Inside My Head
Radiohead Lyrics

What do you want from me?
The singer is asking their tormentor what they want in order to understand their motivations.

Now you got me
The singer is acknowledging that their tormentor has successfully captured them.

Now my fingers bleed
The singer is indicating physical pain from their capture.

Now they're staring at me
The artist is experiencing the intimidating glare of their captor.

I'm a coward now
The artist is feeling powerless and helpless in their situation.

I hold my peace
The singer is keeping their thoughts and feelings to themselves, whether out of fear or self-protection.

Now you tie me up to your feather bed
The singer is describing the method of their capture and the environment of their confinement.

And I twist and turn in a Chinese burn
The artist is conveying physical pain and discomfort from the method of their capture.

You won't let go
The artist is expressing their frustration and despair at being unable to escape the grasp of their captor.

You're inside my head
The artist is acknowledging that their captor has psychological control over them.

Now my energy you suck from me
The singer is describing how their captor is draining their vitality and spirit.

And I'm holding on for dear life
The artist is desperately trying to maintain their own sense of identity and resilience despite their tormentor's efforts to break them down.

Quit smothering me
The singer is pleading for their captor to stop suffocating them with their control and power.

Quit laughing at me
The singer is expressing how their captor's taunts and belittling behavior are adding insult to injury.

I've got a disease
Here, the singer is using 'disease' metaphorically to describe the mental and emotional turmoil caused by their captivity.

An English disease
The artist may be referring specifically to societal pressures and expectations that contribute to their current state of vulnerability.

It won't let go
The artist is describing how their mental health struggles are ongoing and persistent, despite their captor's attempts to control them.

What did you put in that syringe?
The singer is questioning the nature of the drugs or other methods their captor used to subdue them.

Whatever you really said to him?
The singer is wondering what words or coercion their captor may have used to convince someone else to assist them in their actions.

Is sitting there, inside of me
The artist is acknowledging that their captor's influence remains with them even when they are not physically present.

And you bother me
The artist is expressing annoyance and frustration with their captor's constant presence in their thoughts and memories.

You possess me
Here, 'possess' is used metaphorically to describe the extent to which the artist feels controlled and dominated by their captor.

You're there again
The singer is recognizing that their captor's influence is pervasive and inescapable.

Ahead of me
This line could be interpreted variously, but it may suggest that the artist feels that their captor is always one step ahead of them, anticipating their every move.

And I won't let go
The singer is expressing their own determination to resist their captor's power and not give in to their demands.

You're inside my head
This closing line of repetition reinforces how deeply the singer feels trapped and controlled by their captor, both physically and psychologically.