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
Radiohead's Blow Out is a song that speaks to the disconnection the singer is feeling between themselves and the world around them. The lyrics "in my mind and nailed into my heels" provide a glimpse into the internal turmoil the singer is experiencing, which is further emphasized by "all the time killin' what I feel." It seems as though the singer is trying to protect themselves, perhaps from feeling too much or getting hurt, evidenced by "everything I touch turns into stone." This line is repeated multiple times throughout the song, almost as a mantra to remind the singer of their perceived inability to connect with the world in a meaningful way.
The chorus takes a different approach to the singer's feelings. Instead of focusing on the disconnect, the chorus seems to express a fear of what might happen if the singer were to let themselves really feel and connect with the world. "I am fused just in case I blow out, I am glued just because I crack out" suggests that the singer is afraid of losing control if they were to fully connect with the world. The repetition of "everything I touch turns to stone" reinforces the idea that the singer doesn't feel capable of sustaining meaningful connections with anything or anyone.
While the lyrics to Blow Out are open to interpretation, many fans of the band have speculated that this song is a reflection on the isolating nature of fame. Lead singer Thom Yorke has spoken in interviews about feeling disconnected and jaded after the success of Radiohead's first album, Pablo Honey. Yorke has also mentioned feeling like an outsider in the music industry, despite his success. With lines like "all wrapped up in cotton wool" and "all wrapped up in crinoline," it's possible that Yorke is referencing the insulation and protection that fame can provide, but at a cost to one's ability to connect with others.
Line by Line Meaning
In my mind
The thoughts and memories in my head
And nailed into my heels
Being constantly burdened by these thoughts and memories
All the time killin' what I feel
Suppressing emotions and not letting them show
And everything I touch (all wrapped up in cotton wool)
My attempts to protect things from harm
(All wrapped up and sugar coated) turns into stone
Despite my efforts to protect things, they still end up cold and lifeless
I am fused just in case I blow out
I am holding myself together to prevent myself from falling apart
I am glued just because I crack out
I am stuck in place because if I move, everything will fall apart
Everything I touch turns to stone
No matter what I do, the things I touch lose their warmth and humanity
Everything I touch (all wrapped up in crinoline, all wrapped up in sugar-coated) turn to stone
Even when I try to be gentle and caring with things, they still end up cold and lifeless
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