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)
Pyramid Song
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Black-eyed angels swam with me
A moon full of stars and astral cars
And all the figures I used to see
All my lovers were there with me
All my past and futures
And we all went to heaven in a little row boat
I jumped into the river
Black-eyed angels swam with me
A moon full of stars and astral cars
And all the figures I used to see
All my lovers were there with me
All my past and futures
And we all went to heaven in a little row boat
There was nothing to fear, nothing to doubt
There was nothing to fear, nothing to doubt
There was nothing to fear, nothing to doubt
The lyrics of Radiohead's song "Pyramid Song" are a reflection of the human desire for transcendence, for a connection with something beyond ourselves. The singer of the song has jumped into a river and is surrounded by black-eyed angels, perhaps representing a spiritual or mystical experience. The moon full of stars and astral cars evoke a sense of cosmic wonder and the figures which the singer used to see, perhaps ghosts or memories of the past, have reappeared.
All the singer's lovers, past and future, are there with them as they float in a little rowboat, on their way to heaven. The repetition of "nothing to fear, nothing to doubt" suggests a state of complete acceptance and surrender, where the singer is at peace with the present moment and ready to embark on a transcendental journey.
There are several possible interpretations of the song, such as a meditation on death and the afterlife, a reflection on the human condition and the search for meaning, or a commentary on the state of the world and the need for connection and unity. Whatever the interpretation, the song's haunting melody and poetic lyrics evoke a sense of melancholy and beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
I jumped in the river, what did I see?
The singer experienced something profound or surreal.
Black-eyed angels swam with me
The singer surrounded by something inexplicable and surreal, possibly spiritual.
A moon full of stars and astral cars
The setting of the experience is grand or other-worldly.
And all the figures I used to see
The presence of lost, loved ones or childhood memories in the surreal experience.
All my lovers were there with me
The presence and love of past romantic relationships.
All my past and futures
The experience included memories of the past and possibility of the future.
And we all went to heaven in a little row boat
Everyone was unified and at peace, possibly leaving behind turmoil of life.
There was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt
The experience was freeing and without worry.
There was nothing to fear, nothing to doubt
A repetition to emphasize the peace and serenity of the experience.
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
Johnsy's Channel
People in 2001: wtf? This sounds nothing like Radiohead.
People in 2021: this is incredible, this is why we love Radiohead
321doucheface
Me in 2001: Why aren't all their songs like this?
Wayne North
Completely Brilliant ICON .... so much talent ... I can only hope that my song by Space Boy ... hang on ... someone's at the door ......
MidnightLightMusic
@Dan mcbride I was born in 2000. I am 22 in a few days and yet this statement rings true. I hate my peers and some days wish I was around more likeminded people of the past.
Johnsy's Channel
@bartni Radiohead were a band who "Jumped the Shark" and landed it perfectly.
bartni
actually I got into Radiohead because of this album in 2001, before that it was just one of many bands
Tzi An
This is one of the best songs ever written. Hauntingly beautiful.
G583 J536
@Tzi An Yeah fair, I totally agree with that,
Tzi An
@G583 J536 Haha I saw you've said the same in another comment. I mean it's a beautiful song as well as haunting in terms of its melody and vibe.
G583 J536
So you're saying that you're haunted by how beautiful the song is?.. You don't mean 'beautiful in a haunted way' for instance?