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)
The Tourist
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But me
Like it's seen
A ghost
I guess it's seen the sparks
A-flowin'
No one else
Would know
Hey man, slow down
Slow down
Idiot, slow down
Slow down
Sometimes I get overcharged
That's when you
See sparks
They ask me where the hell
I'm going?
At a thousand feet per second
Hey man, slow down
Slow down
Idiot, slow down
Slow down
Hey man, slow down
Slow down
Idiot, slow down
Slow down
The Tourist by Radiohead is often considered to be a song that talks about the rush of modern life and how it can be disorienting at times. The song opens with the lines, "It barks at no one else, but me, like it's seen a ghost" which introduces the idea of feeling isolated in the midst of a bustling city. The singer seems to suggest that despite being surrounded by people, no one else seems to notice this feeling of alienation. The line, "I guess it's seen the sparks a-flowin', no one else would know" reinforces the idea that something has been triggered within the singer that no one else can understand.
The song then takes a turn with the lines, "Sometimes I get overcharged, that's when you see sparks" which could be interpreted in multiple ways. It may refer to the sensation of feeling overstimulated or overwhelmed, leading to a sort of surreal experience where "sparks" represent a sudden change in one's perception of reality. Alternatively, it could represent moments of clarity or inspiration that come about under intense pressure, which the singer may be experiencing in the midst of their hectic life.
Overall, The Tourist seems to be a commentary on the challenges of modern life, where people may sometimes feel disconnected and overwhelmed by the endless rush to keep up. The repeated refrain of "Hey man, slow down, slow down, idiot, slow down, slow down" is an almost desperate plea to take a step back and reassess one's priorities, to find moments of stillness amidst the chaos and to remember what's truly important.
Line by Line Meaning
It barks at no one else
Only I am the one who gets barked at by this particular dog.
But me
No one else.
Like it's seen
Apparently the dog is acting as though it has witnessed something extraordinary or unusual.
A ghost
Something that is not of the physical world.
I guess it's seen the sparks
It is assumed that the dog has perceived some sort of energy or excitement.
A-flowin'
Flowing.
No one else
Simply no other individuals.
Would know
It is unlikely that anyone else would be aware of the energy or excitement present.
Hey man, slow down
A pleading of sorts, imploring someone to take pause or not rush forward so quickly.
Slow down
Relax or decelerate.
Idiot, slow down
Using an insult as a more fervent call to slow down.
Sometimes I get overcharged
On occasion I become excessively stimulated.
That's when you
At that time is when a phenomenon occurs.
See sparks
Something akin to a gleam of non-physical energy or electricity.
They ask me where the hell
The question is sometimes posed as to where exactly the singer is heading.
I'm going?
A query concerning the artist's destination.
At a thousand feet per second
Traveling very quickly; suggesting some sort of metaphorical journey in addition to or instead of a physical one.
Lyrics © Sentric Music, 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