It was recorded in a live take that was made at a dilapidated mansion. Nigel Godrich, the producer of the album, thought that throwing the band into an "uncomfortable" situation would create an interesting atmosphere for the recording sessions, not unlike the OK Computer sessions that took place at the St. Catherine's Court mansion in Bath. The band lived in caravans surrounding the mansion while the recordings were taking place.
Yorke has described the song as "a little bit like Neu! meets dodgy hippy rock. It sounds like that new Australian band Wolfmother."
Bodysnatchers
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Understand
What it is
I've done wrong
Full of holes
Check for pulse
Blink your eyes
One for yes
Two for no
I have no idea what I am talking about
I'm trapped in this body and can't get out
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
You killed the sound
Removed backbone
Pale imitation
With the edges all
Sawn off
I have no idea what you are talking about
Your mouth moves only with someone's hand up your arse
Oh, oh
Has the light gone out for you?
Because the light's gone for me
It is the 21st century
It is the 21st century
It can follow you like a dog
It brought me to my knees
They got a skin and they put me in
They got a skin and they put me in
All the lines wrapped around my face
All the lines wrapped around my face
And for anyone else to see
And for anyone else to see
I'm alive
I've seen it coming
I've seen it coming
I've seen it coming
I've seen it coming
The lyrics of Radiohead’s “Bodysnatchers” may seem cryptic and hard to decipher, but upon closer examination, they reveal a clear theme of being trapped and powerless. The first verse expresses confusion and helplessness, as the singer admits to not understanding what they have done wrong and feeling like they are full of holes. The repeated line “One for yes, two for no” hints at a loss of agency and being forced to follow someone else’s rules.
In the second verse, the singer shifts their attention to someone else, accusing them of killing the sound and removing the backbone. This person is a “pale imitation” who lacks edges and is therefore unable to think for themselves. The line “Your mouth moves only with someone's hand up your arse” is a vulgar but powerful metaphor for being controlled by someone else.
The chorus raises the stakes, asking if the light has gone out for the listener as well. The 21st century is portrayed as a time where technology can follow us like a dog and bring us to our knees. The closing line, “I’m alive,” is a defiant assertion of agency and survival, even in the face of overwhelming forces.
Line by Line Meaning
I do not
I don't understand
Understand
What's going on
What it is
That I've done wrong
I've done wrong
But I don't know what
Full of holes
My understanding is incomplete
Check for pulse
I'm trying to figure out if I'm really alive
Blink your eyes
I'm testing to see if I'm dreaming
One for yes
A single blink means 'yes'
Two for no
Two blinks mean 'no'
I have no idea what I am talking about
I'm confused and unsure of myself
I'm trapped in this body and can't get out
It feels like I'm a puppet with no control
Oh, oh
A cry of despair
You killed the sound
You silenced me
Removed backbone
You took away my strength and courage
Pale imitation
I'm just a copy of who I used to be
With the edges all
Rough and frayed
Sawn off
Cut short and incomplete
I have no idea what you are talking about
You don't make any sense to me
Your mouth moves only with someone's hand up your arse
You're just a puppet, controlled by someone else
Has the light gone out for you?
Have you lost hope?
Because the light's gone for me
I've lost my way, and I'm in the dark
It is the 21st century
Despite our technological advances, we're still lost
It can follow you like a dog
Our mistakes can haunt us forever
It brought me to my knees
Life's hardships have brought me down
They got a skin and they put me in
I feel like I'm trapped in someone else's identity
All the lines wrapped around my face
Life's challenges have physically marked me
And for anyone else to see
My struggles are visible to everyone
I'm alive
But barely
I've seen it coming
I knew this was going to happen
I've seen it coming
I've been preparing myself for the worst
I've seen it coming
I knew I was going to fail
I've seen it coming
I knew that my dreams were impossible
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