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.
Black Swan
Thom Yorke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's the price that you gotta pay
Do yourself a favor and pack you bags
Buy a ticket and get on the train
Buy a ticket and get on the train
Cause this is fucked up, fucked up
Cause this is fucked up, fucked up
People get crushed like biscuit crumbs
And laid down in the bitumen
You have tried your best to please everyone
But it just isn't happening
No, it just isn't happening
And it's fucked up, fucked up
And this is fucked up, fucked up
This your blind spot, blind spot
It should be obvious, but it's not.
But it isn't, but it isn't
You cannot kick start a dead horse
You just crush yourself and walk away
I don't care what the future holds
Cause I'm right here and I'm today
With your fingers you can touch me
I'm your black swan, black swan
But I made it to the top, made it to the top
This is fucked up, fucked up
You are fucked up, fucked up
This is fucked up, fucked up
Be your black swan, black swan
I'm for spare parts, broken up
The lyrics to "Black Swan" by Thom Yorke are a reflection on the pressures and expectations placed upon people to conform to societal norms and ideals. The opening lines "What will grow crooked, you can't make straight, it's the price that you gotta pay" suggest that trying to fit into a mold that does not come naturally is futile and inevitably leads to suffering. The repeated phrase "this is fucked up" emphasizes the frustration and hopelessness that comes with feeling trapped in these societal expectations.
Yorke goes on to describe the human toll of societal pressure, stating "people get crushed like biscuit crumbs and laid down in the bitumen" and that despite trying to please everyone, "it just isn't happening." The metaphor of the black swan is used to represent his own personal journey in breaking free from these expectations despite the odds stacked against him. He declares, "I'm your black swan, black swan, but I made it to the top" indicating that he has succeeded in carving out his own path and becoming his own person.
The final lines "be your black swan, black swan, I'm for spare parts, broken up" suggest that although Yorke has succeeded in breaking free, it may have come at a personal cost. The use of spare parts and being broken up implies that he has faced struggles or difficulties in this journey of self-discovery.
Overall, "Black Swan" is a deeply introspective and poignant song that speaks to the struggles of individuality and self-discovery in the face of societal pressures.
Line by Line Meaning
What will grow crooked, you can't make straight
Some things in life are just inherently flawed and can't be fixed.
It's the price that you gotta pay
Sometimes there is a cost for trying to fix things that can't be fixed.
Do yourself a favor and pack you bags
Sometimes the best thing you can do is to move on from a situation.
Buy a ticket and get on the train
Make a decisive move towards taking action and pursuing something else.
Cause this is fucked up, fucked up
This is a messed up situation.
People get crushed like biscuit crumbs
People can be easily damaged and have their spirit broken.
And laid down in the bitumen
They become resigned to their fate and defeated.
You have tried your best to please everyone
You have put in a lot of work to try and make others happy.
But it just isn't happening
Despite your best efforts, you're not seeing the results you were hoping for.
No, it just isn't happening
The situation is not going to change anytime soon.
This your blind spot, blind spot
This is something that you're not able to see clearly and needs further exploration.
It should be obvious, but it's not.
The solution to the problem might seem like it's right in front of you, but it's not.
But it isn't, but it isn't
Despite your efforts, you're still not able to see what needs to be done.
You cannot kick start a dead horse
Trying to revive something that has already died is a wasted effort.
You just crush yourself and walk away
Continuing to try and fix the unfixable will only lead to your own destruction, so it's best to just move on.
I don't care what the future holds
I am focused on the present moment and not worrying about what might happen down the road.
Cause I'm right here and I'm today
I am living in the moment and not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
With your fingers you can touch me
Despite everything else that's going on, there is still a sense of intimacy and connection.
I'm your black swan, black swan
I am the rare and unique thing that stands out amidst everything else.
But I made it to the top, made it to the top
Despite the odds, I was able to overcome and succeed.
This is fucked up, fucked up
The situation is still not good.
You are fucked up, fucked up
You are still going through a difficult time.
Be your black swan, black swan
Embrace your uniqueness and stand out from the crowd.
I'm for spare parts, broken up
I've been through a lot and experienced a lot of damage, but I'm still functioning and pushing forward.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRAD GERMAIN, IAN ALEXANDER SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jazzXL
Lyrics:
What will grow crooked, you can't make straight
It's the price that you gotta pay
Do yourself a favour and pack your bags
Buy a ticket and get on the train
Buy a ticket and get on the train
'Cause this is fucked up, fucked up
'Cause this is fucked up, fucked up
People get crushed like biscuit crumbs
And laid down in the bitumen
You have tried your best to please everyone
But it just isn't happening
No, it just isn't happening
And it's fucked up, fucked up
And this is fucked up, fucked up
This your blind spot, blind spot
It should be obvious, but it's not
You cannot kick-start a dead horse
You just cross yourself and walk away
I don't care what the future holds
'Cause I'm right here, and I'm today
With your fingers you can touch me
I am your black swan, black swan
(But I made it to the top, but I made it to the top)
And this is fucked up, fucked up
Be your black swan, black swan
(But I made it to the top, but I made it to the top)
And for spare parts, we're broken up
You are fucked up, fucked up
This is fucked up, fucked up
We are black swans, black swans
And for spare parts, we're broken up
@petersmernoff9590
The best song on THE ERASER, and one of Thom Yorke's career-finest overall.
@minameestavo
I agree
@katuszikimmo
I also agree...masterpiece!
@jiggygnorrus2688
Probably my favorite song ever it's just so FN great in every way possible
@michaelscott7916
Peter Smernoff Yeah , Im thinkin' I agree . What's more , it was damn near the almost perfect song to come on for the end credits of the movie A SCANNER DARKLY. It you've seen it then you'll know what I mean & if you haven't , I would highly recommend it..
@johnsesame9182
Shut your dirty mouth!!!
Ok your right my bad.
@mbyrd9223
A Scanner Darkly is such an under rated movie and an even more under rated novel.
@thexskating
Damn straight
@refundreplay
I am a HUUUUUGE fan of Phillip K. Dick and I just watched 'A Scanner Darkly' again and had to find this song. 😂
@mrobliviousssickwithsynths4573
I soooooo agree!! Philip K Dick is my favorite Sci Fi writer, and A Scanner Darkly happens to be my favorite book of his! He wrote it after losing a dear friend to a drug overdose. Ohhh, and the movie??? Filmed and then rotoscope animated like it was…and What an amazing cast!