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.
Atoms for Peace
Thom Yorke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No more falling down a wormhole that I have to pull you out
The wriggling twiggling warmer side
Devours from the inside out
No more talk about the old days
It's time for something great
And make it work
So many lies
So many lies
So many lies
So feel the love come off of them
And take me in your arms
Peel all of your layers off
I want to eat your artichoke heart.
No more leaky holes in your brain
And no more false starts
I wanna get out
And make it work
So many lies
So many lies
So many lies
So feel the love come off of them
And take me in your arms
I wanna get out
And make it work
I want you to get out
And make it work
I'll be ok
So many lies
So many lies
So many lies
So feel the love come off of them
And take me in your arms
The lyrics to Thom Yorke’s “Atoms for Peace” seem to be a message of support and encouragement to someone suffering from struggles with addiction or mental health issues. The singer is urging their loved one to leave the “dark side” and stop falling down a “wormhole.” The line “the wriggling twiggling warmer side devours from the inside out” could be a metaphor for the destructive effects of addiction on a person’s mental and physical health. The singer is tired of discussing the past and wants to focus on something great, possibly indicating a desire to move forward and leave their struggles behind. They urge their loved one to get out and make something work, while acknowledging the many lies and false starts that have led them to this point.
Line by Line Meaning
No more going to the dark side with your flying saucer eyes
Stop exploring the negative aspects of life with your judgemental eyes
No more falling down a wormhole that I have to pull you out
Stop getting trapped in a negative spiral that I have to help you escape
The wriggling twiggling warmer side
The joyful and vibrant part of life
Devours from the inside out
Conquers negativity and brings a sense of joy that builds from within
No more talk about the old days
Stop dwelling on past events and focus on the present and future
It's time for something great
It's time to aim for greatness and seize new opportunities
I want you to get out
I want you to escape your negative thoughts and patterns
And make it work
And strive to achieve success and happiness
So many lies
There have been too many instances of deceit
So feel the love come off of them
Let the positive energy of others heal and comfort you
And take me in your arms
Surround me with your love and comfort
Peel all of your layers off
Reveal your true self without any façade
I want to eat your artichoke heart
I want to deeply understand and connect with you
No more leaky holes in your brain
No more negativity breaking out of your pessimistic thoughts
And no more false starts
No more promising beginnings that eventually lead to failure
I'll be ok
I'll be fine if we work together to escape negative patterns
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind