In the album recording, the bass is played by lead singer Thom Yorke, who wrote the riff at age 16. The song is thought to have been previously attempted at recording sessions in 1994 and 1997, but according to Colin Greenwood, the band decided it was "too good to use it as a b-side for OK Computer singles".
The free jazz-style brass section featured in this song creates a soundscape of chaos and has been described as "a brass band marching into a brick wall" by one reviewer. In the recording sessions, band members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood conducted the session with musicians as best they could, though Yorke lacks formal musical training, telling them to 'go crazy' with their instruments as if they were caught in a traffic jam. It should be noted that although the recording sounds chaotic, each instrument is soloing to the riff.
The jazz-style arrangement was apparently influenced by Charles Mingus, one of Thom's favorite composers, while the song also features an Ondes Martenot, played by Jonny Greenwood. That early electronic instrument was picked up by Jonny for several songs on Kid A and subsequent albums, inspired by the music of Olivier Messiaen which makes much use of it. Some also found "The National Anthem" reminiscent of the contemporary work of fellow UK bands Primal Scream and Spiritualized, with whom Radiohead had toured in 1998.
"The National Anthem" was the opening song for most Radiohead concerts in 2000–2001, and is the first track on the band's 2001 album I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings. As of 2008, Radiohead continues to play it live. The song begins on stage with the band tuning to various radio stations, then mixing the transmissions and static with the bassline. When the song is played live, normal Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood plays the riff, which uses a Lovetone Big Cheese effects pedal to create a more distorted "fuzz" sound. The ondes martenot is also more audible in live versions, thanks to the addition of guitarist Ed O'Brien, who both doubles and expands on Jonny's parts. Thom Yorke also adds scat singing in some performances. Unlike the studio-recorded version on the Kid A album, the live version of the song is often not performed with a brass section. Radiohead has performed with a brass section in their 2000 performances in New York City (one of which was at Radiohead's taping for Saturday Night Live using the house band), a 2001 performance in London for the BBC's Later with Jools Holland, and during a 2001 concert in Paris.
During their 2008 tour for In Rainbows, Radiohead asked fans to provide travel information and other data regarding the carbon footprint of the tour, giving away free live recordings in return. While some participants received a link to the download of a soundboard recording of 'Bangers And Mash' from June 6, 2008, or a recording of 'Nude' from June 18, 2008, others were sent a link to a recording of 'The National Anthem' from august 9th 2008, the band's second performance at the All Points West Festival.
The National Anthem
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone around here
Everyone is so near
It's holding on
It's holding on
Everyone
Everyone is so nearEveryone has got the fear
It's holding on
It's holding on
It's holding on
It's holding on
It's holding on
Radiohead's song "The National Anthem" is a commentary on the anxieties and fears inherent in modern society. The lyrics suggest a feeling of overwhelming claustrophobia as the singer describes that "Everyone around here" is "so near" and has "got the fear." This sense of confinement and paranoia is reinforced musically by the driving, brass-heavy instrumentation that dominates the song. Even the title, "The National Anthem," is a nod to the way in which societal expectations and nationalist rhetoric can create a suffocating sense of obligation.
At its core, "The National Anthem" is a critique of the way in which politics, media, and popular culture can manipulate our emotions and create a sense of helplessness. The repeated phrase "It's holding on" suggests that these forces are oppressive, and that they exert a powerful grip on our lives. At the same time, Radiohead also implies that we are complicit in our own subjugation, as the "fear" that everyone "has got" is both internal and external. We are, in other words, both the victims and the enablers of the societal forces that shape our lives.
Overall, "The National Anthem" is a powerful evocation of the ways in which society can be both comforting and oppressive, both nurturing and suffocating. The song's lyrics and instrumentation work in tandem to create a sense of urgency and dread, and to encourage listeners to question their own roles in the broader social order.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyone
All people are included and affected.
Everyone around here
All people in this specific location.
Everyone is so near
All people are close in proximity.
It's holding on
A force or feeling is exerting control and persisting.
It's holding on
A force or feeling is exerting control and persisting.
Everyone
All people are included and affected.
Everyone is so near
All people are close in proximity.
Everyone has got the fear
All people are experiencing a feeling of distress and anxiety.
It's holding on
A force or feeling is exerting control and persisting.
It's holding on
A force or feeling is exerting control and persisting.
It's holding on
A force or feeling is exerting control and persisting.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Philip Selway, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Thomas 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