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)
Punch up at a wedding
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
I don't know why you bother
Nothing's ever good enough for you
I was there
It wasn't like that
You had to piss on our parade
You had to shred our big day
You had to ruin it for all concerned
In a drunken punch-up at a wedding
Yeah
Hypocrite, opportunist
Don't infect me with your poison
A bull in a china shop
When I turn 'round you stay
Frozen to the spot
The pointless snide remarks
Of hammerheaded sharks
The pot will call the kettle black
It's a drunken punch-up at a wedding yeah
Oh no, no, no
Radiohead's "Punch up at a Wedding" is an electric rock song with a driving beat and haunting melody. The lyrics describe a wedding where a guest, who is a hypocrite and opportunist, causes chaos and ruins everything. The singer is defensive, trying to explain that they were there and that it wasn't their fault things went wrong. They point out that the troublemaker seems to revel in causing trouble, and they liken them to a bull in a china shop. They also describe the guest's snide remarks as being like those of hammerheaded sharks. The singer ends with a plea for this person to leave them alone and not infect them with their poison.
The song's powerful, emotional lyrics have been interpreted in a number of ways. Some see it as a commentary on the politics of the time, while others view it as a more general protest against the destructive tendencies of human nature. The song was released on Radiohead's 2003 album "Hail to the Thief," which was widely praised by critics and fans alike.
The song features Thom Yorke's signature falsetto vocals, which soar over the driving rhythm provided by the rest of the band. The song's dynamic structure is driven by the interplay of the various instruments, including a thumping bassline, swirling keyboard riffs, and intricate guitar work.
Line by Line Meaning
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
The singer is emphatically saying 'no' to the situation at hand.
I don't know why you bother
The singer questions why the other person even bothers to be present.
Nothing's ever good enough for you
The singer believes that the other person is constantly seeking better and is hard to please.
I was there
The artist is asserting that they were present during the situation being discussed.
It wasn't like that
The artist claims the situation did not happen as the other person is portraying it.
You've come here just to start a fight
The singer accuses the other person of only coming to the wedding to cause trouble.
You had to piss on our parade
The singer feels that the other person is intentionally ruining their good time.
You had to shred our big day
The artist feels that the other person is ruining their wedding day with their behavior.
You had to ruin it for all concerned
The artist feels that the other person is causing problems for everyone involved in the wedding.
In a drunken punch-up at a wedding
The artist is describing a fight that occurred at the wedding.
Yeah
The singer is expressing agreement or emphasis.
Hypocrite, opportunist
The artist is insulting the other person, accusing them of being insincere and taking advantage of the situation.
Don't infect me with your poison
The singer is expressing the desire to not be influenced by the negative actions and attitude of the other person.
A bull in a china shop
The singer is using a metaphor to describe the other person's behavior as clumsy and destructive.
When I turn 'round you stay
The singer is suggesting that the other person avoids confrontation and only behaves badly when they think no one is watching.
Frozen to the spot
The artist is describing the other person's behavior as paralyzed or immobile.
The pointless snide remarks
The artist is referring to the other person's unhelpful and insulting comments.
Of hammerheaded sharks
The singer is using another metaphor, this time to describe the other person's behavior as aggressive and predatory.
The pot will call the kettle black
The singer is suggesting that the other person is accusing the singer of something that they are guilty of themselves.
It's a drunken punch-up at a wedding yeah
The artist is repeating their earlier statement that a fight occurred at the wedding.
Oh no, no, no
The artist is again emphatic that the situation is not good.
Lyrics © 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