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)
Significant Other (1999)
Kid A (2000)
Amnesiac (2001)
Hail to the Thief (2003)
In Rainbows (2007)
The King of Limbs (2011)
A Moon Shaped Pool (2016)
The Headmaster Ritual
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spineless swines cemented minds
Sir leads the troops jealous of youth
Same old suit since 1962
He does the military two-step
Down the nape of my neck
I want to go home i don't want to stayGive up education as a bad mistake
Mid-week on the playing fields
Sir thwacks you on the knees
Knees you in the groin elbow in the face
Bruises bigger than dinner plates
I want to go home i don't want to stay
Belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools
Spineless bastards all sir leads the troops
Jealous of youth same old jokes since 1902
He does the military two-step
Down the nape of my neck
I want to go home i don't want to stay
Give up life as a bad mistake
Please excuse me from gym
I've got this terrible cold coming on
He grabs and devours
He kicks me in the showers
Kicks me in the showers
And he grabs and devours
I want to go home i don't want to stay
In "The Headmaster Ritual," Radiohead paints a vivid picture of a bleak and oppressive school environment. The lyrics express frustration and rebellion against the authority figures who run the schools, specifically targeting the headmaster. The first verse describes these figures as "belligerent ghouls" and "spineless swines" who are envious of the energy and freedom of youth. The reference to the headmaster wearing the same suit since 1962 suggests a stagnant and unchanging system.
The chorus, "I want to go home, I don't want to stay, give up education as a bad mistake," reflects the singer's desire to escape this oppressive education system. The lyrics suggest that the singer feels trapped and restricted, urging them to abandon the pursuit of knowledge altogether.
The second verse continues to highlight the physical abuse within the school environment, with the headmaster inflicting pain on the students. The use of violent imagery, such as being "kicked in the showers" and bruises "bigger than dinner plates," further reinforces the oppressive nature of the school system.
The repetition of the chorus intensifies the singer's longing for escape and emphasizes their dissatisfaction with their current circumstances. The final lines of the song, "Please excuse me from gym, I've got this terrible cold coming on, he grabs and devours," suggest that even attempts to seek a way out or make excuses are met with more aggression and control.
Overall, "The Headmaster Ritual" presents a scathing criticism of the authoritarian education system and its impact on the individual's desire for freedom and self-expression.
Line by Line Meaning
Belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools
Aggressive individuals with cruel intentions hold power in the educational institutions in Manchester
Spineless swines cemented minds
Weak-willed individuals with closed-mindedness and lack of originality
Sir leads the troops jealous of youth
The authority figure is envious of the young and their potential
Same old suit since 1962
The authority figure's appearance has not changed for decades, symbolizing his rigidity and resistance to change
He does the military two-step
He follows a strict, unchanging routine and enforces obedience and discipline
Down the nape of my neck
His actions and authoritarian control create a feeling of oppression and discomfort
I want to go home i don't want to stay
The singer longs to escape the oppressive environment and return to a place of comfort and freedom
Give up education as a bad mistake
The artist considers the entire educational system as a regrettable choice
Mid-week on the playing fields
During the middle of the week, specifically on the sports fields
Sir thwacks you on the knees
The authority figure strikes you forcefully on the knees
Knees you in the groin elbow in the face
He attacks you in sensitive areas, causing physical pain and humiliation
Bruises bigger than dinner plates
The resulting injuries are extensive and visible, leaving large marks on the body
Belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools
Aggressive individuals with cruel intentions hold power in the educational institutions in Manchester
Spineless bastards all sir leads the troops
Weak-willed individuals lacking integrity are under the authority figure's control
Jealous of youth same old jokes since 1902
The authority figure resents the vitality and freshness of the young, continuously relying on outdated humor
He does the military two-step
He follows a strict, unchanging routine and enforces obedience and discipline
Down the nape of my neck
His actions and authoritarian control create a feeling of oppression and discomfort
I want to go home i don't want to stay
The singer longs to escape the oppressive environment and return to a place of comfort and freedom
Give up life as a bad mistake
The singer considers their entire existence as a regrettable choice
Please excuse me from gym
I request permission to not participate in physical education class
I've got this terrible cold coming on
I am starting to feel very ill
He grabs and devours
He forcefully seizes and consumes
He kicks me in the showers
He violently kicks me while in the shower
And he grabs and devours
Continuing to forcibly take hold and consume
I want to go home i don't want to stay
The singer longs to escape the oppressive environment and return to a place of comfort and freedom
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@the_lynx_himself
[Verse 1]
Belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools
Spineless swines, cemented minds
[Pre-Chorus]
Sir leads the troops, jealous of youth
Same old suit since 1962
He does the military two-step
Down the nape of my neck
[Chorus]
I want to go home
I don't want to stay
Give up education
As a bad mistake
[Verse 2]
Mid-week on the playing fields
Sir thwacks you on the knees
Knees you in the groin, elbow in the face
Bruises bigger than dinner plates
[Chorus]
I want to go home
I don't want to stay
[Post-Chorus]
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-la-la-la-la-la, oh, la-la-la-la (Oh, oh! Oh, oh!)
Ooh, la-la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-la-la-la-la, ooh, la-la-la-la-la (Oh, oh! Oh, oh!)
Oh, la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
[Verse 3]
Belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools
Spineless bastards, all
[Pre-Chorus]
Sir leads the troops, jealous of youth
Same old jokes since 1902
He does the military two-step
Down the nape of my neck
[Chorus]
I want to go home
I don't want to stay
Give up life
As a bad mistake
[Verse 4]
Please excuse me from gym
I've got this terrible cold coming on
He grabs and devours, he kicks me in the showers
Kicks me in the showers and he grabs and devours
[Chorus]
I want to go home
I don't want to stay
[Outro]
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-la-la-la-la, oh, la-la-la-la-la (Oh, oh!)
Oh, la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay (Ohh)
Oh, la-la-la-la-la, oh, la-la-la-la-la (Ohh) (Oh, oh!)
La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay (Ohh)
Oh, la-la-la-la, ooh, la-la-la-la-la (Ohh)
Oh, la-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ee-yay
Ooh, la-la-la-la-ee-yay
La-la-la-la-la-la-la, ooh, la-la-la-la-la
Ooh, la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
La-la-la-la, ooh, la-la-la-la-la
Oh, la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-ee-yay
La-la-la, la-la-la-la-la-la
Oh, la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la-ee-yay
Oh, la-la-la-la-ee-yay
La-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Oh
@willemdafriend5558
Now i want a whole session of smiths covers by radiohead
@gabrieljardine
Im waiting for it, please please let me get what i want
@gimmigimmigimmi
no you don’t
@pauk.w
Yes they do. They said so.
@JakeTheComicBookDude
Thom Yorke is both a fan of R.E.M. and The Smiths
@bernlin2000
Such a convincing cover, you can really tell how influencial The Smiths were on Radiohead's sound, across the board!
@Northsouthdnmguy
Exactly what I was thinking! Never noticed it before…smh
@SuperRobertoClemente
It's also those origins in the savage side of England, the brutality, the violence toward anyone different or weak. Both the Smiths and Radiohead were the sound of something that could resist all that...
@Scott_Silver
The bends mostly
@brentsimonds1101
@@SuperRobertoClemente Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone! (I literally listened to Another Brick in the Wall before jumping over to this)