Favourite Radiohead Songs
My favourite Radiohead songs, not yours! |
| 1 | Radiohead
Exit Music (For A Film)
A fantastic vocal performance on this song. "Exit Music" starts out with just
acoustic guitar and voice but slowly builds and builds up to the songs climax.
Thom Yorke's voice booms overtop of the chaotic instrumental section behind it.
Johnny Greenwood slides a coin up and down the guitar to create the eerie,
space like guitar effects.
Fun Fact:
American musician Marilyn Manson told Rolling Stone that he "escaped from a
treatment facility and listened to "Exit Music (For a Film)" as he was standing on
the edge of a cliff, thinking about jumping."In the end, he walked away from
the incident, the song having supposedly changed his mind. This just goes to
show how powerful the song is emotionally. |
| 2 |
Everything In It's Right Place
The song was supposedly influenced by Thom Yorke and Ed O'brien, feeling that
the band was finally getting somewhere. Yorke expressed regret that the song
was not released as the lead single for Kid-A, which had no singles. The song
ranked #24 on Rolling stone's 100 best songs of the decade. The song is played
live with a slightly altered version that sounds more like a "rave style" song. |
| 3 | Creep
Arguably the bands most well-known song. The song is disliked by a lot of
Radiohead fans due to the songs "simplicity" and popularity. The song follows
the same chord progression throughout it's entirety but uses enough
instrumental variety that this isn't very noticeable. The lyrics in "Creep" are
bound to hit home with almost anyones emotions. They create a sense of
loneliness and alienation along with the crunchy sounding guitar work during
the chorus. The 'grunge esq' guitar during the chorus was actually placed there
because the guitarist disliked the song and was trying to ruin it. |
| 4 | High And Dry
The song features gently syncopated drums and comfortable vocal work. The
falsetto done by Yorke may not be up to everyones tastes but I feel they are
very well placed and well executed. It seems like Coldplay based their whole
career on the sound achieved by this song. |
| 5 | Fake Plastic Tree's
Another showcase of Thom Yorke's falsetto vocal style. The song is very well
done and a good listen before going to sleep. The song structure is very
simplistic but very sincere. |
| 6 | Paranoid Android
The first section leaves the listener wondering "how could a vocal melody
possibly be placed over top of this?" Thom delivers, finding a hook laden melody
that arcs, and finds unusual high notes to highlight the song. As he sings,
?What?s this?? a spooky android voice and creepy, chiming guitars join in.
During the instrumental, the song gains some energy, with a simply stunning
bass/guitar run. Full guitars join in, a cool drum fill, as Thom?s voice soars to a
high note over the same spinning chords. The song then goes into a totally new
section that features a much more complex chord progression. Suddenly, we?re
back in an earlier section with climactic guitar jumping all over every thing, but
with an added effect designed to slash through an ear drum, plus a shaker for
good measure. Better and better, it finally crashes into silence. |
| 7 | Karma Police
Right up there with "Paranoid Android" as one of the best songs from 'OK
Computer. The lyrics and title refers to an inside joke the band had, telling one
another they would call "the karma police" if they did something wrong. Funny
how an inside joke could be interpreted with such deep meaning. |
| 8 | 15 Step
A very tightly produced song that makes you want to move. I have always
thought that the song would fit perfectly in a car commercial(not really sure
why). The beat is ever changing and the background electronic's create a very
unique and ambient feel to it. |
| 9 | House Of Cards
The eighth track off of 'In Rainbows,' "House of Cards'" gained popularity due to
it's unique video. Created without cameras or lights, it used lidar technology to
detect the proximity of objects. |
| 10 | No Surprises
Probably one of the saddest songs ever written. The lyrics depict a monotonous
life in a modern society, following the theme of modern alienation in 'OK
Computer.' |
| 11 | Airbag
We start with a meander ing, epic guitar lick, supported by some extremely
compressed drums. During the verse there?s a droning gui?tar, an off-beat bass,
and a per sistent drum beat. Every part is unique, and progressively more
interesting sonic jewels are ladled on. During the second verse, an effected
guitar moans in the background, adding some exquisite bends at the end of
vocal phrases. Follow?ing that is a strange instrumental section where this
background guitar gains the focus. Next, the drums get some attention with
some out of control effects sprouting off of it like fractal ferns. Finally, the
meandering, epic guitar lick returns, cutting through the haze like a spotlight,
and crashing onto a major sixth chord. The song establishes a sense of
experimentation in a wide open space. Reminiscent of a band's "jam-sesh." |
| 12 | Optimistic
Ironically, Radiohead opted not to release any singles from 'Kid A,' but
"Optimistic" ended up getting the most airplay. With short, taunting guitar
strumming and unrelenting arpeggio vocals, the song eventually earned the
band one of their three highest-charting singles ever. |
| 13 | There There (The Boney King of Nowhere)
The only song off of 'Hail to the Thief that I really liked. Reportedly, vocalist
Thom Yorke burst into tears when he heard the complete and mastered song. |
| 14 | Idioteque
The electronic driven beats were yet another step in the continuing evolution of
Radiohead. After it's success Radiohead began to experiment with more
electronic beats in their music. |
| 15 | How to Disappear Completely
If you're having one of those days where you want to curl up and die this is the
best and worst song to listen to all rolled into one. The haunting strings and
vague, haunting lyrics make it among the saddest songs that Radiohead has
ever written. |
| 16 | Go To Sleep
It's odd use of time signature is what makes this song stand out. Since
Radiohead completely did any with anything that resembles traditional time
signature, some people may find the song difficult to listen to; but Radiohead is
able to make it work. |
| 17 | Motion Picture Soundtrack
"Motion Picture Soundtrack" clocks in at over six minutes which could cause
some listeners to skip it. The song features a droning vocal style by Yorke but
still comes off as triumphant thanks to the beautiful chords and "fairy tale" like
sound effects in the background. |
| 18 | Faithless, The Wonder Boy
Even though the song isn't very well known, it is still one of Radiohead's best
from earlier in their career. |
| 19 | Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was
Surprise! Another sad song by Radiohead. A good late night listen. More of the
emotional, falsetto vocals by Yorke that defines the bands sound. |
| 20 | Meeting in the Aisle
Radiohead's first all instrumental track was a bit of a departure from their
signature sound. It's a lush, rich and fluid sound that is soothing and little bit
scary all at once. |
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