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)
Cuttooth
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or run away to the foreign legion
I will lead a wallpaper life
Or run away to the foreign legion
And as the tanks roll into town
As the tanks roll into town
A little bit of knowledge will destroy you
As the tanks roll into town
As the tanks roll into town
A little bit of knowledge will destroy you
A little bit of knowledge will destroy you
I don't know why I feel so tongue-tied
I don't know why I feel so skinned alive
Run until your lungs are sore
Until you cannot feel it any more
Run until your lungs are sore
Until you find an open door
I build you up to pull you down
Tie you to your feet, and watch you drown
A little bit of knowledge will destroy you
A little bit of knowledge will destroy you
I build you up to pull you down
Tie you to the stake and watch you burn in hell
I don't know why I feel so tongue-tied
I don't know why I feel so skinned alive
I'll find another skin to wear
I'll find another skin to wear
Cuttooth by Radiohead is a song that speaks volumes about the struggles of life and the singer's desire to escape it. In the first verse, the singer talks about leading a "wallpaper life" or running away to the foreign legion. These are two contrasting options: leading a bland, unremarkable life or fleeing to the military. It suggests that perhaps the singer feels trapped and wants to break free from their current existence.
The following lines speak to the imminent danger and threat of tanks rolling into town. While it's unclear in the context of the song what this event is, the line "A little bit of knowledge will destroy you" speaks to the idea that knowing too much can lead to danger. The tanks could represent an unknown force that could prove dangerous to the singer.
The second verse continues to touch on this idea of being trapped and escaping. The singer has a desire to run until they can't feel anymore and to find an open door. It speaks to an overwhelming need to escape from a situation that may be too much to bear. The line "I build you up to pull you down, Tie you to your feet, and watch you drown" could be interpreted as the singer creating a situation or relationship that they are going to sabotage (hence destroying them).
The chorus "I don't know why I feel so tongue-tied, I don't know why I feel so skinned alive" is a powerful line that speaks to the struggles that float just under the surface of everyday life. The feeling of being stuck, of not being able to express oneself, or of simply feeling raw and exposed.
Overall, Cuttooth is a song that speaks to the overwhelming desire to escape a life that may feel suffocating. It suggests that sometimes we build things up to tear them down, and that knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
Line by Line Meaning
I will lead a wallpaper life
I'll live a monotonous life without any flavor
Or run away to the foreign legion
To escape my dull life, I'd prefer a daring adventurous life
And as the tanks roll into town
Amid chaotic scenes, when evil is about to strike,
A little bit of knowledge will destroy you
A little information during fearful times may lead to a devastating reaction
I don't know why I feel so tongue-tied
I'm unable to express myself freely, I'm choked with words
I don't know why I feel so skinned alive
I'm too sensitized and raw, my emotions are too exposed
Run until your lungs are sore
Run without pause or rest, till your body aches
Until you cannot feel it any more
Until pain becomes a distant memory and your numbness hides your exhaustion.
Until you find an open door
Run until you find a way out, or escape from your predicaments
I build you up to pull you down
I make you believe in yourself and then crush your dreams
Tie you to your feet, and watch you drown
I'll bind you so that you can't escape, and then relish your demise
I'll find another skin to wear
I'll find another way to fend for myself despite the damage I've caused.
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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