Yorke formed Radiohead with schoolmates at Abingdon School in Oxfordshire. Their 1992 debut single, "Creep", made Yorke a celebrity, and Radiohead went on to achieve critical acclaim and sales of over 30 million albums. Yorke's early influences included alternative rock acts such as Pixies and R.E.M. With Radiohead's fourth album, Kid A, Yorke moved into electronic music, influenced by Warp acts such as Aphex Twin. With the artist Stanley Donwood, Yorke creates artwork for Radiohead albums and his other projects. He often incorporates "erratic" dancing into his performances.
Yorke's solo work comprises mainly electronic music. His debut solo album, The Eraser, was released in 2006. To perform it live, in 2009, he formed a new band, Atoms for Peace, with musicians including the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and the Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich. They released an album, [album artist=Atoms for Peace Amok[/album], in 2013. Yorke's second solo album, Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, was released in 2014, followed by Anima in 2019. In 2021, Yorke debuted a new band, the Smile, with the Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood and the jazz drummer Tom Skinner. Yorke has collaborated with artists including PJ Harvey, Björk, Flying Lotus and Modeselektor, and has composed for film and theatre. His first feature film soundtrack, Suspiria, was released in October 2018.
Yorke is an activist on behalf of human rights, animal rights, environmental and anti-war causes, and his lyrics incorporate political themes. He has been critical of the music industry, particularly of major labels and streaming services such as Spotify. With Radiohead and his solo work, he has employed alternative release platforms such as pay-what-you-want and BitTorrent. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Radiohead in 2019.
‘Truth Ray’
Thom Yorke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I've lost everything
In the dust in your eyes
And in your head
A rose-colored evil ray
To the lowest garden evil ray
I won't let go, I won't let go
Don't let go, don't let go
Have you no mercy, no mercy?
What is it now that awakens me?
And all of this is in my head
Oh my god, oh my god
All my life is sin, sin, sin
To the lowest garden evil ray
I won't let go, I won't let go
Don't let go, don't let go
You know my sin, know my sin
My love slips away from me
With iron wings and iron will
Have you no mercy, no mercy?
What is now awakening?
Oh my god, oh my god
Oh my god, oh my god
A rose-colored evil ray
And I've lost everything
All of my life is sin, sin, sin
And all of this is in my head
To the lowest garden evil ray
I won't let go, I won't let go
I won't let go, I won't let go
The lyrics of Thom Yorke’s song “Truth Ray” are quite poetic and open to interpretation. The song seems to be about a person who has lost everything and is struggling with the weight of their sins. The phrase “evil ray” seems to represent something negative and all-encompassing, perhaps a symbol of the person’s guilt or shame.
The first two lines of the song set the scene: the person is in a “lowest garden,” which could be interpreted as a metaphor for a dark and depressing state of mind. The “evil ray” seems to be a powerful force that has caused the person to lose everything. The next few lines are a bit more abstract, but they seem to describe the person’s struggle to come to terms with their situation.
The repeated line “I won’t let go” could be interpreted in a few different ways. It could be a statement of determination – the person is refusing to let go of hope or their will to survive. On the other hand, it could be a kind of desperate plea – the person is begging for someone or something to hold onto them and keep them from slipping away. Ultimately, the song seems to be a meditation on the human condition – the fact that we all struggle with sin, guilt, and the fear of losing everything.
Line by Line Meaning
To the lowest garden evil ray
Referring to a dark and evil force that resides in the lowest depths of the mind, haunting the singer
And I've lost everything
The darkness has consumed the singer, causing them to lose everything they once held dear
In the dust in your eyes
The cause of the darkness may be related to someone or something that the singer holds guilt or regret towards
And in your head
The darkness also resides in the mind of the implicated individual
A rose-colored evil ray
A paradoxical image of an evil force appearing in a seemingly innocent and pleasant hue
I won't let go, I won't let go
The singer is determined to hold onto the truth of their experiences, despite the difficulties that come with facing them
Don't let go, don't let go
A plea to someone else to not let go of the singer or the truth they hold
Have you no mercy, no mercy?
A rhetorical question lamenting the lack of empathy or compassion from someone towards the artist's pain
What is it now that awakens me?
The artist is suddenly awakened to the painful truth they have been avoiding or denying
All my life is sin, sin, sin
The artist feels overwhelmed with guilt and shame, and believes their entire existence is tainted with wrongdoing
You know my sin, know my sin
Calling out to someone who is aware of the singer's guilt and secrets, and questioning their motives for not helping them
My love slips away from me
The burden of the darkness has caused the artist to lose the love and connection they once had with someone else
With iron wings and iron will
An image of the singer's determination and strength, even in the face of the heavy weight of their guilt and pain
And all of this is in my head
The singer acknowledges that the cause of their pain and darkness is within their own mind
Oh my god, oh my god
Expressions of desperation, fear, or awe towards the overwhelming nature of their feelings
To the lowest garden evil ray
Repeating the opening line as a reminder of the darkness that haunts the artist
I won't let go, I won't let go
Reiterating their determination to hold onto the truth and not let the darkness consume them entirely
I won't let go, I won't let go
A final plea to themselves or someone else to not let go of the truth and reality they're facing
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Nigel Godrich, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind