Radiohead signed to EMI in 1991 and released their debut album, Pablo Honey, in 1993; their debut single, "Creep", became a worldwide hit. Radiohead's popularity and critical standing rose with the release of The Bends in 1995. Radiohead's third album, OK Computer (1997), brought them international fame; noted for its complex production and themes of modern alienation, it is acclaimed as a landmark record and one of the best albums in popular music.
Radiohead's fourth album, Kid A (2000), marked a dramatic change in style, incorporating influences from electronic music, jazz, classical music and krautrock. Though Kid A divided listeners, it later attracted wide acclaim. It was followed by Amnesiac (2001), recorded in the same sessions. Hail to the Thief (2003), with lyrics addressing the War on Terror, was Radiohead's final album for EMI.
Radiohead self-released their seventh album, In Rainbows (2007), as a download for which customers could set their own price, to critical and chart success. Their eighth album, The King of Limbs (2011), an exploration of rhythm, was developed using extensive looping and sampling. A Moon Shaped Pool (2016) prominently featured Jonny Greenwood's orchestral arrangements. Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Selway, and O'Brien have released solo albums; in 2021, Yorke and Jonny Greenwood debuted a new band, the Smile.
By 2011, Radiohead had sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Their awards include six Grammy Awards and four Ivor Novello Awards, and they hold five Mercury Prize nominations, the most of any act. Seven Radiohead singles have reached the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart: "Creep" (1992), "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" (1996), "Paranoid Android" (1997), "Karma Police" (1997), "No Surprises" (1998), "Pyramid Song" (2001), and "There There" (2003). "Creep" and "Nude" (2008) reached the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Rolling Stone named Radiohead one of the 100 greatest artists of all time, and Rolling Stone readers voted them the second-best artist of the 2000s. Five Radiohead albums have been included in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time lists. Radiohead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiohead
Studio albums
Pablo Honey (1993)
The Bends (1995)
OK Computer (1997)
Kid A (2000)
Amnesiac (2001)
Hail to the Thief (2003)
In Rainbows (2007)
The King of Limbs (2011)
A Moon Shaped Pool (2016)
A Punch-Up at a Wedding
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
I don't know why you bother
Nothing's ever good enough for you
I was there
You've come here just to start a fight
You had to piss on our parade
You had to shred our big day
You had to ruin it for all concerned
In a drunken punch-up at a wedding
Yeah
Hypocrite, opportunist
Don't infect me with your poison
A bull in a china shop
When I turn 'round you stay
Frozen to the spot
The pointless snide remarks
Of hammerheaded sharks
The pot will call the kettle black
It's a drunken punch-up at a wedding yeah
Oh no, no, no
The lyrics of Radiohead’s “A Punch Up At A Wedding” vividly describe an incident of violence and destruction that happened at a wedding. The song opens with a repetitive string of “No’s” which seem to emphasize the negative emotions being expressed in the song. The singer appears frustrated with a person who always finds fault in everything and is never satisfied, and he adds that he was present at the wedding when the event that is being sung about happened, indicating that he has firsthand knowledge of what took place. The chorus describes how the person being referred to has derailed the wedding celebration and ruined the day for everyone involved. The singer ends by describing this same person as a “hypocrite” and an “opportunist” who he fears may “infect” him with his “poison”.
The verses of the song go further to explain the dynamics between the singer and the person he is referring to. He paints a picture of someone who is like a bull in a china shop, recklessly causing damage to everything and everyone around him. This person is described as being frozen to the spot, making pointless remarks, and behaving like a hammerheaded shark. At the same time, the singer acknowledges that he too has some flaws and asks that he not be infected by the negativity and destructive personality of the person whose actions he is criticizing. In essence, this song is about people who are quick to find fault and are never satisfied with anything. It’s about how they can sometimes end up ruining important events and celebrations with their destructive attitudes.
Line by Line Meaning
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
The singer is replying with a negative response.
I don't know why you bother
The singer doesn't understand why the other person is trying so hard to cause a problem.
Nothing's ever good enough for you
The other person is always looking for a reason to start an argument.
I was there
The artist is trying to explain that they know what really happened.
It wasn't like that
The artist is denying the other person's version of events.
You've come here just to start a fight
The singer believes that the other person has deliberately caused trouble.
You had to piss on our parade
The other person couldn't resist ruining a happy occasion.
You had to shred our big day
The other person enjoyed spoiling a special moment.
You had to ruin it for all concerned
Everyone is suffering because of the other person's actions.
In a drunken punch-up at a wedding
The situation escalated to violence, which is the source of the problem.
Hypocrite, opportunist
The other person is not sincere and takes advantage of situations for their own gain.
Don't infect me with your poison
The other person's bad behavior is not welcome and shouldn't be imitated.
A bull in a china shop
The other person is reckless and careless.
When I turn 'round you stay
The other person avoids confrontation when confronted directly.
Frozen to the spot
The other person is caught off guard and doesn't know how to react.
The pointless snide remarks
The other person says things that are mean and unnecessary.
Of hammerheaded sharks
The other person is described as a predator that's always on the attack.
The pot will call the kettle black
The other person will criticize someone else for a fault that they themselves possess.
It's a drunken punch-up at a wedding yeah
Violence at a happy event is not acceptable.
Oh no, no, no
The artist is dismayed at the situation.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind