The band shares a name with both the 1953 speech by American president Dwight D. Eisenhower and a song from Yorke's debut solo album The Eraser. On their website, under their name, is the phrase "Nerth Nuclerek? Na Vynnav" which is in the Cornish language and can be translated as Nuclear Power? No Thanks. This is the text from the Smiling Sun anti nuclear power logo, which has been translated into at least 49 languages, including Cornish.
Thom Yorke has stated that the members of Atoms for Peace bonded over a shared love of the music of afrobeat, and said in an interview that the debut album was "the product of getting together, getting wasted and listening to Fela Kuti."
http://www.atomsforpeace.info
Reverse Running
Atoms for Peace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Doesn't mean anything
Hurling headlong
Why would you even ask
I forgot who I am
Snakes uncoiling
Pressed up to the glass
But you see through me
It doesn't mean anything
A meaningless plaything
Reverse running
Running contrary-ways
Pulling off the anyways
I'm messing up
Messing up the balance
Breaking my trajectory
All the toys in the factory
While you all lie down
While you all lie down
I'm skipping back through the tapes.
Skipping through the ad breaks.
God in heaven
If it makes you feel energized
All hands are sanitized
And with such joy
Running contrary-ways
Pulling off the anyways
I jump back around
I'm reversing
I'm reverse running
Falling in the horses feet
All the feelings that you shouldn't see
Animal are burned
Animal are burned
Moving in slow motion
This shit is gonna mess me up
The lyrics of Atoms for Peace's "Reverse Running" reveal the themes of displacement, disorientation, and confusion. The phrase "reverse running" denotes running backward or running in the opposite direction. The lyrics "I'm in reverse running, doesn't mean anything" imply that the singer is trying to move forward, but life makes him feel like he's moving in the wrong direction. The metaphorical snake, an ancient symbol of rebirth and metamorphosis, is uncoiling, signifying a change in the singer's life. He's looking for answers and trying to make sense of things, but he can't grasp it.
The next verse "all things you shouldn't ask, but you see through me" expounds the idea of the singer living in a confusing world where he is lost and trying to find his identity, but people can see through him, and his confusion is evident. He's become a meaningless plaything that's messing up the balance- breaking his trajectory, and it's messing him up.
In the bridge, the singer skips back through the tapes and through the ad breaks, indicating he is trying to rewind his life and relive happier moments, but he keeps coming back to his present reality- his messed-up life. The last stanza underlines the idea that the singer's life is a mess, causing him to move in slow motion, and this mess will ultimately burn him up- both emotionally and mentally.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in reverse running
I'm going the opposite direction of what is considered normal
Doesn't mean anything
My current situation has no significance
Hurling headlong
Moving forward rapidly
Why would you even ask
Your inquiry is irrelevant
I forgot who I am
I lost my sense of identity
Snakes uncoiling
Unexpected and potentially dangerous events occurring
Pressed up to the glass
I'm closely observing something
All things you shouldn't ask
There are questions that shouldn't be raised
But you see through me
But you can easily interpret and understand me
A meaningless plaything
A trivial object without purpose
Reverse running
Going backwards rather than forwards
Running contrary-ways
Going against established norms and standards
Pulling off the anyways
Defying convention and doing what I want anyway
I'm messing up
I'm making mistakes and causing problems
Messing up the balance
Disturbing the equilibrium
Breaking my trajectory
Interrupting my planned course
All the toys in the factory
Everything is out of control
While you all lie down
While everyone else is idle
I'm skipping back through the tapes.
I'm reflecting on past experiences
Skipping through the ad breaks.
Trying to avoid or ignore the interruptions
God in heaven
An expression of shock, awe or surprise
If it makes you feel energized
If it gives you enthusiasm or excitement
All hands are sanitized
Everyone is clean and pure
And with such joy
And with great pleasure
I jump back around
I quickly switch direction
Falling in the horses feet
Putting myself in perilous situations
All the feelings that you shouldn't see
All the emotions that should be kept hidden
Animal are burned
Natural instincts are being destroyed
Moving in slow motion
My actions are delayed and inefficient
This shit is gonna mess me up
This is going to have a negative impact on me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MICHAEL BALZARY, THOMAS EDWARD YORKE, NIGEL TIMOTHY GODRICH, JOEY WARONKER, MAURO C REFOSCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Harsh Mishra
Truth is an ever flying balloon, grab and keep hold of it. Oh shucks
I'm in reverse running
Doesn't mean anything
Hurling headlong
Why would you even ask
I forgot who I am
Snakes uncoiling
Pressed up to the glass
All things you shouldn't ask
But you see through me
It doesn't mean anything
A meaningless plaything
Reverse running
Running contrary-ways
Pulling off the anyways
I'm messing up
Messing up the balance
Breaking my trajectory
All the toys in the factory
While you all lie down
While you all lie down
I'm skipping back through the tapes.
Skipping through the ad breaks.
God in heaven
If it makes you feel energized
All hands are sanitized
And with such joy
Running contrary-ways
Pulling off the anyways
I jump back around
I'm reversing
I'm reverse running
Falling in the horses feet
All the feelings that you shouldn't see
Animal are burned
Animal are burned
Moving in slow motion
This shit is gonna mess me up
Autodidact University
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Reverse Running by
Thomas Edward Yorke
Nigel Timothy Godrich
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Pressed up to the glass
All things you shouldn't ask
But you see through me
It doesn't mean anything
A meaningless plaything
Reverse running
Running contrary-ways
Pulling off the anyways
I'm messing up
Messing up the balance
Breaking my trajectory
All the toys in the factory
While you all lie down
While you all lie down
I'm skipping back through
the tapes
Skipping through the ad breaks
God in heaven
It makes you feel energized
All nice and sanitized
.... and with such joy
Running contrary-ways
Pulling off the anyways
I jump back around
I'm reversing
I'm reverse running
Falling in the horses feet
All the feelings
that you shouldn't see
Animal all burned
Animal all burned
Moving in slow motion
This shit is gonna mess me up
/
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Reverse Running by
Thomas Edward Yorke
Nigel Timothy Godrich
Michael Balzary
Joey Waronker
Mauro C Refosco
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Bradley Hutchings
By far my favourite Atoms track!
hbe421
honestly, this is still top 10 all Radiohead and TY tracks for me. Also with STP, Motherlode and Twist. I keep coming back to TY solo stuff it still sounds like it could be released today.
Montey B
Mine too it's sooooo F'ing good, I hope they make more music at some point
Harsh Mishra
Truth is an ever flying balloon, grab and keep hold of it. Oh shucks
I'm in reverse running
Doesn't mean anything
Hurling headlong
Why would you even ask
I forgot who I am
Snakes uncoiling
Pressed up to the glass
All things you shouldn't ask
But you see through me
It doesn't mean anything
A meaningless plaything
Reverse running
Running contrary-ways
Pulling off the anyways
I'm messing up
Messing up the balance
Breaking my trajectory
All the toys in the factory
While you all lie down
While you all lie down
I'm skipping back through the tapes.
Skipping through the ad breaks.
God in heaven
If it makes you feel energized
All hands are sanitized
And with such joy
Running contrary-ways
Pulling off the anyways
I jump back around
I'm reversing
I'm reverse running
Falling in the horses feet
All the feelings that you shouldn't see
Animal are burned
Animal are burned
Moving in slow motion
This shit is gonna mess me up
Christopher Barber
since its release, i cannot get enough of this track. that breakdown is an aural orgasm
Stephen James
My go to. A truly amazing sound. Sexy, beat, raw whatever you wanna call it. One for the poets lyrically
makoonai
This was years ago, but there was a version of this song that played forwards, and then blended into a reverse recording of the entire song back-to-back. It was glorious.
Lorenzo Morello
Most underrated Thoms song
M Lev
I can't listen to this song without fading into Amok afterwards. Not a bad thing!
Andy Galligan
Killer tune, like Steely Dan's "Jack of Speed" taken to the next level