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)
Ripcord
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's inevitable, inevitable, it's a soul destroyed
You feel it till you're dry
You feel it till you've had enough
And you don't understand
No ripcord, no ripcord
No ripcord, no ripcord
Oh it's inevitable, inevitable, oh aeroplane
A thousand miles an hour
On politics and power
That you don't understand
No ripcord, no ripcord
No, no, no ripcord, no ripcord
La la la la
The answer to your prayers
We'll drop you anywhere
No ripcord, no ripcord
No ripcord, no, no, no ripcord yeah
Radiohead's song Ripcord is a post-punk, high-energy, guitar-driven track that portrays societal issues in a cynical manner. The song is all about losing control, as can be seen in the opening line "Soul destroyed with clever toys for little boys." The clever toys refer to our devices, while little boys refer to us as we do not realise what we are doing to ourselves. The song's central theme is a loss of control, and the inevitability of it all. The repetition of "it's inevitable, inevitable," reinforces the point that regardless of how hard we try, we can’t fight the inevitable.
The line: "Aeroplane, do I mean what I mean," is the central question of the song. It's a reference to the speed and power we have as individuals, but also as societies. However, we do not realise what we are doing or where we are headed at that speed. This is reinforced by: "A thousand miles an hour, on politics and power that you don't understand."
The chorus of "No ripcord, no ripcord," is a metaphor for not having control over one's life. It's a reference to the cord that skydivers pull to open their parachutes, and not having control over it leads to a fatal crash. Thus, not having control over the direction of one's life can also have disastrous consequences.
Overall, the song Ripcord touches upon several important themes like societal issues, control, and the dangers of living recklessly.
Line by Line Meaning
Soul destroyed with clever toys for little boys
The constant use of technology and gadgets has destroyed one's true soul and personality, especially in young boys.
It's inevitable, inevitable, it's a soul destroyed
This destruction of the soul due to technology and gadgets is unavoidable and bound to happen in today's world.
You feel it till you're dry
You feel exhausted and drained due to the constant use of technology.
You feel it till you've had enough
The endless usage of technology and gadgets can ultimately make you reach a point where you've had enough of it.
And you don't understand
People are not able to understand the damage caused by the constant usage of technology on their soul and personality.
No ripcord, no ripcord
There is no escape or easy way to disconnect from technology and its harmful effects.
Aeroplane, do I mean what I mean, oh it's inevitable, inevitable, oh aeroplane
Even when using an Aeroplane, one can contemplate the true meaning or purpose of their journey, and the negative effects of technology can't escape us, including when using an Aeroplane.
A thousand miles an hour, On politics and power, That you don't understand
We are so consumed in the fast-paced, technologically driven culture of politics and power that we do not understand or realize its negative impact on our soul and personality.
The answer to your prayers, We'll drop you anywhere
Technology and gadgets, though providing some solutions to our problems, will ultimately drop us off at any unknown place, figuratively speaking which will have negative effects on our lives.
No ripcord, no ripcord, No ripcord, no, no, no ripcord yeah
There is no easy way out, people need to disconnect and enjoy some tech-free time to protect their true selves.
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