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)
Man-O-War
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Search the whole worid drunken confessione
And hijacks and films just make you moan alone
If you come home i'll make you a cake
Lay your velvet eyes
I wish i couid see you just when i kill
You're my man o war
And the worms will eat you whole So unplug your phone
Stop all the chatter
It all comes flooding back
From poisoned clouds
To poison the world
You're my man o war
And the worms will eat you whole, my love
And the worms will eat your home
You whole my love
The lyrics to Radioheadâs song âMan-O-Warâ are open to interpretation, but one possible explanation is that they deal with the themes of alienation, disillusionment, and disconnection in a world of excess, addiction, and isolation. The first verse sets the scene of wandering aimlessly and searching for meaning in a world that is full of chaos, confusion, and false promises. The second verse introduces the idea of a longing for connection and intimacy, but also hints at the ambivalence and violence that can arise from that desire. The chorus repeats the phrase âYouâre my man o warâ and adds the ominous image of worms eating away at the singer, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for death or decay.
The third verse seems to take a more political turn, with references to the dangers of technology, communication, and pollution. The line âunplug your phone, stop all the chatterâ could be seen as a call to disconnect from the networked world that alienates and isolates us. The last chorus introduces a twist, as the worms are now eating away at the singerâs âhomeâ as well as their body, suggesting a deeper existential threat. The final line âand the worms will eat you whole, my loveâ can be interpreted as a bitter irony or a resigned acceptance of mortality.
Overall, the lyrics to âMan-O-Warâ convey a sense of despair and futility in a world that is full of noise, confusion, and toxicity. The imagery of the sea and the worms adds a layer of surrealism and symbolism that invites multiple readings. The song can be seen as a critique of consumerism, technology, and modern life in general, as well as a meditation on the human condition and the limits of communication and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Drift all you like from ocean to ocean
Feel free to wander aimlessly throughout life, going wherever your heart takes you.
Search the whole world drunken confessions
Travel the world seeking new experiences, even if they involve making some bad decisions while under the influence.
And hijacks and films just make you moan
Being exposed to various forms of media, such as movies and documentaries, can sometimes leave you feeling disheartened and helpless rather than enlightened.
If you come home I'll make you a cake
If you ever feel lost or disconnected from the world, I will be here waiting to welcome you back with open arms and some homemade dessert.
Lay your velvet eyes
Allow me to gaze into your soft, alluring eyes and connect with your innermost thoughts and emotions.
I wish I could see you just when I kill
I yearn for the experience of seeing you at the moment of ultimate power and domination, which conflicts with my love for you.
You're my man o war
You are powerful and threatening, like a deadly ship of war that strikes fear in the hearts of all who encounter it.
And the worms will eat you whole
Regardless of your status or power in life, death is inevitable, and all living creatures will eventually decompose and return to the earth.
So unplug your phone
Take a break from technology and the constant flow of information and communication to immerse yourself in the present moment and enjoy life as it is.
Stop all the chatter
Quiet your mind and eliminate the noise and distractions that prevent you from being fully present and mindful in the present moment.
It all comes flooding back
Memories and experiences from the past can suddenly resurface and overwhelm you, both positively and negatively.
From poisoned clouds, to poison the world
The actions of humans have caused destruction and suffering on a global scale, whether through environmental pollution or warfare.
And the worms will eat you whole, my love
Even in death, my love for you will remain strong and endure, as we both inevitably return to the earth from which we came.
And the worms will eat your home
Everything that we build and create in life, including our homes and possessions, will eventually be consumed by time and decay.
Contributed by Madison S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Sam-oq2uo
LYRICS
[Verse 1]
Drift all you like from ocean to ocean
Search the whole world
But drunken confessions and hijacked affairs
Will just make you more alone
[Verse 2]
When you come home Iâll bake you a cake
Made of all their eyes
I wish you could see me dressed for the kill
[Refrain]
Youâre my man of war
Youâre my man of war
Yeah, the worms will come for you, big boots
Yeah, yeah, yeah
[Verse 3]
So unplug the phones, stop all the taps
It all comes flooding back
To poison clouds and poisoned dwarves
[Refrain]
Youâre my man of war
Youâre my man of war
Yeah, the worms will come for you, big boots
Yeah, the worms will come for you, big boots
For you, big boots
@rog3rskunk84
â Lyrics (so that you don't have to google) â
Drift all you like
From ocean to ocean
Search the whole world
But drunken confessions
And hijacked affairs
Will just make you more alone
When you come home
I'll bake you a cake
Made of all their eyes
I wish you could see me
Dressed for the kill
You're my man of war
You're my man of war
And the worms will come for you
Big Boots
Yeah, yeah, yeah
So unplug the phones
Stop all the taps
It all comes flooding back
From poisoned clouds
To poisoned dwarf
You're my man of war
You're my man of war
And the worms will come for you
Big Boots
Yeah the worms will come for you
Big Boots
For you
Big Boots
@GabzitoHD
When Radioheads leftovers are better than most artists one hit wonders
@danielaldana818
When Radiohead's left overs from OK Computer are better than their songs from KidA going forward.
@mywhychromosome
You honestly think this beats "How To Disappear Completely"?? Or "Morning Bell"? Or fucking...."Wolf At The Door?" (just thinking of 3 random moments of brilliance in an exciting career...although I feel they fell off a bit after "IR", so maybe we're just the same...)
@ChodeMaster
i remember your old league vids
@GabzitoHD
Chode Master reeeallyyy :D sick
@ChodeMaster
GabzitoHD yeah man still subbed man man
@FeriBlueBerry
This is honestly one of the most well-made music videos Iâve ever seen. The whole concept symbolizes something in my view. One of the most obvious points is the drastic difference in tone and cinematography between the âdayâ and the ânightâ sequences. From the beginning ânightâ is established as the anxiety-inducing, paranoid, and lonely atmosphere. This is very masterfully contrasted with the presence of people in the âdayâ sequence. The man has interactions with the people around him (the woman walking past him, the bike rider dropping a phone). But slowly these two realities start to merge together and the safety margin created by the brightness and normality of the âdayâ sequence is starting to fade. The man starts acting out ânightâ actions in the day (looking back for no reason, dodging a nonexistent car). This is exactly the place where you canât trust any of the realities anymore.
All this was to preface my main point: in tandem with the title of the song âMan of Warâ, I believe the music video visualizes PTSD and paranoia.
The âdayâ sequence is real life and the main character has actually interacted with his surroundings. However, his mind, paranoia, and PTSD has caused an alternate ânightâ timeline, which slowly starts to converge into reality. At the end, he canât distinguish what is real or fake anymore (the turning point is when he looks at a picture of himself in the phoneâŠi.e. paranoia has kicked in).
The people following him so intently are a part of that fake reality he has created. These people within this world (his mind) try to creep into his life and take control. This is seen initially when we can see a shadow following him in the âdayâ sequence. Gradually, a whole physical appearance pops up and the people following him increases.
I symbolize these people as the trauma and mental scars that the main characters has to carry. No matter what he does, he can never get rid of them. He is scared of them. Terrified. He tries ignoring them and running from them, but they always remain within a constant distance away from him. At the end, he trips over andâŠnothing happens. The people, his trauma and guilt is part of him, following him but not there to physically hurt him. He can never get rid of them, except to accept their presence and coexist with them.
At the end, the man is distraught but calmer. He realizes that he can never escape his mind and these presences attached to him, but just maybe he wonât have to run away from them at all.
@KaosMasterX
At 2:09 when the phone was dropped, it had shown a picture of the man sitting on the bench.
It's not paranoia, he was definitely being watched and targeted. As for what, idk.
@K1ddkanuck
This is how I feel. All the time.
@sexrobot4921
watch angel by massive attack litterally the same exact thing
still good tho not tryna shite on yuh