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)
No Surprises
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired, unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
I'll take a quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide
And no alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
Silent, silent
This is my final fit
My final bellyache with
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please
Such a pretty house
And such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises, please (get me out of here)
The lyrics of Radiohead's song No Surprises are a haunting portrayal of the monotony and routine of everyday life, a life that seemingly holds no excitement or joy. The opening lines with "a heart that's full like a landfill" reads as though the singer is burdened by the weight of their life and the things that don't make them happy. The next line reads "a job that slowly kills you" and it is clear that the singer's job is not bringing them any sense of satisfaction, as is shown by the line "bruises that won't heal." The singer is visibly unhappy and looks so "tired and unhappy."
The next lines suggest that the only way out of this unhappiness is by bringing down the government, as the government doesn't speak for the people. However, the singer reconciles that this isn't a feasible solution for them and instead chooses to take a "quiet life" filled with "no alarms and no surprises" and a "handshake of carbon monoxide." This suggests a desire for a peaceful death.
The final verse talks about a "pretty house" and "pretty garden" that seemingly aren't enough for the singer. The repetition of the lines "no alarms and no surprises" and "get me out of here" reinforce the singer's longing for escape from this bleak existence, one they find neither fulfilling nor satisfying.
Line by Line Meaning
A heart that's full up like a landfill
My heart is weighed down with garbage, like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
My job is slowly draining the life out of me
Bruises that won't heal
The emotional wounds I've suffered won't go away
You look so tired, unhappy
You appear worn out and miserable
Bring down the government
It's time to overthrow the oppressive government
They don't, they don't speak for us
The government doesn't represent or care about us
I'll take a quiet life
I long for a peaceful existence
A handshake of carbon monoxide
Death by poisoning seems like an easier way out
And no alarms and no surprises
I just want life to be predictable and without any unexpected shocks
No alarms and no surprises
I really mean it, no shocking revelations please
No alarms and no surprises
It's not a joke, I don't want any alarming or surprising news
Silent, silent
Please, just peace and quiet
This is my final fit
This is my ultimate episode of frustration
My final bellyache with
The last of my complaints, ever
No alarms and no surprises
I repeat: No sudden events or startling revelations
No alarms and no surprises
Seriously, I'm being totally straightforward
No alarms and no surprises, please
For the last time, I am begging you not to make things complicated or difficult
Such a pretty house
Everything looks great on the surface
And such a pretty garden
The exterior doesn't reveal the internal turmoil
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
Please, no shock or turmoil. I need to leave this place
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
I am serious about wanting no drama, I need to get out of this situation
No alarms and no surprises, please (get me out of here)
I will do anything to avoid turmoil, so please let me leave
Lyrics Β© O/B/O DistroKid, 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
Michelle Lauren
Love this version ... Sounds great even without vocals .... Love your sound also, is that a G & L?
Oscar Campos
Muy buen tutorial πππ
Frogman jump
good stuff there dude, but what's the tune ?
Isaac Amador
+Frogman jump its standard tuning
Isaac Amador
+Frogman jump v good tutorial