvana’s “Lithium” could have shared the emphatically shifting dynamics of “Come As You Are,” and the latent singalong infectiousness of Nevermind’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” nevertheless it stands distinct from the others in that it feels much less of a perceptibly private and agonized admission from its writer.
The context behind “Lithium”
That’s to not say that Kurt Cobain didn’t make investments himself within the lyrics – there’s a lot to be deduced from the phrases inside – however he did repeatedly point out that the story of “Lithium” was a fictional one. “The story is about a guy who lost his girlfriend,” he as soon as defined. “I can’t decide what caused her to die – let’s say she died of AIDS or a car accident or something – and he’s going around brooding and he turned to religion as a last resort to keep himself alive, to keep him from suicide.”
Whereas Kurt would concede that the music infused a few of his personal experiences, “like breaking up with girlfriends and having bad relationships,” there’s the idea that its references to faith additionally stem from his background. As an adolescent, Kurt had rebelled towards his dad and mom as a response to the betrayal and antagonism he felt after their divorce, and subsequent traumas. At one level, Kurt witnessed his mom being abused by her boyfriend. In search of to enhance Kurt’s habits, it was determined that he ought to stay solely together with his father, however in flip, it worsened, and his father in the end reneged on his commitments and entrusted Kurt into the care of different household and mates.
It was round this time that Kurt moved in with college pal Jesse Reed, whose dad and mom have been born-again Christians. “His family life was a mess,” mentioned Jesse’s father Dave Reed. “He had big problems with his mother and he was going through a really bad time. He and my son were always together, so I asked him if he wanted to stay with us. He jumped at the chance. I think Kurt saw me as a Ned Flanders-type guy. Kurt became a born-again Christian through my son Jesse and our family environment. He went to church almost every time the door was open. For a while, he took Christian life very seriously.”
Although he’d later resign his religion, the notion of faith as a method of escape or a conduit to hope would abide with Kurt for years to return. “Sometimes I think religion is okay for certain people,” he mentioned in 1992. “It’s good to use religion as a last resort before you go insane. I have this relative,” he continued, “who I really love a lot and she really inspired me because she was a musician and I used to go to her house all the time and she became really disillusioned with her life and became suicidal. And we felt that she was gonna kill herself. Now she’s a born-again Christian, and because of religion, she is alive still. I think that is okay.”
Recording Nirvana’s “Lithium”
“Lithium” was first recorded by Nirvana in April 1990, when the band acquired along with producer Butch Vig at his studio in Wisconsin to check run tracks for his or her second album, the place Kurt would categorical his dissatisfaction with drummer Chad Channing’s efficiency on the music. A 12 months later, because the classes for what would change into Nevermind started in California – this time with Channing’s substitute Dave Grohl on drums – they tried to sort out “Lithium” once more, however it will show troublesome.
“We tried in vain to track one afternoon and it just didn’t feel right and that’s when Kurt went crazy after the third or fourth take,” mentioned Butch Vig, including that the group vented their frustration by launching right into a stay recording of their thunderous and relentless monitor “Endless, Nameless” as an alternative, which noticed Cobain thrashing across the studio in a fury. “It just came out of the blue,” Vig remembered. “And I’ve never seen so much rage and frustration coming out of someone; you could literally almost see Kurt’s vocal cords coming out of his throat he was screaming so hard. Then he smashed his left-handed guitar, which ended the session for the day.”
The which means of Nirvana’s “Lithium”
Put to tape efficiently the next day, “Lithium” was lastly full. Its lyrics paint an image of a protagonist whose despondency (“I’m so ugly” / “I’m so lonely”) is alleviated by an enlightening conversion during which God turns into his protector. There’s trigger to recommend that he himself could have been chargeable for his girlfriend’s demise (“And just maybe I’m to blame for all I’ve heard,” he sings within the second verse, whereas the bridge half contains the numerous line: “I killed you”), however whether or not the music turns into a plea for his repentance, or whether or not he feels accountable via his personal failings and is solely grieving and clutching at Christianity for salvation, is kind of unclear.
In the meantime, the title itself alludes to the lead character’s psychological state. Lithium is a medicine prescribed to deal with bipolar problems and main melancholy, and its mood-stabilizing results are identified to cut back the danger of suicide in sufferers. Kurt’s cousin, Beverly Cobain, a registered psychiatric nurse, as soon as claimed that he had been recognized as bipolar. “Bipolar illness has the same characteristics as major clinical depression, but with mood swings, which present as rage, euphoria, high energy, irritability, distractability, overconfidence, and other symptoms,” she mentioned, “As Kurt undoubtedly knew, bipolar illness can be very difficult to manage, and the correct diagnosis is crucial. Unfortunately for Kurt, compliance with the appropriate treatment is also a critical factor.”
The correlation between the analgesic powers of lithium and faith was corroborated by Kurt, who known as the latter “a fine sedative for the masses.” Each, he mentioned, have been a diversion from the typically insufferable harshness of existence. “Most people don’t deal with reality; it’s just so worthless,” he mentioned. “People think of life as being so sacred, like it’s their only chance and they have to do something with their life and make an impact on everyone because the threat of dying is just so vital. As far as I’m concerned it’s just a little pitstop for the afterlife. It’s just a little test to see how you can handle reality.”
“Lithium” was launched in July 1992, nearly ten months after Nevermind, and although it charted decrease than “Come As You Are” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” it outrivals them in its seething expressiveness. Its quiet/loud dynamics are utilized to a way more ominous impact – the superbly melodic but sinister verses construct as much as a crashing refrain, Kurt’s repeated screams of “Yeah” sounding like pure deliverance. However it’s the bridges’ forceful insistence of “I’m not gonna crack” that reveals “Lithium” to be a potent anthem for these decided to defy the chances and obtain true freedom.
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