"This is the only track with Clive and Jim playing. It was originally Beth'… Read Full Bio ↴"This is the only track with Clive and Jim playing. It was originally Beth's guitar line, which she played and then chopped up in Logic. And we talk about all this equipment here, these beautiful Calrecs that everything was recorded through, and the fantastic compressors and stuff and she just stuck the guitar straight into the computer, and it sounds cool. We had to EQ it, but it's a sound, and it sounds great. The bass line is three across four, always pushing, like a very slow triplet over the four, and it has this push all the time. And there's a soprano saxophone solo from Will.

"The end is really the first time Beth has ever really cut loose and hammered it. All the meters were, like, whoa, banging on their endstops. She can sing incredibly loud and powerfully. So there's that, which is like an improv, really, and there's Geoff shouting. We were using my Clavioline, out in the room next door, with no carpet, and I'd put a Bollywood–style echo on it. Every time he talked I thought it sounded better than the line. So me and Stu in the control room just told him to shout. Then it goes into this Viking horn of doom at the end. That's a guitar with the whammy bar and a fuzz box and an Altiverb reverb, one of these massive spaces — and there's some VCS3 on the track as well, like Hawkwind. I remember seeing them in 1975 at Reading Festival, and there were these unearthly noises, so loud and so unbelievable." -Adrian Utley

Threads
Portishead Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Better if I could find the words to say
Whenever I take a choice it turns away

I'm worn, tired of my mind
I'm worn out, thinking of why
I'm always so unsure

I battle my thoughts I find I can't explain

I've traveled so far but somehow feel the same

I'm worn, tired of my mind
I'm worn out, thinking of why
I'm always so unsure
I'm always so unsure

I'm worn, tired of my mind
I'm worn out, thinking of why
I'm always so unsure
I'm always so unsure

I'm always so unsure
I'm always so unsure
I'm always so unsure
I'm always so unsure

I am alive when I sleep
Why am I not in all that I got?
I can't find no one to blame

Stand, stand, damned one
Damned one
Damned one
Damned one

I am one
Damned
One

Where do I go?

Overall Meaning

The song "Threads" by Portishead delves into the struggle of finding one's identity and purpose in life. The lyrics express a sense of weariness and uncertainty as the singer battles their own thoughts and emotions. The opening lines "Better if I could find the words to say, Whenever I take a choice it turns away" suggest the singer's difficulty in articulating their feelings, and the constant disappointment they feel when they attempt to make a decision.

Throughout the song, the singer repeats the lines "I'm worn, tired of my mind, I'm worn out, thinking of why, I'm always so unsure," emphasizing the mental and emotional exhaustion that comes with trying to make sense of one's life. They feel as if they have traveled far, but have not made any significant progress in understanding themselves or their purpose.

The phrase "I am alive when I sleep, Why am I not in all that I got?" suggests that the singer finds solace in their dreams and that they feel more alive in their unconscious state than they do in their waking life. They are questioning why they cannot achieve the same level of fulfillment in their day-to-day experiences.

The repeated use of the phrase "damned one" creates a sense of self-condemnation and despair, as if the singer feels trapped in their own mind and unable to break free. The final line, "Where do I go?" expresses a sense of hopelessness as the singer is left unsure of where to turn or how to move forward.

Overall, "Threads" deals with the universal struggle of finding one's place in the world and grappling with the complexities of one's own mind and emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

Better if I could find the words to say
Expressing the desire for better communication skills

Whenever I take a choice it turns away
Feeling that making decisions results in negative outcomes

I'm worn, tired of my mind
Experiencing mental exhaustion

I'm worn out, thinking of why
Continuously contemplating reasons for mental fatigue

I'm always so unsure
Lacking certainty and confidence

I battle my thoughts I find I can't explain
Struggling to comprehend and articulate inner turmoil

I've traveled so far but somehow feel the same
Despite past experiences, still feeling stuck

I am alive when I sleep
Feeling most alive during dreams or fantasies

Why am I not in all that I got?
Questioning why possessions and success do not bring happiness

I can't find no one to blame
Acknowledging that external factors are not to blame for inner struggles

Stand, stand, damned one
Urging oneself to stand strong even in difficult times