Music Video

what kind of audience would listen to this song?

Amy Lee is mostly speaking to anyone who has struggled with depression, or been effected negatively by their emotions so the ages range from young to 120 years.

Why did you choose this song?

We chose this particular song because is spoke to us in different ways. In both of our pasts it helped us overcome sadness, and helped us rise above the sorrow.

The message that this song conveys is to feel happy even when sorrow gets you down. Also it tells us that happiness is a state of a mind therefore we don't need to resort to chemicals to help us feel better about ourselves or events in our lives.

Song title

The title of this song gives us an insight towards what may be in the lyrical content. Lithium already explains in a simple word that we might be dealing with maybe a depressed, or bi-polar mood. Or tell a story about a person experiencing these feelings.

 An alternative title I may give to this one is; My sorrow, Happiness hurts, or drowning in sorrow.

Music of the song

     The music for this song is a dramatic piano and soft guitar rhythm to add an emotional, lonesome mood to the song. This adds dramatization and a depressed tone to the lyrics. Amy lee plays it this way to help the audience understand her struggle with depression and her pursuit for happiness.

Song structure

                                                              "Lithium"
                                                                           

                                                                  Beginning: 4 lines

Lithium, don't want to lock me up inside.
Lithium, don't want to forget how it feels without...
Lithium, I want to stay in love with my sorrow.
Oh, but God, I want to let it go

Verse 2: 4 lines

Come to bed, don't make me sleep alone.
Couldn't hide the emptiness, you let it show.
Never wanted it to be so cold.
Just didn't drink enough to say you love me.

Verse 3: 2 lines
I can't hold on to me,
Wonder what's wrong with me.

Chorus: 3 lines
Lithium, don't want to lock me up inside.
Lithium, don't want to forget how it feels without...
Lithium, I want to stay in love with my sorrow.

Bridge: 5 lines
Don't want to let it lay me down this time.
Drown my will to fly.
Here in the darkness I know myself.
Can't break free until I let it go.
Let me go.

Verse 4: 4 lines
Darling, I forgive you... After all,
Anything is better than to be alone.
And in the end I guess I had to fall.
Always find my place among the ashes.
Verse 5: 2 lines
I can't hold on to me,
Wonder what's wrong with me.

Chorus/ Ending: 4 line
Lithium, don't want to lock me up inside.
Lithium, don't want to forget how it feels without...
Lithium, ...stay in love with you.
I'm gonna let it go.

Poetic devices

"Lithium" being quoted in many parts of the song is being used as a metaphor for her sadness, wanting to be happy but it's holding her down.

Amy Lee doesn't seem to use any other poetic devices other than metaphors in her lyrical content.

Sound devices

     Lithium, don't wanna lock me up inside

     Lithium, don't wanna forget how it feels without

     Lithium, I wanna stay in love with my sorrow
     
     Then again at the end:
      Lithium, don't wanna lock me up inside
      Lithium, don't wanna forget how it feels without
      Lithium, stay in love with my sorrow
     

      These highlighted words are repetition to show that the lithium or the "sadness in her life" is heavy on her mind. She feels that she can't escape from the loneliness/sadness.

       Darling, I forgive you after all.
       Anything is better than to be alone.
       And in the end I guess I had to fall

    

      The highlighted words are apart of the rhyme scheme.

Lines from the song

      Lithium, don't want to lock me up inside.
(DOESN'T WANT TO LOCK UP THE PART OF HER WHICH IS SADNESS)

Lithium, don't want to forget how it feels without...
(DOESN'T WANT TO FORGET THE SAD PART OF HER)

Can't break free until I let it go.
(SHE CANT BE HAPPY TILL SHE LETS GO OF ALL THE SADNESS)

Drown my will to fly.
(SHE IS RESISTING THE URGE TO BECOME HAPPY)

Theme

There are several themes but the one's that stick out the most are:

• To embrace feeling over numbness.
• don't be afraid to be happy, or to feel loved.
• happiness is a state of mind, not a pill.

Amy Lee said in an interview with VH1 that she had never taken the medication lithium before in her life.

"It's not literal, it's not literal about the drug for me, I've never taken lithium before. It's sort of a metaphor about numbness and happiness and sort of like, it's me looking at happiness in a negative way because I've always been, you know, kind of afraid to be happy."

      

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Lithium

Lithium By Evanescence

•     The original artist, or songwriter  is Amy lee the lead singer.

Biography

Born: December 13, 1981 Riverside, California, U.S.

She is a musician, singer, songwriter of Evanescence. She plays instruments like the organ, guitar, piano, and harp. 

The characteristics are that of Amy Lee, and not of the band, making the song more personal to her.
Amy Lee describes the song as a song "which embraces feeling over numbness." 

Genre of song:

Alternative metal.