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)
Idioteque
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Women and children first, and the children first, and the children
I'll laugh until my head comes off
I'll swallow 'til I burst
Until I burst, until I
Who's in the bunker? Who's in the bunker?
I have seen too much, I haven't seen enough
I'll laugh until my head comes off
Women and children first, and children first, and children
Here I'm alive
Everything all of the time
Here I'm alive
Everything all of the time
Ice age coming, ice age coming
Let me hear both sides, let me hear both sides, let me hear both
Ice age coming, ice age coming
Throw it in the fire, throw it in the fire, throw him on the
We're not scaremongering
This is really happening, happening
We're not scaremongering
This is really happening, happening
Mobiles squirking, mobiles chirping
Take the money and run, take the money and run, take the money
Here I'm alive (-n first, and children)
Everything all of the time (-n first, and children)
Here I'm alive (-n first, and children)
Everything all of the time (-n first, and children)
Here I'm alive (-n first, and children)
Everything all of the time (-n first, and children)
Here I'm alive (-n first, and children)
Everything all of the time (-n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
(-n first, and ch-)
(-n first, -n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
(-n first, and ch-)
(-n first, -n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
(-n first, and children)
The lyrics to Radiohead's song "Idioteque" capture a sense of impending doom and chaos in society. The repeated refrain of "who's in a bunker" and references to an "ice age coming" suggest a world on the brink of disaster. The line "women and children first, and children first, and children" calls to mind the old adage of "women and children first" when evacuating a sinking ship, but the repetition of "children first" seems to emphasize the vulnerability of the young in such a dangerous situation.
The line "I'll laugh until my head comes off, I'll swallow 'til I burst" and the repetition of "everything all of the time" create a sense of excess and the need to constantly fill a void. The reference to "mobiles squirking" and "take the money run" suggest a society consumed by technology and materialism, with a disregard for the consequences.
Overall, the lyrics to "Idioteque" paint a bleak picture of a society on the brink of collapse, consumed by excess and disconnected from the consequences of their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's in a bunker, who's in a bunker?
Who is currently in a bunker, seeking refuge from a danger?
Women and children first, and the children first, and the children
The order of evacuation from a danger is females and minors first, and minors first again.
I'll laugh until my head comes off
I will not take life too seriously, and will find ways to enjoy it to the fullest extent possible.
I'll swallow 'til I burst, until I burst, until I
I will consume all the pleasures and joys of life until I can no longer handle it.
I have seen too much, I haven't seen enough
I have experienced a lot, but I still feel that there is much more to explore and discover.
You haven't seen it
There are still so many things that you have not yet experienced or witnessed.
Here I'm alive, everything all of the time
I am grateful for my existence, and I cherish every moment of my time on this earth.
Ice age coming, ice age coming
A period of frigid temperatures is approaching.
Let me hear both sides, let me hear both sides, let me hear both
I want to hear all perspectives on this matter, not just one side or point of view.
Throw it in the fire, throw it in the fire, throw it on the
Discard the old ways and ideas that have become useless or outdated.
We're not scaremongering, this is really happening, happening
We are not trying to frighten people, this is a real situation that is taking place right now.
Mobiles squirking, mobiles chirping
Mobile phones are constantly making noise and distracting us from the present moment.
Take the money run, take the money run, take the money
People are too concerned with earning wealth and financial security, and they will do anything to achieve it.
Here I'm alive (the first of the children), everything all of the time (the first of the children)
As one of the first generations to experience the modern world, I am grateful for my existence and the opportunities that come with it.
(The first of the children)
As one of the first people to grow up in the current era, I have a unique perspective on life and the world.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paul Lansky, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind