Maquiladora
Radiohead Lyrics
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I can feel the hills exploding
Exploding gracefully
Burning up the freeway
Here it comes
Grass is green at the edge of the bubble
Beautiful gets into beautiful trouble
And it seems to fall out of the sky and come down on you.
Fast die younger
Burns rubber
Useless rockers
From England
Good times
Had by all
Just swallow your guilt and your crutches
Blue and white birds stop and hide on the pedal
Interstate fire walk starlight down the middle,
And it seems to fall out of the sky and come down on you
Oh baby burn
The song "Maquiladora" by Radiohead describes the destructive power of progress and industrialization. The song's title refers to the factories called maquiladoras, which are located in the border regions of Mexico and the United States, where cheap labor is used to assemble finished products for export. Thom Yorke's lyrics are critical of the conditions in these factories, where he imagines hills exploding and freeways burning. He seems to suggest that the price of progress is often too high, as the natural world is destroyed in the pursuit of efficiency and profit.
Yorke also uses the image of "beautiful trouble" to describe the paradoxical nature of progress. Progress is beautiful in terms of innovation and development, but it also causes trouble as it harms the environment and the people who work in the factories. The chorus urges listeners to "burn," perhaps a call for revolution against the destructive consequences of industrialization. The second verse seems to mock the uselessness of rock stars from England, suggesting that they are oblivious to the problems caused by progress.
Overall, "Maquiladora" is a powerful critique of the impact of industrialization on both people and the environment. Through its vivid imagery and biting lyrics, the song challenges listeners to consider the true cost of progress.
Line by Line Meaning
Here it comes, here it comes,
The imminent arrival of something great and powerful.
I can feel the hills exploding
The inherent beauty of nature that resonates within oneself.
Exploding gracefully
The force of change that transforms things in its path without causing damage.
Burning up the freeway
Powerful transformation happening at a rapid pace.
Grass is green at the edge of the bubble
The temporary comfort of blissful ignorance.
Beautiful gets into beautiful trouble
The danger of being consumed by desire for beauty.
And it seems to fall out of the sky and come down on you.
Unexpected consequences of one's actions.
Oh baby burn
The need to embrace change and transformation.
Fast die younger
The fleeting nature of life and the need to make the most of it.
Burns rubber
Living life with full speed and energy.
Useless rockers from England
The futility of following trends and living for others' expectations.
Good times had by all
Nostalgia for a simpler, happier time.
Just swallow your guilt and your crutches
Accepting one's mistakes and faults, and moving on without dependencies.
Blue and white birds stop and hide on the pedal
The calming presence of nature amidst chaos and destruction.
Interstate fire walk starlight down the middle,
The beauty and intensity of change happening at a large scale.
And it seems to fall out of the sky and come down on you
Repeated to reinforce the theme of unexpected consequences of one's actions.
Oh baby burn
Repeated to reinforce the need to embrace change and transformation.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLIN CHARLES GREENWOOD, EDWARD JOHN O'BRIEN, JONATHAN RICHARD GUY GREENWOOD, PHILIP SELWAY, PHILIP JAMES SELWAY, THOMAS YORKE, THOMAS EDWARD YORKE
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