According to the Lotus Flower Songfacts, the song was debuted by Thom Yorke at a warm-up show with his other band Atoms For Peace on October, 2nd 2009 at the Echoplex in Los Angeles. Radiohead first performed the track during a January 2010 Haiti benefit concert in Los Angeles.
The music video features Radiohead's frontman Thom Yorke singing and dancing to the track in front of a backdrop in black and white. Yorke's dancing in the video seems to be unsystematic, at some points shaking eccentrically to moving in a robot-like form.
Lotus Flower
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Invisible
Do what you want
Do what you want
I will shrink and I will disappear
I will slip into the groove and cut me off
And cut me off
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
And now I'll set you free
I'll set you free
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I'll set you free
I'll set you free
Slowly we unfurl
As lotus flowers
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
Just to see what if
Just to see what is
I can't kick your habit
Just to fill your fast ballooning head
Listen to your heart
We will shrink and we'll be quiet as mice
And while the cat is away
Do what we want
Do what we want
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I'll set you free
I'll set you free
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
Just to see what if
Just to see what is
The bird lights float into my room
Slowly we unfurl
As lotus flowers
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
I dance around the pit
The darkness is beneath
I can't kick your habit
Just to feed your fast ballooning head
Listen to your heart
The lyrics of Radiohead's song Lotus Flower express the theme of surrendering oneself to another person. In the first verse, "I will shape myself into your pocket, invisible" indicates the desire to compromise and become subservient to the other person. The repetition of "do what you want" emphasizes the willingness to do whatever it takes to please them. The following lines "I will shrink and I will disappear" and "I will slip into the groove and cut me off" suggest the loss of one's identity in the process of submission.
The chorus of the song highlights the emptiness inside the singer's heart, where "weeds take root." Instead of holding onto their partner, they choose to set them free, recognizing that they cannot fill the void within. The second verse follows a similar theme to the first, with a hint of rebellion using the metaphor of mice while the cat is away. The line "just to fill your fast ballooning head" suggests the partner's growing ego and need for validation.
The song's bridge ties the theme together by portraying the singer's desire for the unattainable, the "moon upon a stick." While they dance around the pit of their emptiness, "the darkness is beneath," and they cannot kick their partner's habit of needing validation. The song concludes with the repetition of the chorus followed by the line, "listen to your heart," implying that the singer has learned to listen to their own heart and let go, accepting the emptiness inside.
Line by Line Meaning
I will shape myself into your pocket
I will mold myself to fit your needs
Invisible
I will do this without drawing attention to myself
Do what you want
I will let you have control over me
I will shrink and I will disappear
I will make myself smaller and less noticeable
I will slip into the groove and cut me off
I will become part of the background and remove myself from the situation
And cut me off
This is necessary for me to cope
There's an empty space inside my heart
I am missing something important
Where the weeds take root
This void is being filled with negative thoughts and emotions
And now I'll set you free
It's time for me to let go and move on
Slowly we unfurl
We are opening up and revealing ourselves
As lotus flowers
We are beautiful and complex in our growth
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
I have an unattainable desire
Just to see what if
I am curious about the outcome
Just to see what is
I want to understand the truth
I can't kick your habit
I am struggling to break free from your influence
Just to fill your fast ballooning head
I am being used to boost your ego
Listen to your heart
You need to be true to yourself
We will shrink and we'll be quiet as mice
We will make ourselves small and silent to avoid detection
And while the cat is away
We will take advantage of the opportunity
Do what we want
We will take control of the situation
The bird lights float into my room
Positive thoughts and emotions enter my life
I dance around the pit
I am embracing the darkness instead of being afraid of it
The darkness is beneath
There is always something negative lurking beneath the surface
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SaintMartins
There are "names" for Thom's dance moves......
0:01 the stretch
0:41 the boogie woogie
0:59 hands in ma' pocket
1:17 karate man
1:31 the heart attack
2:39 running chicken
3:01 the earthquaker
3:22 come little doggie
4:22 drunk girl dancing at the party
@xenofonpapougiannakis9654
Lyrics:
I will shake myself into your pocket
Invisible
Do what you want
Do what you want
I will sink and I will disappear
I will slip into the groove
And cut me off
And cut me off
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I set you free
I set you free
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I'll set you free
I'll set you free
Slowly we unfurl
As lotus flowers
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
Just to see what if
Just to see what is
I can't kick the habit
"Just to feel your fast ballooning head"
Listen to your heart
We will shrink and then be quiet as mice
And while the cat is away
Do what we want
Do what we want
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I set you free
I set you free
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
Just to see what if
Just to see what is
The bird that's flown into my room
Slowly we unfurl
As lotus flowers
'Cause all I want is the earth upon a stick
I dance around the pit, the darkness is beneath
I can't kick your habit
"Just to feed your fast ballooning head"
Listen to your heart
@user-ip9yu7lp1q
Lotus Flower (연꽃)
I will sneak myself into your pocket
난 네 주머니에 숨어버릴거야
Invisible, do what you want, do what you want
보이지 않게, 네가 원하는걸 해, 네가 원하는걸
I will sink and I will disappear
난 가라앉을거고 사라질거야
I will slip into the groove
난 홈에 미끄러져 들어갈거야
and cut me up
그리고 날 잘라줘
There's an empty space inside my heart
내 가슴 속은 빈 공간이야
Where the wings take root
날개들이 뿌릴 잡을거야
So now I'll set you free
그래서 이제 난 널 놔줄거야
There's an empty space inside my heart
내 가슴 속은 빈 공간이야
And it won't take root
그리고 이건 아직 뿌리 내리지 않았어
Tonight I'll set you free
오늘밤, 난 널 놔줄거야
Slowly we unfurl
천천히 우린 필거야
As lotus flowers
마치 연꽃처럼
Because all I want is the moon upon a stick
그리고 내가 원하는 모든 건 막대위 달 같아
Dancing around the pit
구멍 주위에서 춤을 춰
Just to see what it is
그저 이게 뭔지 보기 위해
I can't kick the habit
난 이 습관을 버릴 수 없어
Just to feed your fast ballooning head
그저 빠르게 부푸는 네 머리를 먹이기 위해서
Listen to your heart
네 마음의 소릴 들어봐
We will sink and be quiet as mice
우린 쥐떼처럼 조용히 가라앉을거야
While the cat is away and do what we want
고양이들이 멀리 달아날때 우린 하고 싶은 걸 할꺼아
There's an empty space inside my heart
내 가슴 속은 빈 공간이야
And now it won't take root
그리고 지금 이건 아직 뿌리내리지 않았어
Tonight I'll set you free
오늘밤 난 널 놔줄거야
I set you free
널 놔줄거야
Because all I want is the moon upon a stick
왜냐면 내가 원하는 모든것은 막대기위 달이거든
Just to see what it is
단지 이걸 보기 위해
Just to see what gives
단지 무슨 일인지 보기 위해
Take the lotus flowers into my room
연꽃을 내 방에 놔줘
Slowly we unfurl As lotus flowers
천천히 우린 필거야 마치 연꽃처럼
Cause All I want is the moon upon a stick
우리가 원하는 모든 것은 막대기위 달이니깐
Dance around a pit
구멍 주위에서 춤을 춰
The darkness is beneath
어둠이 바로 밑에 있어
I can't kick the habit
난 이 습관을 버릴 수 없어
Just to feed you fast ballooning head
그저 빠르게 부풀어 오르는 네 머리를 먹이기 위해
Listen to your heart
네 마음의 소릴 들어봐
@florentduchalet8458
I will shake myself into your pocket
Invisible
Do what you want
Do what you want
I will sink and I will disappear
I will slip into the groove
And cut me off
And cut me off
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I set you free
I set you free
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I'll set you free
I'll set you free
Slowly we unfurl
As lotus flowers
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
Just to see what if
Just to see what is
I can't kick the habit
"Just to feel your fast ballooning head"
Listen to your heart
We will shrink and then be quiet as mice
And while the cat is away
Do what we want
Do what we want
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I set you free
I set you free
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
Just to see what if
Just to see what is
The bird that's flown into my room
Slowly we unfurl
As lotus flowers
'Cause all I want is the earth upon a stick
I dance around the pit, the darkness is beneath
I can't kick your habit
"Just to feed your fast ballooning head"
Listen to your heart
@beetsbears
I created a dance to this song
Here are the moves to learn
——————————————————
0:50: aggressively shake maracas
0:54: tiktok dances be like
1:01 gangster walk
1:11 completely giving up
1:21 jab the air aggressively
1:27 wth u lookin at?
1:30 seizure time
1:36 heartburn
1:38 turning dials on the washing machine while high
1:49 severe heartburn
1:56 drowning thom
2:05 thom the plant
2:14 too short to reach on top of the fridge
2:28 hats off to you lad
2:38: my hat is a steering wheel
2:40: and it has wings
2:51: goodnight
2:53: jk I have a hammer
2:58: drying off your hands
3:02. electrocuted crab
3:09: EARTHQUAKE
3:24: that monkey toy that claps the cymbals together (don’t know what it’s called)
3:40 makeup commercial
3:51: me wishing for a new Radiohead album
4:22: the thom shuffle
4:52 catch the annoying flies
——————————————————
This song is brilliant and this comment is a joke
Also try listening to this at x1.50 speed. The dancing is perfect although terrifying
Edit: Thanks for all the nice comments! now I feel like a genius
Another edit: what is your favorite Radiohead song?
My favorites are Talk Show Host, Idioteque, exit music for a film, backdrifts, wolf at the door, electioneering, my iron lung, 15 step, in limbo, let down, and every other song in their discography lol
•point is, I can’t choose a favorite. They all are good•
anyone like his solo stuff? or atoms for peace? the smile?
my favorite song from atoms for peace has to be either default or before your very eyes
My favorites of his solo stuff have to be The Clock, Black Swan, Twist, and Traffic
Well anyways, enjoy your music and have a nice day 💜
edit, again: thank you for being so nice in the comments!
@blackogre7719
Radiohead - Lotus Flower (Lyrics)
I will shake myself into your pocket
Invisible
Do what you want
Do what you want
I will sink and I will disappear
I will slip into the groove
And cut me off
And cut me off
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I set you free
I set you free
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I'll set you free
I'll set you free
Slowly we unfurl
As lotus flowers
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
Just to see what if
Just to see what is
I can't kick the habit
"Just to feel your fast ballooning head"
Listen to your heart
We will shrink and then be quiet as mice
And while the cat is away
Do what we want
Do what we want
There's an empty space inside my heart
Where the weeds take root
So now I set you free
I set you free
'Cause all I want is the moon upon a stick
Just to see what if
Just to see what is
The bird that's flown into my room
Slowly we unfurl
As lotus flowers
'Cause all I want is the earth upon a stick
I dance around the pit, the darkness is beneath
I can't kick your habit
"Just to feed your fast ballooning head"
Listen to your heart
@paulinairigoyen4708
The song is about a man who is looking for inner peace and emotional freedom. He uses the image of the lotus flower to talk about how he wants to overcome his problems and feel free.
In the song, the man says there's a hole in his heart where love and pain have gone. That means he feels sad and lonely, but he wants to find a way to feel better.
The man also says he imagines everything he could be. That means he's thinking about the things he could do and the people he could meet to find happiness and freedom.
Overall, the song is about how it's important to seek inner peace and happiness, even if it's hard sometimes. The lyrics are very poetic and abstract, but I think the main idea is easy to understand: we all want to be happy and free.
-Chat GPT
@pulllak
Hi, my name's Thom Yorke and I'll be your freestyle dance teacher
@yasminebensalah2835
i once had a dream of Thom Yorke being my teacher xD
@littlejessiej
KAŞDOQŞDOAŞSO
@deathlove0211
@@yasminebensalah2835 best dream ever
@ImRunningazoo
I'm in! signed me up 😁😝🤪
@florian2464
hey Immanuel u very nice but why the f*** is your critique of pure reason so long? and i heard that you died as a virgin of the age of 80, is that linked?
@Jonnygreenwoodno1fan
“Why do you take so long to shower!??”
Me in the bathroom:
@iforgoteverythinf
beautiful pic
@helloimclark8834
so relatable man
@tygical
REAL