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)
Yes I Am
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I resent your voice
I resent that I
Don't have a choice
Anywhere I go
You are always there
Outside the car
I think I've been here before
Yes I've been here before
The last time you locked
All the doors
And I resent you calling
I resent your voice
I resent that I
Don't have a choice
And yes I am
Yes I am
I think I've told you once
I think I needed advice
You were such a help
That's very nice
I think I've been here before
Yes I've been here before
But this time I kick
Down your door
Yes I am
Yes I am
The lyrics to Radiohead's song "Yes I Am" express resentment and frustration towards an individual who appears to be inescapable. The singer resents this person calling and the sound of their voice. They also resent not having a choice when it comes to their presence. The individual is described as always being there, even outside of the singer's car or in their hair. The singer feels trapped and has been in this situation before. The last time this happened, the individual locked all the doors. However, this time, the singer is determined to kick down the individual's door.
The lyrics suggest a sense of powerlessness and frustration. The singer feels stuck in a situation that they have been unable to escape from. The repetition of "Yes I am" towards the end of the song can be interpreted as the singer affirming their own identity and autonomy. They are asserting that they are in control of their own life and will not be held back by this individual anymore.
In terms of the music itself, "Yes I Am" is characterized by its dark and moody atmosphere, with a brooding guitar riff and atmospheric synth sounds. Thom Yorke's vocals have a haunting quality that adds to the overall sense of unease and tension in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I resent you calling
I hold a feeling of anger towards you constantly contacting me
I resent your voice
I hold a feeling of anger towards hearing your voice
I resent that I
Don't have a choice
I hold a feeling of anger towards not having the freedom to choose
Anywhere I go
You are always there
No matter where I go, you manage to be present
Outside the car
Or in my hair
You are in proximity to me, whether it be in the physical space outside my vehicle or surrounding me like my hair does
I think I've been here before
Yes I've been here before
The last time you locked
All the doors
I believe I have experienced this situation previously, and it ended with you preventing my exit by locking all access points
And yes I am
Yes I am
I confirm that the emotions and thoughts expressed in the song are true
I think I've told you once
I think I needed advice
You were such a help
That's very nice
I recall asking you for guidance in the past and you provided valuable assistance
But this time I kick
Down your door
Regardless of prior help, I will not allow you to impede my freedom any longer
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 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
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