"Lithium"
Single by Nirvana
from the album Nevermind
B-side(s)	"Been a Son"(live) / "Curmudgeon"
Released	July 21, 1992
Format	CD
Recorded	May - June, 1991 at Sound City, Van Nuys
Genre	Alternative Rock
Length	4:16
Label	DGC
Producer(s)	Butch Vig
Peak chart positions
#3 (FIN) #5 (IRE) #11 (UK) #13 (SPA) #16 (ITA) #16 (NED) #28 (NZ) #64 (US Billboard Hot 100)
Nirvana singles chronology
"Come as You Are" (1992) "Lithium" (1992) "In Bloom" (1992)
Nevermind track listing
"Breed" (4)	"Lithium" (5)	"Polly" (6)

"Lithium" is a song by the grunge band Nirvana. It originally appeared on and was the third single from their breakthrough album Nevermind. The lyrics were written by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Evanescence is a Grammy Award-winning American alternative rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1998 by singer Amy Lee and former guitarist Ben Moody. ... The Open Door track listing Weight of the World (3) Lithium (4) Cloud Nine (5) Lithium (Part 2) Lithium Radio Promo Lithium is the second single from Evanescences second studio album The Open Door. ... Cover of Nirvanas single, Lithium. This image is the cover of an album or single. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... Nevermind is the second studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Been a Son is a song by the American Grunge band Nirvana. ... Look up curmudgeon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... A compact disc or CD is an optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Van Nuys is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Alternative rock (also called alternative music or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as one third of UMGs Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Butch Vig (born Bryan David Vig, August 2, 1957 in Viroqua, Wisconsin) is both a rock drummer and record producer. ... // A record chart, also known as a music chart, is a method of ranking music according to popularity during a given period of time. ... Motto None1 Anthem Maamme(Finnish) VÃ¥rt land(Swedish) Our Land Finland() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() Capital (and largest city) Helsinki Official languages Finnish, Swedish Government Parliamentary democracy2  -  President Tarja Halonen (sd)  -  Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (c) Independence from Bolshevist Russia   -  Autonomy March 29, 1809   -  Declared... This article is about the island of Ireland. ... Motto (Latin) Further Beyond Anthem  1(Spanish) Royal March Spain() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() Capital (and largest city) Madrid Official languages Spanish2 Demonym Spanish, Spaniard Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Head of State King Juan Carlos I  -  President of the Government Formation 15th century   -  Dynastic union 1516   -  Unification... For other uses, see Italy (disambiguation). ... Motto (French) Ik zal handhaven(Dutch) I shall stand fast1 Anthem Het Wilhelmus Netherlands() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() [] Capital (and largest city) Amsterdam² Official languages Dutch³ Ethnic groups  80. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... Come as You Are is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... Nevermind track listing Smells Like Teen Spirit (1) In Bloom (2) Come as You Are (3) For the upcoming film, see In Bloom (film). ... Nevermind is the second studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... Breed is a song by American grunge band Nirvana, and the fourth track from the bands 1991 breakthrough album Nevermind. ... Polly is a song by the American rock band Nirvana. ... “Grunge” redirects here. ... This article is about the American grunge band. ... Nevermind is the second studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... Kurt Donald Cobain (Aberdeen, Washington, USA; February 20, 1967 – c. ...

The name of the song is often attributed to the metal lithium's tendency to be found in mood stabilizers such as lithium carbonate and lithium orotate; because of this the lyrics are often interpreted as describing bipolar disorder. Cobain is said to have had bipolar disorder, which may have led to the writing of the song "Lithium". Still, there is much disagreement about the exact meaning and interpretation of it. General Name, Symbol, Number lithium, Li, 3 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 2, s Appearance silvery white/grey Standard atomic weight 6. ... A mood stabilizer is a psychiatric medication used to treat mood disorders characterized by rapid and unstable mood shifts. ... Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) is a chemical compound of lithium and carbonate that is used as a mood stabilizer in psychiatric treatment of manic states and bipolar disorder. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other uses, see Bipolar. ...

In the Nevermind press kit, Kurt said this about the 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." Nevermind is the second studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana. ...

Other Versions

The song was first recorded at the Evergreen State College on March 20, 1990 during the course of a day where the band used the resources at the College's video studio to make music videos for several of their songs. A few weeks later the first proper demo of the song was recorded in Madison, Wisconsin as part of the band's first session with future Nevermind producer Butch Vig. While both of these performances remain officially unreleased, portions of the Vig demo can be heard on the documentary Classic Albums - Nirvana - Nevermind. The Evergreen State College wordmark The Evergreen State College is an accredited public baccalaureate college, founded in 1967 in the state capital, Olympia, Washington. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Nickname: Mad Town or Mad City Location of Madison in Dane County, Wisconsin Municipality City Incorporated 1848 Government  - Mayor Dave Cieslewicz Area    - City 136. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42°30N to 47°3N  - Longitude 86°49W to 92°54W Population  Ranked... Nevermind is the second studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... Butch Vig (born Bryan David Vig, August 2, 1957 in Viroqua, Wisconsin) is both a rock drummer and record producer. ... A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. ... Classic Albums Nevermind Classic Albums - Nirvana - Nevermind was a documentary DVD released in March of 2005, as part of the Classic Albums series. ...

In 2004 an acoustic demo from a September 25, 1990 radio performance on KAOS-FM radio was included on the posthumous box-set release With The Lights Out. Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... KAOS 89. ... With the Lights Out is a box set, containing 3 CDs and 1 DVD, from the American grunge band, Nirvana. ...

Memorable live performances

Nirvana was asked to perform their first hit, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards but the band wanted to play a new song called "Rape Me". MTV declined, and eventually it was agreed that the band would play "Lithium" which was their latest hit single. When the band began their performance, Kurt strummed and played the first few bars of the song "Rape Me", before jumping into "Lithium". Keeping in tradition of altering various lyrics during live performances, Cobain replaced the line "I'm to blame for all I've heard/But I'm not sure" with "I'm to blame for all I've heard/But I'm a turd" during the final verse. Nearing the end of the live performance, people began jumping on and off the stage and Krist Novoselic threw his bass into the air, (later saying it was because his bass was cutting out) but misjudged the catch and the bass smacked him in the forehead, causing him to collapse. Cobain and drummer Dave Grohl, oblivious to this, continued to play as Novoselic rose and staggered offstage. Nevermind track listing Smells Like Teen Spirit (1) In Bloom (2) Smells Like Teen Spirit is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, and the opening track and lead single from the bands 1991 breakthrough album Nevermind. ... The MTV Video Music Awards were established in 1984 by MTV to celebrate the top music videos of the year. ... Rape Me is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... Rape Me is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... A drummer in Action A drummer is a person who plays the drums, particularly the drum kit, marching percussion, or hand drums. ... David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969, in Warren, Ohio) is an American rock musician and songwriter. ...

Another memorable live performance of "Lithium" from the Reading Festival in 1992 can be found on the bands VHS Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! which was released in 1994. The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. ... front cover Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! is a VHS/Laserdisc home video released by the grunge band Nirvana on November 15, 1994. ...

Track listing

The following songs appeared on the single:

1. "Lithium" [LP Version] (Cobain) - 4:16
2. "Been a Son" [live, Paramount Theatre (Seattle, Washington) 1991.10.31] (Cobain) - 2:14
3. "Curmudgeon" (Cobain, Nirvana) - 2:58
4. "D7" - 2:54 (appears only on certain pressings [1])

Been a Son is a song by the American Grunge band Nirvana. ... Look up curmudgeon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Chart positions

The Triple J Hottest 100 is an annual music poll, based on the votes of Australian youth radio station Triple J listeners, in order to determine their favourite song of the year. ... The Irish Singles Chart is the Irish music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. ... Polish Radio and Television (Polish: Polskie Radio i Telewizja) is a public-service broadcaster in Poland. ... The UK Singles Chart is currently compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the British record industry. ... MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of charts, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. ... The Mainstream Rock Tracks chart is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music but are not modern rock (that is, alternative) stations, which are counted in the Modern Rock Tracks chart. ... The Mitä hittiä chart was started in Finland in August 1992 even though there was already an existing Official Finland Singles Chart. ... Modern Rock Tracks is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. ... Recording Industry Association of New Zealand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Ultratop is the name of the official Belgian record charts. ... The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ...

Accolades

• Ranked #20 in Kerrang!'s "100 Greatest Rock Tracks Ever" (1999). ^[6]
• Ranked #42 in Kerrang!'s "100 Greatest Singles of All Time" (2002).
• Ranked #5 in NME's "Top 20 Nirvana Songs" (2004).
• Ranked #8 in Q's "10 Greatest Nirvana Songs Ever" (2004).

The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... Not to be confused with the Canadian music magazine Music Express The New Musical Express (better known as the NME) is a Popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. ... Q is a music and entertainment magazinepublished monthly in the United Kingdom. ...

Covers

The following artists have covered Nirvana's song Lithium:

• American rock band Papa Roach.
• American rock band The Polyphonic Spree.
• Punk rock band Vice Squad.
• Turkish Alternative rock band Direc-t.
• Steeve Estatof sang Lithium after he won Nouvelle Star.
• Marty Casey sang Lithium on the reality show Rock Star: INXS.
• Dilana sang Lithium in the first episode of the reality show Rock Star: Supernova.
• Lukas Rossi, also of Rock Star: Supernova, covered a rearranged version of the song.
• The song was also partially covered by the Brazilian rock band Legião Urbana and featured on their 2001 live album "Como é que se diz eu te amo".
• Nirvana, a '60s band from the UK (who actually sued this Nirvana for the use of the name) on their 1997 Box Set
• American rock band Breaking Benjamin.
• American trance rock band The Disco Biscuits

Papa Roach is a four-piece nu metal band from Vacaville, California. ... The Polyphonic Spree is a self-described choral symphonic rock group from the Dallas, Texas area. ... Vice Squad is a punk rock band formed in 1978 in Bristol, England. ... Direc-t is an Alternative rock band from Turkey. ... Nouvelle Star (a. ... Marty Casey is a Chicago-based musician and the lead singer of the band The Lovehammers. ... Dilana Robichaux is a singer, songwriter, and performer who lives in Los Angeles, California. ... Lukas Rossi - Rockstar Supernovas Vocalist Lukas Rossi, (born December 21, 1976), is a Canadian singer, and winner of the the tv show contest Rock Star: Supernova. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Breaking Benjamin is an alternative metal band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. ...

References