I Froze Up
Radiohead Lyrics

The lyrics to Radiohead's Climbing Up the Walls, from their landmark album OK Computer, are mysterious and unsettling. The opening lines "I am the key to the lock in your house/That keeps your toys in the basement" suggest a sinister presence, someone who holds power over the listener's possessions and space. The line "And if you get too far inside/You'll only see my reflection" implies that this person is a dark reflection of the self, lurking in the shadows and waiting to emerge.

The second part of the first verse introduces a new layer of unease, with the lines "It's always best when the light is off/I am the pick in the ice/Do not cry out or hit the alarm/You know we're friends till we die." Here, the singer seems to be suggesting that they thrive in darkness and that they will not betray the listener's confidence. However, the mention of a pick in the ice, presumably an instrument of violence, and the implication that the listener is under surveillance, adds to the sense of danger.

The chorus, with its repeated phrase "Climbing up the walls," reinforces the idea that the singer is a menacing presence, while the lines "And either way you turn/I'll be there/Open up your skull/I'll be there" suggest that the singer is not simply a physical entity, but a psychological force as well. The second verse takes on a more ominous tone, with the mention of violence ("Fifteen blows to the back of your head/Fifteen blows to your mind") and the instruction to "lock the kids up safe tonight/Shut the eyes in the cupboard."

Overall, Climbing Up the Walls is a song about the darker corners of the psyche, and the fear and uncertainty that can emerge from within. The lyrics are deliberately vague, allowing listeners to project their own fears onto the words, and the music is eerie and unsettling, adding to the overall sense of unease.