A Wolf at the Door. (It Girl
Radiohead Lyrics


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Drag him out your window
Dragging out the dead
Singing I miss you
Snakes and ladders flip the lid
Out pops the cracker
Smacks you in the head
Knives you in the neck
Kicks you in the teeth
Steel toe caps
Takes all your credit cards
Get up get the gunge
Get the eggs
Get the flan in the face
The flan in the face
The flan in the face
Dance you fucker dance you fucker
Don't you dare
Don't you dare
Don't you flan in the face
Take it with the love its given
Take it with a pinch of salt
Take it to the tax man
Let me back
Let me back
I promise to be good
Don't look in the mirror at the face you don't recognize
Help me, call the doctor, put me inside
Put me inside
Put me inside
Put me inside
Put me inside

I keep the wolf from the door
But he calls me up
Calls me on the phone
Tells me all the ways that he's gonna mess me up
Steal all my children if I don't pay the ransom
And I'll never see them again if I squeal to the cops

Walking like giant cranes
And with my X-ray eyes I strip you naked
In a tight little world
And are you on the list?
Stepford wives who are we to complain?
Investments and dealers
Investments and dealers
Cold wives and mistresses
Cold wives and Sunday papers city
Boys in first class don't know we're born just know
Someone else is gonna come and clean it up
Born and raised for the job
Someone always does
I wish you'd get up get over
Get up get over and turn the tape off

I keep the wolf from the door
But he calls me up
Calls me on the phone
Tells me all the ways that he's gonna mess me up
Steal all my children if I don't pay the ransom
And I'll never see them again if I squeal to the cops

So I'm just gonna

Overall Meaning

start off by saying that A Wolf at the Door is one of Radiohead's most cryptic and elusive songs, with lyrics that leave much open to interpretation. The song has been said to address issues like consumerism, political corruption, societal pressures, and personal struggles. The opening lines "Drag him out your window, dragging out the dead, singing I miss you" have been speculated to refer to the aftermath of a violent incident, and the singer's inability to cope with loss. "Snakes and ladders flip the lid, out pops the cracker, smacks you in the head, knives you in the neck, kicks you in the teeth" could be interpreted as a metaphor for the cruel, unpredictable nature of life.


The chorus "I keep the wolf from the door, but he calls me up, calls me on the phone, tells me all the ways that he's gonna mess me up, steal all my children if I don't pay the ransom, and I'll never see them again if I squeal to the cops" is perhaps the most straightforward part of the song. Here, the "wolf" represents a threat, a feeling of impending danger that the singer is trying to keep at bay. The threat could be something physical, like a kidnapper, or it could be something more abstract like financial ruin or emotional turmoil. The lines "tells me all the ways that he's gonna mess me up, steal all my children if I don't pay the ransom" suggest a sense of powerlessness, of being held hostage by forces beyond one's control.


Overall, A Wolf at the Door is a densely layered and thought-provoking song that is open to multiple interpretations. It speaks to the anxieties and uncertainties of modern life, and the struggle to retain a sense of agency in the face of adversity.


Line by Line Meaning

Drag him out your window
Forcefully remove someone from your life


Dragging out the dead
Addressing unresolved issues from the past


Singing I miss you
Expressing longing for something that has been lost


Snakes and ladders flip the lid
Life is full of ups and downs and unexpected twists


Out pops the cracker
An unexpected obstacle or challenge arises


Smacks you in the head
Overwhelming or shocking impact


Knives you in the neck
A sudden attack or betrayal from someone close


Kicks you in the teeth
A devastating setback or blow to one's confidence


Steel toe caps
Protection from the harsh realities of life


Takes all your credit cards
Financial ruin or loss of control


Get up get the gunge
Trying to rise above the messiness of life


Get the eggs
Embracing new beginnings and opportunities


Get the flan in the face
Receiving unexpected or undeserved consequences


Dance you fucker dance you fucker
Embrace life and its challenges, even when it's difficult


Don't you dare
Resisting the urge to give up or give in


Don't you flan in the face
Don't let unexpected consequences knock you down


Take it with the love its given
Accepting what life gives you, even when it's difficult


Take it with a pinch of salt
Approaching life with a healthy dose of skepticism


Take it to the tax man
Dealing with the practical aspects of life


Let me back
Trying to make amends for past mistakes


I promise to be good
Making a commitment to change


Don't look in the mirror at the face you don't recognize
Avoiding self-doubt or self-criticism


Help me, call the doctor, put me inside
Asking for help when feeling overwhelmed or unwell


Put me inside
Seeking refuge or safety


I keep the wolf from the door
Struggling to maintain control over one's life


But he calls me up
Challenges and setbacks continue to arise


Tells me all the ways that he's gonna mess me up
Threats of harm or loss


Steal all my children if I don't pay the ransom
Extreme consequences or loss


And I'll never see them again if I squeal to the cops
The cost of speaking up or standing up for oneself


Walking like giant cranes
Feeling powerful or large


And with my X-ray eyes I strip you naked
Seeing through facades or lies


In a tight little world
Feeling confined or trapped


And are you on the list?
Feeling excluded or not belonging


Stepford wives who are we to complain?
Feeling pressure to conform or accept the status quo


Investments and dealers
Dealing with the cold, hard realities of business


Cold wives and mistresses
Intimate relationships devoid of warmth or love


Cold wives and Sunday papers city
The mundane and uninspiring aspects of daily life


Boys in first class don't know we're born just know
Feeling envious of those who have had advantages or opportunities


Someone else is gonna come and clean it up
Waiting for someone else to solve problems or take responsibility


Born and raised for the job
Feeling stuck in a certain role or profession


Someone always does
Knowing that someone will always step up to do the work


I wish you'd get up get over
Wanting others to move on and let go of the past


Get up get over and turn the tape off
Moving on and leaving the past behind




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
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Me me


on No Surprises

The way i interpret the lyrics: ; Once excitement of youthful perspective,, hopes, dreams are broken, into an almost nihilistic acceptance of patterns world, we coast,….. become a part of the dull hum we swore we never would become part of. Time pulls us forward, wears and tears until we accept. Can not fight against the current yet knowing we swore we would never.

no


on Radio Head - no surprises

heylo aaa

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