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)
Cymbal Rush
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Try to build a wall that is high enough
It's all boiling over, all boiling over
Try to save your house, try to save your songs
Try to run but it follows you up the hill
It's all boiling over, all boiling over
Your loved ones, your loved ones
A normal conversation, a normal conversation
You shouldda took me out when you had the chance
You shouldda took me out when you had the chance
All the rooms renumbered
And the losers turned away
Don't turn away, don't turn away
There were ten in the bed
And the little one said, "Roll over"
There were ten in the bed
And the little one said, "Roll over"
The opening lines of "Cymbal Rush" by Radiohead seem to set the stage for an impending disaster. The lyrics "Try to save but it doesn't come off the rug/Try to build a wall that is high enough" suggest that the singer is trying to protect something but their efforts are in vain. They are attempting to build a wall that is high enough to keep something out, but it seems as though whatever it is that they are trying to keep out is too strong to be stopped by mere physical barriers - it's all boiling over. The repetition of "all boiling over" emphasises the impending sense of doom.
The lyrics "Try to save your house, try to save your songs/Try to run but it follows you up the hill/It's all boiling over, all boiling over/Your loved ones, your loved ones" suggest that the singer is trying to save their possessions and loved ones from whatever is coming, but again, to no avail. The repetition of "all boiling over" is almost like a warning klaxon, and the fact that it's boiling over "your loved ones" is particularly distressing. The line "You shouldda took me out when you had the chance" suggests that there might be some form of moral reckoning coming - maybe the singer has done something wrong and now the consequences are catching up to them regardless of their attempts to mitigate them.
The lines "All the rooms renumbered/And the losers turned away/Don't turn away, don't turn away" suggest that whatever is happening is fundamentally changing everything, even the layout of rooms. Someone is losing, whether that's the singer or someone else, and perhaps being left behind in the wake of this disaster. And yet, despite this, there's a plea not to turn away, to not ignore these changes. The song then ends with the repetition of a children's rhyme about there being ten in the bed, with the implication being that there is no more space and everyone is bumping up against each other. Maybe the impending disaster is a metaphor for the pressures of living in an overcrowded world.
Line by Line Meaning
Try to save but it doesn't come off the rug
You attempt to rescue something, but it remains stuck or trapped.
Try to build a wall that is high enough
You strive to create a barrier that cannot be overcome.
It's all boiling over, all boiling over
The situation is escalating and getting out of control.
Try to save your house, try to save your songs
You make efforts to salvage what is important to you, such as your home or creative work.
Try to run but it follows you up the hill
You attempt to escape from something, but it persists and pursues you even to higher ground.
It's all boiling over, all boiling over
The situation is becoming more intense and overwhelming.
Your loved ones, your loved ones
Your family members and close friends who you care deeply about.
A normal conversation, a normal conversation
An exchange of words that is typical, mundane, and unremarkable.
You shouldda took me out when you had the chance
You should have eliminated the threat earlier while you still had the opportunity.
You shouldda took me out when you had the chance
You should have eliminated the threat earlier while you still had the opportunity.
All the rooms renumbered
The layout of the building or structure has changed, requiring new identification of each space.
And the losers turned away
Those who have lost or failed are rejected and ignored by others.
Don't turn away, don't turn away
Do not ignore or reject someone who needs help or support.
There were ten in the bed
A group of ten individuals were together in a confined space.
And the little one said, "Roll over"
A child or small person advised others to move to make more room or adjust positions.
There were ten in the bed
A group of ten individuals were together in a confined space.
And the little one said, "Roll over"
A child or small person advised others to move to make more room or adjust positions.
Contributed by Miles V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Sergio-nu2go
Try to save
But it doesn’t come off the rug
Try to build a wall that is high enough
It’s all boiling over
All boiling over
Try to save your house
Try to save your songs
Try to run
But it follows you up the hill
It’s all boiling over
All boiling over
Your loved ones
Your loved ones
A normal conversation
A normal conversation
You should have took me out
While you had the chance
You should have took me out
While you had the chance
All the rooms renumbered
And the losers turned away
Don’t turn away
Don’t turn away
There were ten in the bed
And the little one said
‘Roll over’
@reallycools
I love how Nigel just causally walks in and lays down some phat beats
@-l5905
Great timing Nigel, it was slick...
@rachelvillarim3279
Exaaaaacly 😄
@carlysimpo8182
so funny
@SirPhilMcCrackinVonBeggington
The beats are already playing. All Nigel did was turn the volume up so we could hear them.
@brendaluna173
something I love about Thom is how ordinary he seems to be, then all of the sudden the music starts and he blooms like a flower.
@bandplyrb7892
Brenda Luna like a lotus flower
@chappytk
So I was learning this song today and saw your comment. I think it goes even deeper than what you're saying. Even a simple sounding song like this isn't simple. The words don't match up with the piano hits, it's syncopated. Which means it takes twisting your brain a little bit to figure it out. Not only is it beautiful, but it's kind of hard to play and sing this at the same time, and I didn't even notice until I tried. He's a genius.
@robvp190
Exactly.. I play the Jonny parts in my radio cover band and it is amazing how `simple' the songs sound but how well they are composed. I always played classical music but playing Radiohead is so much fun.. for me it is classical music but in a modern jacket.
@agnidas5816
@chappytk when we write songs this comes automatically. it is way more difficult to learn some one elses song than it is to write your own. I find this aspect of music funny. I've done both - learned complex stuff like Bach and written my own stuff as well as played variations on a Bach theme ...