Radiohead @ MindSay 
music
Electioneering
Yes, they're just lyrics and nothing original, but they sure are timely, yes?
Go vote, even if these lyrics do cast a sad shadow over the process, as opposed to a happy shadow, which does the robot while you stand stoically in the sun.
ELECTIONEERING - Radiohead
I will stop
I will stop at nothing
Say the right things
When electioneering
I trust I can rely on your vote
When I go forwards
You go backwards
And somewhere we will meet
Riot shields
Voodoo economics
It's just business
Cattle prods and the IMF
I trust I can rely on your vote
When I go forwards
You go backwards
And somewhere we will meet
Go vote, even if these lyrics do cast a sad shadow over the process, as opposed to a happy shadow, which does the robot while you stand stoically in the sun.
ELECTIONEERING - Radiohead
I will stop
I will stop at nothing
Say the right things
When electioneering
I trust I can rely on your vote
When I go forwards
You go backwards
And somewhere we will meet
Riot shields
Voodoo economics
It's just business
Cattle prods and the IMF
I trust I can rely on your vote
When I go forwards
You go backwards
And somewhere we will meet
My Top 52 Favorite Radiohead Songs (Pt. 5)
PART 5. THE TOP TEN.
10/ There There (The Boney King of Nowhere.) - Hail To The Thief - 2003
I knew I would forever love this song when, during my first listen, those tribal drums kicked in. The rhythm is incredibly catchy. And then that guitar riff in the beginning. Genius. I love how Thom's voice sounds so strained when he sings "There there." But my favorite part of the song is when Jonny Greenwood's guitar solo comes in. His guitar takes on a sort of cackle. It sounds and reminds me of a crow. I just can't get over how awesome the tone is. It's one of the scariest sounding tones I've ever heard. I love the lyrics sung here: "Why so green and lonely? Heaven sent you to me. We are accidents waiting to happen." Mind blowing. Absolutely mind blowing. Completely deserving of Top 10.
09/ Airbag - OK Computer - 1997
The fact that this is the opening track for their most renowned album says a lot. I know exactly what that says. It says that this is one HELL of a song. And it is. Every single piece and portion of this song is expertly crafted. The drums are cut up and sampled. The constant sleigh bells in the background. The amazing guitar riff. The awesome bass riff. The fantastic rhythm guitar. Thom's voice. And finally, the lyrics. "In an interstellar burst I am back to save the Universe."
08/ Reckoner - In Rainbows - 2007
When I first heard this song I expected to hear the gloomy, heavy rock song that was "Reckoner" back in 2005 and earlier. But they took me by surprise. This "Reckoner" was different. It was beautiful. It was celebratory. Instead of the original lyrics, "Feeling pulled apart my horses," there were new ones. "Dedicated to all you, all human beings." The bridge was completely different. "Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore. In rain, in rain. Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore (In rainbows)." I wasn't sure about it on first listen... but the more I gathered from it... the more I listened... the more I discovered that this is one of their best songs to date.
07/ Paranoid Android - OK Computer - 1997
What hasn't been said about this song? The story is that this is basically 3 different songs pieced together. There's the beginning. The curious melodies and playful guitars. But it switches moods rather suddenly. "Kickin screamin gucci li'l piggy!" The song becomes frantic and the time signature switches between 4/4 and 7/8... but just as your head is about to explode, the song breaks down into a slow-sung sad song. "Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me from a great height. From a great height." But the crazy side starts to rear its head. "That's it sir! You're leavin! The crackle of pigskin. The dust and the screamin. The yuppies networkin and the panic. The vomit. The panic. The vomit. God loves His children. God loves His children, yea!" BLAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!-INSANE-GUITAR-SOLO.
The perfect rock song.
06/ No Surprises - OK Computer - 1997
I once saw a video of two news reporters reporting on the premiere of Radiohead's new music video for "No Surprises." The lady news reporter, after hearing several seconds of the song, comments. "This is music you'd wanna cut your wrists to."
I don't agree that this is a suicide song... but it certainly is a sad one. While it does reference suicide ("I'll take a quiet life and a handshake of carbon monoxide"), I don't think that the song is about this. It appears to be a song about being content with having an ignorant and safe life. Ignorance is bliss. No alarms and no surprises, please. But ultimately, the song's placement at #6 in my Top 10 comes down to it's simple melodies. It's an instantly memorable song and one of their best written.
05/ Subterranean Homesick Alien - OK Computer - 1997
For some of you, the title of this song may grab you as a direct reference to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." While the titles are the same except for the last word, the songs sound and are written very differently. The song is what it sounds like. From the guitars to the keyboard, the song has a spacey quality to it, which is reflected in the lyrics. "I wish that they'd swoop down in a country lane late at night while I'm driving. Take me aboard their beautiful ship and show me the world as I'd love to see it." This song may not make many people's Top 10 Radiohead Songs but it does for me. After learning the song on guitar, I became hooked to the chord progression. I've loved it ever since.
04/ Karma Police - OK Computer - 1997
I personally think this is the catchiest song they have ever done. Even more catchy than "Fake Plastic Trees" or "My Iron Lung." Everything from the vocal melody to the piano part during the chorus just begs you to sing along. And that's not even the best part of the song! The ingenious lyrics of the verses bring you to the brilliantly crafted chorus of "this is what you'll get when you'll mess with us" before the song explodes into the catchiest melody of Radiohead's career to date. How dare you not sing your HEART out to "For a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself, I lost myself!" This is definitely the best song on OK Computer. But they outdid themselves.
03/ Pyramid Song - Amnesiac - 2001
It's very hard to believe that the follow up to Kid A would not only hold up as a great album but would also include, in my opinion, one of the best songs of all time. It seems like the only way they could go is down after that album. While Amnesiac certainly isn't as good as Kid A (or even, arguably, OK Computer) there's this one song on there that just stands out. It is, in essence, the collective emotional energy of the band packed into 4 minutes and 49 seconds.
When the song opens with its first 3 piano chords, there's a split second where it sounds like it is going to be at a certain time signature. But there's this slight pause between the 3rd and 4th chords. Then it goes back into a steady pace of the 4th chord, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th... but then another pause. It's as if Thom just doesn't want you to follow along at all. When I first got this album around 2004, I couldn't make sense of the chords. I heard their beauty and heard Thom singing along... but I couldn't wrap my head around the way the chords were placed. It seemed unimaginable that there could be a time signature to this song. Some people familiar with music theory might pick up on what's going on quite early but to the average listener, it doesn't click. Not even when the drums first pick up. But after a couple of seconds... the drums begin a steady rhythm... and now it all makes sense. I could go on and on and on... but I'd only be talking about the music.
The words tie everything together. It's an incredible story of a dead man's journey to the afterlife. I cannot remember if the Egyptians believe in a similar journey to the afterlife (which would make a connection to the title) but I do know that the Greeks believed that you had to ask a boatman to ferry you across the river Styx. In the song, Thom sings about jumping into the river and seeing black-eyed angels swimming with him. It's an incredible image to think about. The next line, "We all went to heaven in a little rowboat. There was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt" marks the segway into a rythmic song. It's mirrored in the lyrics. "All my lovers were there with me. All my pasts and futures." The last line in the song sums up the whole of the song. "There was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt."
02/ How To Disappear Completely - Kid A - 2000
This is the only song more emotional than "Pyramid Song." As a teenager, I connected to this song for many reasons that only a teenager could make sense of. But my connection with this song has held strong for the duration of nearly 8 years now. Just for different reasons. Having studied music theory and learning so many things about music I can love and connect with this song for so many reasons. The beauty of the vocal melody. The way the strings and ondes martenot are constantly making noise. The way the srings mirror the vocal melody. How when the strings take over during Thom's "ooh and ahh" part, they go from a perfect harmonic blend to a dissonant array of pitches that finally come together at the last moment and tie the song together into a beautiful close. The lyrics are simple. "I'm not here. This isn't happening." There isn't anything too complex. It's beautiful without having to find new ways of being it. It's proof that Radiohead is made up of some incredibly talented musicians.
01/ Idioteque - Kid A - 2000
One day, Jonny Greenwood walked into a record store and was browsing through records when he found First Recordings — Electronic Music Winners. On the record were two pieces. One titled Mild und Leise by Paul Lansky and the other called "Short Piece" by Arthur Krieger. Apparently Jonny Greenwood was so impressed that he shared the record with the others and they ended up sampling both songs in my favorite Radiohead song.
When the song opens, it is a very obvious departure from their pre-Kid A material. The drums aren't real. In fact I'm not sure WHAT is a real, physical instrument being played in this song, apart from Thom's vocals. The song's lyrics capture a sense of chaos in the midst of a pending nuclear fallout. It's an apocalyptic song of sorts. "Who's in bunker? Who's in bunker? Women and children first." "We're not scaremongering. This is really happening." It's incredible how the 4 chords taken from Mild und Leise fit the mood of the song so well.
But what I love about this song isn't really the lyrics. It's the musical depth of this song. There are layers upon layers upon layers of sounds, melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and words to be found. Until I got my hands on a version of this song with the middle channel cut out and another version with the left and right channels cut out, I thought I had discovered all there was to discovered. Up to about 3 months before I got the two new edits, I had discovered something new about every other month. Then when I got the 2 edits, I discovered a handful of other things. It's really incredible how packed this song is. The harmony vocal line just under the lead in the chorus... the multiple vocal takes being sung at the same time at certain points in the song... the 3 vocal parts at the end all being sung at the same time... the drum sounds upon drum sounds upon drum sounds... the ambient noises all over the place... It's a song to marvel at. I've not heard a single song that has done this as well as this song. Combine this with the incredible lyrics and the signature electronic chord progression and you have found the reason why this is my favorite Radiohead song.
Thanks for reading my lengthy fan-obsessions for the past couple of weeks.
So, just for you guys, here's me playing "House of Cards" on guitar. Nothing special but it was fun and quick to record.
I knew I would forever love this song when, during my first listen, those tribal drums kicked in. The rhythm is incredibly catchy. And then that guitar riff in the beginning. Genius. I love how Thom's voice sounds so strained when he sings "There there." But my favorite part of the song is when Jonny Greenwood's guitar solo comes in. His guitar takes on a sort of cackle. It sounds and reminds me of a crow. I just can't get over how awesome the tone is. It's one of the scariest sounding tones I've ever heard. I love the lyrics sung here: "Why so green and lonely? Heaven sent you to me. We are accidents waiting to happen." Mind blowing. Absolutely mind blowing. Completely deserving of Top 10.
09/ Airbag - OK Computer - 1997
The fact that this is the opening track for their most renowned album says a lot. I know exactly what that says. It says that this is one HELL of a song. And it is. Every single piece and portion of this song is expertly crafted. The drums are cut up and sampled. The constant sleigh bells in the background. The amazing guitar riff. The awesome bass riff. The fantastic rhythm guitar. Thom's voice. And finally, the lyrics. "In an interstellar burst I am back to save the Universe."
08/ Reckoner - In Rainbows - 2007
When I first heard this song I expected to hear the gloomy, heavy rock song that was "Reckoner" back in 2005 and earlier. But they took me by surprise. This "Reckoner" was different. It was beautiful. It was celebratory. Instead of the original lyrics, "Feeling pulled apart my horses," there were new ones. "Dedicated to all you, all human beings." The bridge was completely different. "Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore. In rain, in rain. Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore (In rainbows)." I wasn't sure about it on first listen... but the more I gathered from it... the more I listened... the more I discovered that this is one of their best songs to date.
07/ Paranoid Android - OK Computer - 1997
What hasn't been said about this song? The story is that this is basically 3 different songs pieced together. There's the beginning. The curious melodies and playful guitars. But it switches moods rather suddenly. "Kickin screamin gucci li'l piggy!" The song becomes frantic and the time signature switches between 4/4 and 7/8... but just as your head is about to explode, the song breaks down into a slow-sung sad song. "Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me from a great height. From a great height." But the crazy side starts to rear its head. "That's it sir! You're leavin! The crackle of pigskin. The dust and the screamin. The yuppies networkin and the panic. The vomit. The panic. The vomit. God loves His children. God loves His children, yea!" BLAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!-INSANE-GUITAR-SOLO.
The perfect rock song.
06/ No Surprises - OK Computer - 1997
I once saw a video of two news reporters reporting on the premiere of Radiohead's new music video for "No Surprises." The lady news reporter, after hearing several seconds of the song, comments. "This is music you'd wanna cut your wrists to."
I don't agree that this is a suicide song... but it certainly is a sad one. While it does reference suicide ("I'll take a quiet life and a handshake of carbon monoxide"), I don't think that the song is about this. It appears to be a song about being content with having an ignorant and safe life. Ignorance is bliss. No alarms and no surprises, please. But ultimately, the song's placement at #6 in my Top 10 comes down to it's simple melodies. It's an instantly memorable song and one of their best written.
05/ Subterranean Homesick Alien - OK Computer - 1997
For some of you, the title of this song may grab you as a direct reference to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." While the titles are the same except for the last word, the songs sound and are written very differently. The song is what it sounds like. From the guitars to the keyboard, the song has a spacey quality to it, which is reflected in the lyrics. "I wish that they'd swoop down in a country lane late at night while I'm driving. Take me aboard their beautiful ship and show me the world as I'd love to see it." This song may not make many people's Top 10 Radiohead Songs but it does for me. After learning the song on guitar, I became hooked to the chord progression. I've loved it ever since.
04/ Karma Police - OK Computer - 1997
I personally think this is the catchiest song they have ever done. Even more catchy than "Fake Plastic Trees" or "My Iron Lung." Everything from the vocal melody to the piano part during the chorus just begs you to sing along. And that's not even the best part of the song! The ingenious lyrics of the verses bring you to the brilliantly crafted chorus of "this is what you'll get when you'll mess with us" before the song explodes into the catchiest melody of Radiohead's career to date. How dare you not sing your HEART out to "For a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself, I lost myself!" This is definitely the best song on OK Computer. But they outdid themselves.
03/ Pyramid Song - Amnesiac - 2001
It's very hard to believe that the follow up to Kid A would not only hold up as a great album but would also include, in my opinion, one of the best songs of all time. It seems like the only way they could go is down after that album. While Amnesiac certainly isn't as good as Kid A (or even, arguably, OK Computer) there's this one song on there that just stands out. It is, in essence, the collective emotional energy of the band packed into 4 minutes and 49 seconds.
When the song opens with its first 3 piano chords, there's a split second where it sounds like it is going to be at a certain time signature. But there's this slight pause between the 3rd and 4th chords. Then it goes back into a steady pace of the 4th chord, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th... but then another pause. It's as if Thom just doesn't want you to follow along at all. When I first got this album around 2004, I couldn't make sense of the chords. I heard their beauty and heard Thom singing along... but I couldn't wrap my head around the way the chords were placed. It seemed unimaginable that there could be a time signature to this song. Some people familiar with music theory might pick up on what's going on quite early but to the average listener, it doesn't click. Not even when the drums first pick up. But after a couple of seconds... the drums begin a steady rhythm... and now it all makes sense. I could go on and on and on... but I'd only be talking about the music.
The words tie everything together. It's an incredible story of a dead man's journey to the afterlife. I cannot remember if the Egyptians believe in a similar journey to the afterlife (which would make a connection to the title) but I do know that the Greeks believed that you had to ask a boatman to ferry you across the river Styx. In the song, Thom sings about jumping into the river and seeing black-eyed angels swimming with him. It's an incredible image to think about. The next line, "We all went to heaven in a little rowboat. There was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt" marks the segway into a rythmic song. It's mirrored in the lyrics. "All my lovers were there with me. All my pasts and futures." The last line in the song sums up the whole of the song. "There was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt."
02/ How To Disappear Completely - Kid A - 2000
This is the only song more emotional than "Pyramid Song." As a teenager, I connected to this song for many reasons that only a teenager could make sense of. But my connection with this song has held strong for the duration of nearly 8 years now. Just for different reasons. Having studied music theory and learning so many things about music I can love and connect with this song for so many reasons. The beauty of the vocal melody. The way the strings and ondes martenot are constantly making noise. The way the srings mirror the vocal melody. How when the strings take over during Thom's "ooh and ahh" part, they go from a perfect harmonic blend to a dissonant array of pitches that finally come together at the last moment and tie the song together into a beautiful close. The lyrics are simple. "I'm not here. This isn't happening." There isn't anything too complex. It's beautiful without having to find new ways of being it. It's proof that Radiohead is made up of some incredibly talented musicians.
01/ Idioteque - Kid A - 2000
One day, Jonny Greenwood walked into a record store and was browsing through records when he found First Recordings — Electronic Music Winners. On the record were two pieces. One titled Mild und Leise by Paul Lansky and the other called "Short Piece" by Arthur Krieger. Apparently Jonny Greenwood was so impressed that he shared the record with the others and they ended up sampling both songs in my favorite Radiohead song.
When the song opens, it is a very obvious departure from their pre-Kid A material. The drums aren't real. In fact I'm not sure WHAT is a real, physical instrument being played in this song, apart from Thom's vocals. The song's lyrics capture a sense of chaos in the midst of a pending nuclear fallout. It's an apocalyptic song of sorts. "Who's in bunker? Who's in bunker? Women and children first." "We're not scaremongering. This is really happening." It's incredible how the 4 chords taken from Mild und Leise fit the mood of the song so well.
But what I love about this song isn't really the lyrics. It's the musical depth of this song. There are layers upon layers upon layers of sounds, melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and words to be found. Until I got my hands on a version of this song with the middle channel cut out and another version with the left and right channels cut out, I thought I had discovered all there was to discovered. Up to about 3 months before I got the two new edits, I had discovered something new about every other month. Then when I got the 2 edits, I discovered a handful of other things. It's really incredible how packed this song is. The harmony vocal line just under the lead in the chorus... the multiple vocal takes being sung at the same time at certain points in the song... the 3 vocal parts at the end all being sung at the same time... the drum sounds upon drum sounds upon drum sounds... the ambient noises all over the place... It's a song to marvel at. I've not heard a single song that has done this as well as this song. Combine this with the incredible lyrics and the signature electronic chord progression and you have found the reason why this is my favorite Radiohead song.
Thanks for reading my lengthy fan-obsessions for the past couple of weeks.
So, just for you guys, here's me playing "House of Cards" on guitar. Nothing special but it was fun and quick to record.
My Top 52 Favorite Radiohead Songs (Pt. 4)
PART 4
20/ Bodysnatchers - In Rainbows - 2007
This is one of their most solid rock songs to date and one of my most favorite songs to play on guitar. And that's all that needs to be said about this amazing song.
19/ Motion Picture Soundtrack - Kid A - 2000
The perfect end to their perfect album. From the harps, to the pump organ, to Thom's voice, this song is such an incredibly heartfelt and emotionally strong song. Everything is written so beautifully. The song ends with Thom singing "I will see you in the next life." There's a peaceful death at the end. The harps are plucked so that it sounds as if you're slowly falling asleep... then... silence. One minute of silence before a single note penetrates. And then that single note turns into a short crescendo of beautiful sound. I describe it as the sound that you hear when you see Heaven.
18/ Let Down - OK Computer - 1997
This song was written about the feeling you get looking out of a fast-moving car or train and everything just whizzes by. And it definitely feels like that. One of the greatest things about Radiohead is their knack for new things to come up with. New sounds to make. New rhythms. And "Let Down" has a brilliant guitar riff that starts off the song. It's a simple and pretty series of notes and they're played in 5/4 time. For those that aren't music-term-literate, 5/4 means instead of the beat going 1-2-3-4, the beat goes 1-2-3-4-5. The twist on this is that the entire song is in 4/4 (typical popular music signature 1-2-3-4) time. So when the riff is played in the beginning, it's repeated twice. On the third repeat, the riff gets to the 3rd beat before the drums come in. So when the song bursts into motion after the intro, the riff starts at the 4th beat while everything else starts at the 1st. But each fourth series of 4 beats, the guitar riff starts one beat later. So it becomes guitar riff = 5th beat, everything else = 1st beat. Another four times through and the guitar's riff then starts with everything else, on the 1st beat. Then the 2nd and so on and so on. I could go on and on and get more and more confusing but that has always been something I've admired about this song. The molding of two time signatures so seemlessly. Everything else is golden too, don't get me wrong. It's got some of my favorite lines in the song. "One day I am going to grow wings. A chemical reaction. Hysterical and useless. Hysterical and let down and hangin around. Crushed like a bug in the ground. Let down and hangin around."
17/ Big Boots - Live in Salamanca - 2002
In a very recent interview with Ed O'Brien, Radiohead's rhythm guitarrist, the guy basically said that "Big Boots" is, without a better way of putting it, dead. Unless they decide to play it live again, this song is probably never going to get a proper recording in the studio. Very, very unfortunate news. This is an INCREDIBLE song. Imagine this scenario:
You go to a movie theatre to see the newest 007 flick (this is a fictional situation. don't start thinking about Quantam of Solace here). It stars (English guy) and is titled Man-O-War.
Radiohead's "Big Boots" would be the song played in the opening credits, right after he shoots the camera. This would be the perfect Bond song. And yet it's so Radiohead sounding. My favorite part of this song is Jonny Greenwood's signature riff for this song after the chorus.
16/ Everything In Its Right Place - Kid A - 2000
The first 5 notes of this song (a descending arpeggio in C) are the first 5 notes I heard of any Radiohead song ever (I'm not counting "Creep," sorry). I had just purchased Kid A and was listening to the CD. It's the first song on the CD, obviously. Those descending notes are some of the most memorable notes of all time for me. They essentially started my love for music. I have Radiohead to thank for my undying passion for it. They're so warm and inviting. And then Thom's voice comes in... but sampled. It's all over the song. Split-second clips of him in the middle of singing being repeated back and forth. Then Thom comes in, with all of his glitchy vocal samples, and sings "Everything. Everything. Everything. Everything in its right place. In its right place. In its right place. In its right place." It certainly is, Thom. Next comes my favorite Radiohead lyric of all time: "Yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon." I still, to this day, have no idea what it means but I absolutely love the ideas this one lyric gives you. I just... love this song. So much. The way the keyboard gets colder and colder by the end of the song... The way the sampled Thoms try and sing along with the real one.
Interestingly enough, on May 8th of this year, probably my most beloved musical moment of all time happened at my first-time Radiohead concert. During the performance of this song, while I was singing along, I looked up at Thom (who was facing my side of the stage on keyboard) and he looked at me and, while bobbing our heads together in rhythm to the song, we sang "yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon" together.
15/ <--not intentional-->15 Step - In Rainbows - 2007
So while we're on the subject of Radiohead firsts...
This is the first song on their newest album. Everyone already knows about their pay-what-you-want scheme. Well. I paid $80 to have my awesome discbox on October 1st. On October 10th they released the album online. Having a ticket for the download from the discbox, I received the email. I opened the attachment and downloaded the album. I checked and doublechecked everything. I saw the folder titled "In Rainbows" appear on my desktop. I threw that bitch in my iTunes. I got my best headphones and plugged them into my computer and pressed play. "BOOM clack clack clack clack - clack clack clack - How come I end up where I started?"
I about pissed.
I heard the birth of this song live in 2006 and now I was hearing its final studio version. And it was perfect. I had to keep from yelling outloud and waking up my parents. From the combination of drums and drum machine to the spacey guitar to Thom's vocals to the little kids yelling "YEAAAAAH!!!!" after he sings "Fads for whatever!" I adore this song. I have never danced as hard as when they played this song live in Atlanta. Insane.
14/ Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box - Amnesiac - 2001
I love the beginning. It's like someone is just playing a pair of metal bowls for the hell of it and they just managed to capture it and put it in a song. And then that bass line comes in. One of my favorite bass lines from Colin. And I can't help but love the lyrics: "After years of waiting, nothing came. As your love flashed before your eyes, you realize I'm a reasonable man. Get off my case." !!!!! Haha! I love it! Unfortunately, I think they murder the luster of this song live. The fuzzbass needs to go, Coz.
13/ The National Anthem - Kid A - 2000
I don't know what genre to place this song in. I just don't. It's Radiohead genre. With the funkiest bassline ever, the song paints the picture of a few seconds of black and white footage of a man in a suit from the 20s dancing, repeating endlessly. It has an eery quality to it. And then Thom starts singing and it sounds like he's trapped in a metal box and singing into a long pipe that extends out from the box. And then... SAXOPHONE?! Yep. And then more brass. And more. Until finally it's just one big ball of brass that comes crashing to an end. But Thom sings it all back to life and it gets going again. But the furosity with which these musicians play their instruments causes the song to come crashing down once more. This time it's irreparable. This is the most remarkable example of fusing different styles of music I know of.
12/ Planet Telex - The Bends - 1995
The sheer intensity of the electric guitars playing the first chord of the chorus just makes me sweat. I love every single thing about this song. "EVERYTHING IS BROKEN. EVERYONE IS BROKEN." A perfect rock song. I don't think that Radiohead need to go back to pure rock. They've already made the perfect rock album. The Bends has been out for 13 years. Let it be. They won't be able to outdo themselves.
11/ All I Need - In Rainbows - 2007
This is an example of how to make a song in a major key sound kinda creepy. But it's not TOO creepy. It does have a stalkerish feel to it but it isn't overwhelming. When Thom sings the verses, it has a very aggressive feel to it. But then he sings the chorus and it takes on more of a delicate feel. "You are all I need. You're all I need. I'm in the middle of your picture lying in the reeds." And at the end of the second chorus the song takes a turn for an explosion of emotion. Strings, piano, and glockenspiel back Thom basically crying out "It's all right! It's all wrong! It's all right! It's all wrong!" This was one of my favorites when they premiered it live in 06 and I feel that they did the song justice. I love the hip-hop drums in the song combined with the dark-yet-inviting bass synth. And then the chords that sound like they're played by ghosts in the background. It's an atmosphere that they perfected in the studio. And that's why it's my 11th favorite Radiohead song.
This is one of their most solid rock songs to date and one of my most favorite songs to play on guitar. And that's all that needs to be said about this amazing song.
19/ Motion Picture Soundtrack - Kid A - 2000
The perfect end to their perfect album. From the harps, to the pump organ, to Thom's voice, this song is such an incredibly heartfelt and emotionally strong song. Everything is written so beautifully. The song ends with Thom singing "I will see you in the next life." There's a peaceful death at the end. The harps are plucked so that it sounds as if you're slowly falling asleep... then... silence. One minute of silence before a single note penetrates. And then that single note turns into a short crescendo of beautiful sound. I describe it as the sound that you hear when you see Heaven.
18/ Let Down - OK Computer - 1997
This song was written about the feeling you get looking out of a fast-moving car or train and everything just whizzes by. And it definitely feels like that. One of the greatest things about Radiohead is their knack for new things to come up with. New sounds to make. New rhythms. And "Let Down" has a brilliant guitar riff that starts off the song. It's a simple and pretty series of notes and they're played in 5/4 time. For those that aren't music-term-literate, 5/4 means instead of the beat going 1-2-3-4, the beat goes 1-2-3-4-5. The twist on this is that the entire song is in 4/4 (typical popular music signature 1-2-3-4) time. So when the riff is played in the beginning, it's repeated twice. On the third repeat, the riff gets to the 3rd beat before the drums come in. So when the song bursts into motion after the intro, the riff starts at the 4th beat while everything else starts at the 1st. But each fourth series of 4 beats, the guitar riff starts one beat later. So it becomes guitar riff = 5th beat, everything else = 1st beat. Another four times through and the guitar's riff then starts with everything else, on the 1st beat. Then the 2nd and so on and so on. I could go on and on and get more and more confusing but that has always been something I've admired about this song. The molding of two time signatures so seemlessly. Everything else is golden too, don't get me wrong. It's got some of my favorite lines in the song. "One day I am going to grow wings. A chemical reaction. Hysterical and useless. Hysterical and let down and hangin around. Crushed like a bug in the ground. Let down and hangin around."
17/ Big Boots - Live in Salamanca - 2002
In a very recent interview with Ed O'Brien, Radiohead's rhythm guitarrist, the guy basically said that "Big Boots" is, without a better way of putting it, dead. Unless they decide to play it live again, this song is probably never going to get a proper recording in the studio. Very, very unfortunate news. This is an INCREDIBLE song. Imagine this scenario:
You go to a movie theatre to see the newest 007 flick (this is a fictional situation. don't start thinking about Quantam of Solace here). It stars (English guy) and is titled Man-O-War.
Radiohead's "Big Boots" would be the song played in the opening credits, right after he shoots the camera. This would be the perfect Bond song. And yet it's so Radiohead sounding. My favorite part of this song is Jonny Greenwood's signature riff for this song after the chorus.
16/ Everything In Its Right Place - Kid A - 2000
The first 5 notes of this song (a descending arpeggio in C) are the first 5 notes I heard of any Radiohead song ever (I'm not counting "Creep," sorry). I had just purchased Kid A and was listening to the CD. It's the first song on the CD, obviously. Those descending notes are some of the most memorable notes of all time for me. They essentially started my love for music. I have Radiohead to thank for my undying passion for it. They're so warm and inviting. And then Thom's voice comes in... but sampled. It's all over the song. Split-second clips of him in the middle of singing being repeated back and forth. Then Thom comes in, with all of his glitchy vocal samples, and sings "Everything. Everything. Everything. Everything in its right place. In its right place. In its right place. In its right place." It certainly is, Thom. Next comes my favorite Radiohead lyric of all time: "Yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon." I still, to this day, have no idea what it means but I absolutely love the ideas this one lyric gives you. I just... love this song. So much. The way the keyboard gets colder and colder by the end of the song... The way the sampled Thoms try and sing along with the real one.
Interestingly enough, on May 8th of this year, probably my most beloved musical moment of all time happened at my first-time Radiohead concert. During the performance of this song, while I was singing along, I looked up at Thom (who was facing my side of the stage on keyboard) and he looked at me and, while bobbing our heads together in rhythm to the song, we sang "yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon" together.
15/ <--not intentional-->15 Step - In Rainbows - 2007
So while we're on the subject of Radiohead firsts...
This is the first song on their newest album. Everyone already knows about their pay-what-you-want scheme. Well. I paid $80 to have my awesome discbox on October 1st. On October 10th they released the album online. Having a ticket for the download from the discbox, I received the email. I opened the attachment and downloaded the album. I checked and doublechecked everything. I saw the folder titled "In Rainbows" appear on my desktop. I threw that bitch in my iTunes. I got my best headphones and plugged them into my computer and pressed play. "BOOM clack clack clack clack - clack clack clack - How come I end up where I started?"
I about pissed.
I heard the birth of this song live in 2006 and now I was hearing its final studio version. And it was perfect. I had to keep from yelling outloud and waking up my parents. From the combination of drums and drum machine to the spacey guitar to Thom's vocals to the little kids yelling "YEAAAAAH!!!!" after he sings "Fads for whatever!" I adore this song. I have never danced as hard as when they played this song live in Atlanta. Insane.
14/ Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box - Amnesiac - 2001
I love the beginning. It's like someone is just playing a pair of metal bowls for the hell of it and they just managed to capture it and put it in a song. And then that bass line comes in. One of my favorite bass lines from Colin. And I can't help but love the lyrics: "After years of waiting, nothing came. As your love flashed before your eyes, you realize I'm a reasonable man. Get off my case." !!!!! Haha! I love it! Unfortunately, I think they murder the luster of this song live. The fuzzbass needs to go, Coz.
13/ The National Anthem - Kid A - 2000
I don't know what genre to place this song in. I just don't. It's Radiohead genre. With the funkiest bassline ever, the song paints the picture of a few seconds of black and white footage of a man in a suit from the 20s dancing, repeating endlessly. It has an eery quality to it. And then Thom starts singing and it sounds like he's trapped in a metal box and singing into a long pipe that extends out from the box. And then... SAXOPHONE?! Yep. And then more brass. And more. Until finally it's just one big ball of brass that comes crashing to an end. But Thom sings it all back to life and it gets going again. But the furosity with which these musicians play their instruments causes the song to come crashing down once more. This time it's irreparable. This is the most remarkable example of fusing different styles of music I know of.
12/ Planet Telex - The Bends - 1995
The sheer intensity of the electric guitars playing the first chord of the chorus just makes me sweat. I love every single thing about this song. "EVERYTHING IS BROKEN. EVERYONE IS BROKEN." A perfect rock song. I don't think that Radiohead need to go back to pure rock. They've already made the perfect rock album. The Bends has been out for 13 years. Let it be. They won't be able to outdo themselves.
11/ All I Need - In Rainbows - 2007
This is an example of how to make a song in a major key sound kinda creepy. But it's not TOO creepy. It does have a stalkerish feel to it but it isn't overwhelming. When Thom sings the verses, it has a very aggressive feel to it. But then he sings the chorus and it takes on more of a delicate feel. "You are all I need. You're all I need. I'm in the middle of your picture lying in the reeds." And at the end of the second chorus the song takes a turn for an explosion of emotion. Strings, piano, and glockenspiel back Thom basically crying out "It's all right! It's all wrong! It's all right! It's all wrong!" This was one of my favorites when they premiered it live in 06 and I feel that they did the song justice. I love the hip-hop drums in the song combined with the dark-yet-inviting bass synth. And then the chords that sound like they're played by ghosts in the background. It's an atmosphere that they perfected in the studio. And that's why it's my 11th favorite Radiohead song.
PART 5 SOON
My Top 50 Favorite Radiohead Songs (Pt. 3)
PART 3
30/ Kid A - Kid A - 2000
The beginning of this song sounds like a wind-up music box for an infant. When the next part comes in, it makes me think of a long and vast frozen tundra. It's an interesting combination. But considering the title of the song, the album it's on, the overall theme of the album, and the artwork supplied with the album, it fits PERFECTLY. One aspect of this song that I just love is how Thom's voice was recorded. Apparently, they directed Thom's vocals through Jonny Greenwood's ondes martenot (which is basically the father of the theremin, the main difference being the ondes is played using keys and a finger-ring connected to a string, controlling the pitch). Jonny played the notes that Thom was singing while he was singing them, so you get these vocals that are just... otherworldly. It's amazing. One of my favorite lines is from this song. "We've got heads on sticks. You've got ventriloquists."
29/ Street Spirit (Fade Out) - The Bends - 1995
This song doesn't really help the cliche image of the band being depressed and gloomy musicians. But you can't deny the power of the lyrics, the beautiful vocals, and the masterful guitar work on this song. When the third guitar comes in with supplemental notes in the third verse, the song takes on a beauty that I can't begin to describe. Proper drumming comes in shortly after but it doesn't clutter the song. The last line of the song is sung and everything just ties together. "Immerse your soul in love."
28/ I Might Be Wrong - Amnesiac - 2001
Ohhhhh wow, how I love the guitar in this song. This is close to my favorite guitar riff that Radiohead have ever come up with. It's extremely simple without really copying anyone else. It's one of the many, many elements in this song that make me imagine a hot, dry desert and a desperado riding a horse, galloping off into the sunset. I love the exra crunch in the guitar in the live version :)
27/ Climbing Up The Walls - OK Computer - 1997
This is another Radiohead song that goes down as one of their creepiest. The soundscape created in the opening moments is more sinister than any other song I've heard. From the reverbing drums to the sound effects that were birthed in an insane asylum, this song is the song for a man foaming at the mouth in a straightjacket. When the song reaches its climax, even more sound effects and guitars have been added and they burst into an ondes martenot solo that just breaks any hopes that the song would take a turn for the sane. By the time Thom starts singing again, his voice has turned to a frantic yell that eventually yields a bloodcurdling scream, ripping the song at its seams. The song then dies a slow death of dissonance and static. Incredible.
26/ Life In A Glass House - Amnesiac - 2001
This song sounds like a 1920s jazz piece conducted and sung by a drunken man. It's a complete 180 degree turn from most of the material on Amnesiac but it fits so well... I'm still not sure how. The chorus of this song is one of my favorite Radiohead moments. The horn stab just before Thom starts singing is just amazing... everything just bursts into color from the clumsy, black and white verse. "Well of course I'd like to sit around and chat! Well of course I'd like to stay and chew the fat!" Maybe the colored atmosphere will continue? "But someone's listening in..." Nope... back to the verse. Don't get me wrong though. I absolutely love the verse. It's just interesting how the verse and chorus are similar... but very very different from each other. The aforementioned happens once more but it continues for a while longer. "Only, only only, only!!!" Thom yells, over impovised brass instruments. "...Someone's listening in..." Amazing how Radiohead could do a song like this so well.
25/ Just - The Bends - 1995
One of the most insanely awesome amazing rock songs of the nineties. I don't care what any of you think, this song is better than 90% of the rock songs that came out during that decade. I was blessed to be able to experience Radiohead but the experience was made 10x better by the inclusion of a handful of songs I've always wanted to see live. This is one of them.
24/ Exit Music (For A Film) - OK Computer - 1997
This song is based on the romance between Romeo and Juliet. It's a great example of Thom's low register and perfect example of the masterfully crafted climaxes that riddle OK Computer.
23/ Lucky - OK Computer - 1997
This is another song that was not originally written for inclusion on OK Computer. It was originally written for the HELP charity album. Again, it was so good, it just had to be included on the album. The guitar riff during the chorus is another of my favorites from this band. This song is also one of my favorites to play on guitar and sing.
22/ Talk Show Host - Street Spirit (Fade Out) CD1 - 1996
I'm just gonna have to say that I consider this the best b-side ever put out by Radiohead... I still can't believe that I heard this song in person. Being performed by Radiohead. From the guitars... to the... there's too much to be said about this song that's already been said. It's a masterpiece. It's very very hard to place this song on the list in a position that seems right for it. It could arguably be much, much higher but once you get to about this area on the list... it's very very hard to decide. This is one of the best songs of all time. How could you not love the following lines: "You want me? Fucking well come and find me. I'll be waiting with a gun and a pack of sandwiches."
21/ My Iron Lung - The Bends - 1995
The opening riff in this song is, I believe, one of the most memorable of the past 50 years. That's just me, of course, but this song is just... such a perfect rock song. And then the kick-in-the-mouth in the middle of the song... Wow. This was Radiohead's answer to "Creep." "This is our new song. Just like the last one. A total waste of time. My iron lung." What an answer!
The beginning of this song sounds like a wind-up music box for an infant. When the next part comes in, it makes me think of a long and vast frozen tundra. It's an interesting combination. But considering the title of the song, the album it's on, the overall theme of the album, and the artwork supplied with the album, it fits PERFECTLY. One aspect of this song that I just love is how Thom's voice was recorded. Apparently, they directed Thom's vocals through Jonny Greenwood's ondes martenot (which is basically the father of the theremin, the main difference being the ondes is played using keys and a finger-ring connected to a string, controlling the pitch). Jonny played the notes that Thom was singing while he was singing them, so you get these vocals that are just... otherworldly. It's amazing. One of my favorite lines is from this song. "We've got heads on sticks. You've got ventriloquists."
29/ Street Spirit (Fade Out) - The Bends - 1995
This song doesn't really help the cliche image of the band being depressed and gloomy musicians. But you can't deny the power of the lyrics, the beautiful vocals, and the masterful guitar work on this song. When the third guitar comes in with supplemental notes in the third verse, the song takes on a beauty that I can't begin to describe. Proper drumming comes in shortly after but it doesn't clutter the song. The last line of the song is sung and everything just ties together. "Immerse your soul in love."
28/ I Might Be Wrong - Amnesiac - 2001
Ohhhhh wow, how I love the guitar in this song. This is close to my favorite guitar riff that Radiohead have ever come up with. It's extremely simple without really copying anyone else. It's one of the many, many elements in this song that make me imagine a hot, dry desert and a desperado riding a horse, galloping off into the sunset. I love the exra crunch in the guitar in the live version :)
27/ Climbing Up The Walls - OK Computer - 1997
This is another Radiohead song that goes down as one of their creepiest. The soundscape created in the opening moments is more sinister than any other song I've heard. From the reverbing drums to the sound effects that were birthed in an insane asylum, this song is the song for a man foaming at the mouth in a straightjacket. When the song reaches its climax, even more sound effects and guitars have been added and they burst into an ondes martenot solo that just breaks any hopes that the song would take a turn for the sane. By the time Thom starts singing again, his voice has turned to a frantic yell that eventually yields a bloodcurdling scream, ripping the song at its seams. The song then dies a slow death of dissonance and static. Incredible.
26/ Life In A Glass House - Amnesiac - 2001
This song sounds like a 1920s jazz piece conducted and sung by a drunken man. It's a complete 180 degree turn from most of the material on Amnesiac but it fits so well... I'm still not sure how. The chorus of this song is one of my favorite Radiohead moments. The horn stab just before Thom starts singing is just amazing... everything just bursts into color from the clumsy, black and white verse. "Well of course I'd like to sit around and chat! Well of course I'd like to stay and chew the fat!" Maybe the colored atmosphere will continue? "But someone's listening in..." Nope... back to the verse. Don't get me wrong though. I absolutely love the verse. It's just interesting how the verse and chorus are similar... but very very different from each other. The aforementioned happens once more but it continues for a while longer. "Only, only only, only!!!" Thom yells, over impovised brass instruments. "...Someone's listening in..." Amazing how Radiohead could do a song like this so well.
25/ Just - The Bends - 1995
One of the most insanely awesome amazing rock songs of the nineties. I don't care what any of you think, this song is better than 90% of the rock songs that came out during that decade. I was blessed to be able to experience Radiohead but the experience was made 10x better by the inclusion of a handful of songs I've always wanted to see live. This is one of them.
24/ Exit Music (For A Film) - OK Computer - 1997
This song is based on the romance between Romeo and Juliet. It's a great example of Thom's low register and perfect example of the masterfully crafted climaxes that riddle OK Computer.
23/ Lucky - OK Computer - 1997
This is another song that was not originally written for inclusion on OK Computer. It was originally written for the HELP charity album. Again, it was so good, it just had to be included on the album. The guitar riff during the chorus is another of my favorites from this band. This song is also one of my favorites to play on guitar and sing.
22/ Talk Show Host - Street Spirit (Fade Out) CD1 - 1996
I'm just gonna have to say that I consider this the best b-side ever put out by Radiohead... I still can't believe that I heard this song in person. Being performed by Radiohead. From the guitars... to the... there's too much to be said about this song that's already been said. It's a masterpiece. It's very very hard to place this song on the list in a position that seems right for it. It could arguably be much, much higher but once you get to about this area on the list... it's very very hard to decide. This is one of the best songs of all time. How could you not love the following lines: "You want me? Fucking well come and find me. I'll be waiting with a gun and a pack of sandwiches."
21/ My Iron Lung - The Bends - 1995
The opening riff in this song is, I believe, one of the most memorable of the past 50 years. That's just me, of course, but this song is just... such a perfect rock song. And then the kick-in-the-mouth in the middle of the song... Wow. This was Radiohead's answer to "Creep." "This is our new song. Just like the last one. A total waste of time. My iron lung." What an answer!
PART 4 SOON
My Top 50 Favorite Radiohead Songs (Pt. 2)
PART 2
40/ Jigsaw Falling Into Place - In Rainbows - 2007
When this song debuted, I thought it was average. It sounded like a Billy Idol tune with Radiohead guitars. It grew on me a little but I wasn't particularly fond of it. Then it was properly released and I love it. I love the chord changes in this song. The song's lyrics paint a picture of a fast-paced club scene and at the climax of this song the song just bursts with energy. From the furiously picked guitar arpeggios to the (what sounds like) harpsichord to the raised pitch in Thom's singing, this song just screams amazing.
39/ 4 Minute Warning - In Rainbows (Disc 2) - 2007
I was one of the few people who really liked the live version of this song back in '06. Jonny and Ed surrounded Thom (who was on piano) and they had a little campfire sing-a-long of sorts right there on stage. It was very lovely. It wasn't the best of the new material but it certainly had potential. And BOY did they milk it. The studio version of this song starts with what I can only describe as the sound of heat (it's obviously some sort of synth sound that they came up with... but it works well in the opening). But it's not a campfire sort of heat. More like the smoldering remains of a bombed out building. The lyrics are about the panic and chaos surrounding a 4 minute warning prior to a bombing. And the song sounds like what the scared people in the bomb shelter would sing while waiting.
38/ Down Is The New Up - In Rainbows (Disc 2) - 2007
Another of the 2006 new material songs. They still haven't played it on their current 2008 world tour... and I really want them to. I love the energy of this song. The lyrics are... so-so. There are a couple funky lines in there but they fit the overall theme of the song. So not the best songwriting but the music more than makes up for it. It starts out with piano, drums, vocals, and then segways into the second part, adding guitars. But when the song crashes back into the verse, they introduce orchestra-size strings and give the song an eery, dark, and foreboding sound. Just before the verse ends the strings build and build and build and then everything just releases into the short "jam" at the end. Thom described the recording and finished sound of this song as a headtrip. Spot on description, Thom.
37/ Go To Sleep (Little Man Being Erased.) - Hail To The Thief - 2003
There were a couple times when I considered leaving this song off the list. Then I listened to the song and there's just absolutely nothing wrong with this song. It is a classic rock tune. Radiohead showing us that they aren't all glitchy beats and ambient synth. Ed O'Brien, the rhythm guitarrist, is sort of the guy who brings everyone back to reality at times. He loves just rocking out and it was, in fact, he who came up with the opening guitar riff. But it's funny because you can almost feel the tug between bandmates' interests here. The rocking out is very nicely done. But it sounds like the song is almost sung by a robot in human form. There are little computer-induced freakouts here and there in the vocals and guitars that really sort of define what Radiohead are all about. Top-notch song.
36/ House of Cards - In Rainbows - 2007
Radiohead's "make-out song." Their sexiest song to date. I know for a fact that making love to this song has been done many, many, many times by many, many, many different people. There's just no doubt in my mind. "I don't want to be your friend. I just want to be your lover" is the opening line of the song. Judge for yourself.
35/ Worrywort - Knives Out (Pt. 2) - 2001
I think that this has quickly become one of my favorite Radiohead b-sides. If I had a properly tuned piano, I would immediately begin to work out the chord structure and little synth riff in the beginning. This is the computer-equivalent of a beautiful, beautiful piano song. I would give anything to see them play this live. And it has such a great message. Definitely proof that Radiohead aren't the gloom and doom band that everyone pretends them to be. "Think of all the fun you could be having." "Such a beautiful day. Find yourself a moment and go and get some wings." About a worrywort / hermit and how they need to live life free of their closed space.
34/ Morning Bell - Kid A - 2001
I love the drums and guitar in this song. Absolutely love it. I also love how it starts right in the middle of the noise left over from the song before it, "Idioteque." The song is about a marriage breaking up. Sad topic, lovely song.
33/ Nude - In Rainbows - 2007
Most Radiohead fans know that this song has been kicking around for at least 10 years. But the band could never figure out a proper way to record it. Apparently it has been attempted on every record from OK Computer and on. And now it's here. In its final form. And I love what they did with it. You can make the "old Nude is better than new Nude" argument all you want to but I still enjoy this song too much to hate on it. When I first listened to the In Rainbows version of this song I nearly cried because of the beauty of the beginning. I do wish that they had kept the strings from the beginning going. My only big gripe. I don't think the song could be successfully pulled off any other way.
32/ The Tourist - OK Computer - 1997
Some of my favorite lyrics of all time. A rekindled love for this song was sparked from hearing an amazing live version earlier this year. Absolutely brilliant.
31/ Knives Out - Amnesiac - 2001
Some of the creepiest lyrics ever written. And I love it! One of my favorites to play on guitar.
When this song debuted, I thought it was average. It sounded like a Billy Idol tune with Radiohead guitars. It grew on me a little but I wasn't particularly fond of it. Then it was properly released and I love it. I love the chord changes in this song. The song's lyrics paint a picture of a fast-paced club scene and at the climax of this song the song just bursts with energy. From the furiously picked guitar arpeggios to the (what sounds like) harpsichord to the raised pitch in Thom's singing, this song just screams amazing.
39/ 4 Minute Warning - In Rainbows (Disc 2) - 2007
I was one of the few people who really liked the live version of this song back in '06. Jonny and Ed surrounded Thom (who was on piano) and they had a little campfire sing-a-long of sorts right there on stage. It was very lovely. It wasn't the best of the new material but it certainly had potential. And BOY did they milk it. The studio version of this song starts with what I can only describe as the sound of heat (it's obviously some sort of synth sound that they came up with... but it works well in the opening). But it's not a campfire sort of heat. More like the smoldering remains of a bombed out building. The lyrics are about the panic and chaos surrounding a 4 minute warning prior to a bombing. And the song sounds like what the scared people in the bomb shelter would sing while waiting.
38/ Down Is The New Up - In Rainbows (Disc 2) - 2007
Another of the 2006 new material songs. They still haven't played it on their current 2008 world tour... and I really want them to. I love the energy of this song. The lyrics are... so-so. There are a couple funky lines in there but they fit the overall theme of the song. So not the best songwriting but the music more than makes up for it. It starts out with piano, drums, vocals, and then segways into the second part, adding guitars. But when the song crashes back into the verse, they introduce orchestra-size strings and give the song an eery, dark, and foreboding sound. Just before the verse ends the strings build and build and build and then everything just releases into the short "jam" at the end. Thom described the recording and finished sound of this song as a headtrip. Spot on description, Thom.
37/ Go To Sleep (Little Man Being Erased.) - Hail To The Thief - 2003
There were a couple times when I considered leaving this song off the list. Then I listened to the song and there's just absolutely nothing wrong with this song. It is a classic rock tune. Radiohead showing us that they aren't all glitchy beats and ambient synth. Ed O'Brien, the rhythm guitarrist, is sort of the guy who brings everyone back to reality at times. He loves just rocking out and it was, in fact, he who came up with the opening guitar riff. But it's funny because you can almost feel the tug between bandmates' interests here. The rocking out is very nicely done. But it sounds like the song is almost sung by a robot in human form. There are little computer-induced freakouts here and there in the vocals and guitars that really sort of define what Radiohead are all about. Top-notch song.
36/ House of Cards - In Rainbows - 2007
Radiohead's "make-out song." Their sexiest song to date. I know for a fact that making love to this song has been done many, many, many times by many, many, many different people. There's just no doubt in my mind. "I don't want to be your friend. I just want to be your lover" is the opening line of the song. Judge for yourself.
35/ Worrywort - Knives Out (Pt. 2) - 2001
I think that this has quickly become one of my favorite Radiohead b-sides. If I had a properly tuned piano, I would immediately begin to work out the chord structure and little synth riff in the beginning. This is the computer-equivalent of a beautiful, beautiful piano song. I would give anything to see them play this live. And it has such a great message. Definitely proof that Radiohead aren't the gloom and doom band that everyone pretends them to be. "Think of all the fun you could be having." "Such a beautiful day. Find yourself a moment and go and get some wings." About a worrywort / hermit and how they need to live life free of their closed space.
34/ Morning Bell - Kid A - 2001
I love the drums and guitar in this song. Absolutely love it. I also love how it starts right in the middle of the noise left over from the song before it, "Idioteque." The song is about a marriage breaking up. Sad topic, lovely song.
33/ Nude - In Rainbows - 2007
Most Radiohead fans know that this song has been kicking around for at least 10 years. But the band could never figure out a proper way to record it. Apparently it has been attempted on every record from OK Computer and on. And now it's here. In its final form. And I love what they did with it. You can make the "old Nude is better than new Nude" argument all you want to but I still enjoy this song too much to hate on it. When I first listened to the In Rainbows version of this song I nearly cried because of the beauty of the beginning. I do wish that they had kept the strings from the beginning going. My only big gripe. I don't think the song could be successfully pulled off any other way.
32/ The Tourist - OK Computer - 1997
Some of my favorite lyrics of all time. A rekindled love for this song was sparked from hearing an amazing live version earlier this year. Absolutely brilliant.
31/ Knives Out - Amnesiac - 2001
Some of the creepiest lyrics ever written. And I love it! One of my favorites to play on guitar.
PART 3 TOMORROW / LATER TODAY
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