Paranoid Android
Sia (Radiohead cover) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From all the unborn chicken voices in my head
What's that...?
What's that...?
When I am king, you will be first against the wall
with your opinion which is of no consequence at all
What's that...?
Ambition makes you look pretty ugly
Kicking, squealing gucci little piggy
You don't remember
You don't remember
Why don't you remember my name?
Off with his head, man
Off with his head, man
Why don't you remember my name? I guess he does...
Rain down, rain down
Come on rain down on me
From a great height
From a great height... height...
Rain down, rain down
Come on rain down on me
From a great height
From a great height... height...
Rain down, rain down
Come on rain down on me
The song Paranoid Android is an intense and dark take on society and human behavior. Sia, in her cover of the Radiohead classic, conveys a deep sense of despair and exhaustion through the opening lines of the song. The singer is struggling to find peace and quiet in the chaos of his mind, where he is bombarded by "unborn chicken voices." These voices could represent a range of things but likely signify the mind's unformed thoughts and ideas that are keeping him up at night.
The song then takes a darker turn as the singer declares his intent to become king and eliminate those who hold opinions that mean nothing. Such language conjures images of totalitarian regimes and a lack of empathy for others' feelings and ideas. The chorus emphasizes this sentiment, where the singer desires to cut off the "piggy" with a "heritage of slime" and invokes the phrase "off with his head." The combination of these phrases and the relentless music create a sense of malevolence and danger that the singer poses.
Towards the end of the song, the lyrics shift to a desire for a cleansing rain to come, perhaps to wash away the pain and bloodshed from the preceding verses. Overall, Sia's cover of Paranoid Android interrogates the darker sides of human behavior and the potential for brutality that can lie at the heart of individuals and societies.
Line by Line Meaning
Please could you stop the noise, I'm trying get some rest
I'm asking you to be quiet so I can rest, because the constant clamor in my mind is exhausting.
From all the unborn chicken voices in my head
My mind is filled with competing thoughts and ideas, all vying for attention and making it hard to focus.
What's that...?
What's that...?
I'm confused and unsure of what's happening or what I'm experiencing.
When I am king, you will be first against the wall
with your opinion which is of no consequence at all
In a hypothetical scenario where I hold great power, those who disagree with me will be punished, regardless of the validity of their ideas.
Ambition makes you look pretty ugly
Kicking, squealing gucci little piggy
The pursuit of success and power can lead people to behave selfishly and carelessly, like a spoiled, entitled child.
You don't remember
You don't remember
Why don't you remember my name?
I'm frustrated that someone doesn't remember me or the impact I've had on their life, despite my efforts to stand out and make a difference.
Off with his head, man
Off with his head, man
Why don't you remember my name? I guess he does...
I'm making a dark joke, saying that I would have someone executed for forgetting me, but then admitting that the person probably does remember me after all.
Rain down, rain down
Come on rain down on me
From a great height
From a great height... height...
I'm asking for some sort of catharsis or release from the pressure and confusion I'm feeling, even if it's something destructive or painful.
Rain down, rain down
Come on rain down on me
From a great height
From a great height... height...
I'm emphasizing my need for some sort of dramatic and forceful intervention to help me find clarity or relief.
Rain down, rain down
Come on rain down on me
I'm continuing to plead for a release from my inner turmoil, hoping that something outside of myself can help me feel better.
Contributed by Bailey D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.