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)
Dollars
Radiohead Lyrics
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The lyrics to Radiohead's song Dollars are a commentary on the destructive and manipulative nature of politics and economics. The song speaks to the corruption of money and power and how they can be used to manipulate and control individuals and society as a whole. The opening lines of the song, "there are things to talk about * deconstructive * but we bet * we can use * we can slaughter with the gloom" suggest a certain level of cynicism towards the way society functions and how politics and economics are manipulated for personal gain.
The chorus of the song, "we are the dollar and cents and the pound and pence and the mark and the yen * we're gonna gonna crack your little soul" continues this idea of the destructive power of money and how it can corrupt and destroy individuals. The repetition of "and won't you quiet down * and don't you cry now * and won't you quiet down * and don't you cry now * and don't you crack down * quiet down" is an ironic take on how individual voices are silenced through money and power. Overall, Radiohead's Dollars is a powerful commentary on the destructive nature of politics and economics and how they can be used to control individuals and society.
Line by Line Meaning
there are things to talk about * deconstructive *
We have controversial topics to discuss which could involve breaking down and analyzing certain concepts
but we bet * we can use * we can slaughter with the gloom *
However, we believe we have the power to utilize the ominous tone and emotion in our music to make a statement, possibly even shock or disturb our listeners
how many times * no one moves * we're your trap * no one moves *
We've played this type of music before, but it seems to paralyze our audience, making them feel stuck or trapped in our sound
and won't you quiet down * and don't you cry now * and won't you quiet down * and don't you cry now * and don't you crack down * quiet down *
We're asking our audience to calm down and not be scared or upset by our music, as well as not to judge us too harshly or criticize us too much for our style
oh no they're in your way * come on i know the right things to say *
We acknowledge that some may be opposed to our music or message, but we feel confident in our abilities to persuade them to see our point of view
oh yeah everytime democracy pays * so we're on the streets now * its all over the streets *
We believe that our music and message align with the values of democracy, and we're taking to the streets to share our ideas with others
we're out of here * its all over the streets at night * its all over the streets at night * get me out of here *
We feel like our music is reaching a climax, and we're escaping the chaos by leaving the streets and the night behind
all over * its all over the streets * we're out of here *
Our music and message have spread far and wide, but we're ready to move on to the next phase of our journey
we are the dollar and cents and the pound and pence and the mark and the yen *
We represent different currencies from around the world, symbolizing the reach and impact of our music and message
we're gonna gonna crack your little soul * we are the dollar and cents and the pound and pence and the mark and the yen * we're gonna crack your little soul *
We plan to not only grab the attention of our audience, but to potentially shake them to their core, challenging them to think about themselves and the world in new ways
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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