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)
Talkshow Host
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to be someone else or I'll explode
Floatin' upon this surface for the birds
The birds
The birds
You want me?
Fuckin' well, come and find meI'll be waitin'
With a gun and a pack of sandwiches
And nothin'
Nothin'
Nothin'
You want me?
Well, come and break the door down
You want me?
Fuckin' come and break the door down
I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready
I'm ready,
I'm ready
The lyrics to Radiohead's Talk Show Host open with a yearning to be someone else or to escape from oneself to avoid exploding. The 'floating upon the surface for the birds' metaphor could be interpreted as feeling stuck and helpless, unable to fly like a bird and escape from one's mundane life. The repeated mention of birds might also reference the idea of freedom and the desire to break free from constraints.
The second half of the song becomes more aggressive, with a challenge to the person addressed in the song. The singer dares them to 'come and find me' or to 'come and break the door down.' This indicates a readiness to confront the situation, to fight for what they believe in or desire. The lyrics even mention having a gun and a pack of sandwiches, which possibly indicates that there is a willingness to face any challenge put before them.
Overall, the song seems to be about the desire for change, either to escape a mundane existence or to confront something that is holding the singer back. It is about the willingness to take aggressive action to achieve this change, even if it means risking danger.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to
I desire to change my identity
I want to be someone else or I'll explode
I feel the need to transform myself or else I'll have an emotional outburst
Floatin' upon this surface for the birds
I'm floating around in a meaningless state, like a bird on the surface of the water
The birds
I'm surrounded by emptiness and meaningless distractions
You want me?
Do you really want me?
Fuckin' well, come and find me
Then come and search for me
I'll be waitin'
I'll be here waiting for you
With a gun and a pack of sandwiches
I'll be prepared for anything, even if it means using a gun and having food with me
And nothin'
I won't have anything else with me
Nothin'
Absolutely nothing
Well, come and break the door down
If you really want me, then break the door down to find me
I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready
I'm fully prepared for whatever comes my way, mentally and emotionally
I'm ready
I am ready for this challenge
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
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Me me
on No Surprises
The way i interpret the lyrics: ; Once excitement of youthful perspective,, hopes, dreams are broken, into an almost nihilistic acceptance of patterns world, we coast,….. become a part of the dull hum we swore we never would become part of. Time pulls us forward, wears and tears until we accept. Can not fight against the current yet knowing we swore we would never.
no
on Radio Head - no surprises
heylo aaa