Cuttooth
Radiohead Lyrics

Cuttooth by Radiohead is a song that speaks volumes about the struggles of life and the singer's desire to escape it. In the first verse, the singer talks about leading a "wallpaper life" or running away to the foreign legion. These are two contrasting options: leading a bland, unremarkable life or fleeing to the military. It suggests that perhaps the singer feels trapped and wants to break free from their current existence.

The following lines speak to the imminent danger and threat of tanks rolling into town. While it's unclear in the context of the song what this event is, the line "A little bit of knowledge will destroy you" speaks to the idea that knowing too much can lead to danger. The tanks could represent an unknown force that could prove dangerous to the singer.

The second verse continues to touch on this idea of being trapped and escaping. The singer has a desire to run until they can't feel anymore and to find an open door. It speaks to an overwhelming need to escape from a situation that may be too much to bear. The line "I build you up to pull you down, Tie you to your feet, and watch you drown" could be interpreted as the singer creating a situation or relationship that they are going to sabotage (hence destroying them).

The chorus "I don't know why I feel so tongue-tied, I don't know why I feel so skinned alive" is a powerful line that speaks to the struggles that float just under the surface of everyday life. The feeling of being stuck, of not being able to express oneself, or of simply feeling raw and exposed.

Overall, Cuttooth is a song that speaks to the overwhelming desire to escape a life that may feel suffocating. It suggests that sometimes we build things up to tear them down, and that knowledge can be a dangerous thing.