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)
Bishop
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Terrifies me still
In Bishop's robes
Bastard headmaster
I'm not going back
I'm not going back
I'm not going back
Children taught to kill
To tear themselves to bits
On playing fields
Dressed in Bishop's robes
I'm not going back
I'm not going back
I'm not going back
In these lyrics, Radiohead delves into the topic of abuse of power, especially in the context of a school setting. The Bishop's robes symbolize the power dynamics at play, as the Bishop represents authority and control. The first line, "Dressed in Bishop's robes, terrifies me still," suggests that the singer is still haunted by the memories of being bullied or abused by someone in a position of power, someone who wore such robes. The repeated "I'm not going back" emphasizes the singer's unwillingness to return to that situation.
The second half of the lyrics shed light on the danger of a toxic culture that teaches children to be aggressive and violent, even going so far as to dehumanize them by turning them into instruments of destruction, as seen in the line "Children taught to kill, to tear themselves to bits on playing fields." The use of the word "playing" in this context suggests the twisted nature of this form of education, as something that should be fun and innocent has been twisted into something dark and violent.
Overall, the lyrics of "Bishop's Robes" condemn the abuse of power and those who perpetuate it. The song serves as a warning against the dangers of unequal power dynamics and the harm they can cause.
Line by Line Meaning
Dressed in Bishop's robes
Wearing the clothing of a religious leader
Terrifies me still
Causes me fear even now
In Bishop's robes
Still wearing the clothing of a religious leader
Bastard headmaster
A disrespectful term for the head of a school
I'm not going back
Refusal to return to a place or situation
Children taught to kill
Young individuals trained to take the lives of others
To tear themselves to bits
To harm oneself and cause destruction without redemption
on playing fields
Referring to violent activities taking place on school grounds
Dressed in Bishop's robes
Continuing to wear the clothing of a religious leader
I'm not going back
Reaffirming the decision to not return to a certain place or situation
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLIN CHARLES GREENWOOD, EDWARD JOHN O'BRIEN, JONATHAN RICHARD GUY GREENWOOD, PHILIP SELWAY, PHILIP JAMES SELWAY, THOMAS YORKE, THOMAS EDWARD YORKE
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