" Lithium " is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana , written by frontman Kurt Cobain . The song, which features shifts in dynamics from quiet to loud sections, tells the story of a man who finds religion as a last resort after the death of his girlfriend. "Lithium" was released as the third single from the band's second album Nevermind (1991) in July 1992, and it peaked at number 64 in the United States.
The music video , directed by Kevin Kerslake , consisted of live footage of the band edited into a montage.