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)
Blow-Out
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And nailed into my heels
All the time killin' what I feel
And everything I touch (all wrapped up in cotton wool)
(All wrapped up and sugar coated) turns into stone
And everything I touch (all wrapped up in cotton wool)
(All wrapped up and sugar coated) turns into stone
I am glued just because I crack out
Everything I touch turns to stone
Everything I touch
(All wrapped up in crinoline, all wrapped up in sugar-coated) turn to stone
The opening lines of Radiohead's song Blowout set the tone for a haunting and introspective journey. The singer describes feeling like he is trapped by his own thoughts and emotions, with a weight that he carries even in his feet - "nailed into my heels". He goes on to describe the ways in which this feeling affects his ability to connect with the world around him, and how even the things he touches turn to "stone". The repetition of the lines "All wrapped up in cotton wool / All wrapped up and sugar coated" creates a powerful image of a world that is rendered sterile and lifeless by this sense of detachment.
However, there is a glimmer of hope in the chorus, where the singer declares that he is "fused just in case I blow out" and "glued just because I crack out". This suggests a resilience and strength that is born from the struggle he is going through, and a determination to keep going even in the face of adversity. The final repetition of the line "Everything I touch turns to stone" is a poignant reminder of the extent to which the singer has been cut off from the world, but also a testament to his tenacity in continuing to search for a way out.
Blowout is a deeply personal and introspective song, with lyrics that speak to the experience of feeling disconnected from the world around us. It touches on themes of depression, anxiety, and the struggle to find meaning in life. The haunting melody and sparse arrangement contribute to the sense of isolation and introspection, making Blowout one of Radiohead's most powerful and moving songs.
Line by Line Meaning
In my mind
Deeply rooted in my thoughts
And nailed into my heels
Causing me to feel trapped
All the time killin' what I feel
Diminishing my emotions
And everything I touch (all wrapped up in cotton wool)
No matter what I do or touch
(All wrapped up and sugar coated) turns into stone
It ends up dead and lifeless
And everything I touch (all wrapped up in cotton wool)
No matter what I do or touch
(All wrapped up and sugar coated) turns into stone
It ends up dead and lifeless
I am fused just in case I blow out
I am stuck together, so I do not fall apart
I am glued just because I crack out
I am held together to avoid breaking
Everything I touch turns to stone
No matter what I do or touch
Everything I touch
No matter what I do or touch
(All wrapped up in crinoline, all wrapped up in sugar-coated) turn to stone
No matter how well it is taken care of or manipulated
Lyrics Β© 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