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.
Has Ended
Thom Yorke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The soldiers had come home
The eagle, it had landed
His loud mouth was gone
The witches all were singing
And the water turned grey
And the mirrors and the phones
Caught flame, caught flame
Saying we won't make this mistake again
Then the idiot was alone
Was alone
And the water, it forgave us
And the fascists felt ashamed
At their dancing puppet king
Saying we won't make this mistake again
The lyrics of Thom Yorke's song "Has Ended" convey strong themes of change, redemption and hope for the future. The first verse describes the aftermath of a war or conflict, where soldiers have returned home and something has shifted. The use of the eagle as a symbol of power, which has now subsided suggests a shift in power dynamics. The line "the water turned grey" suggests pollution and damage to the environment as a result of the conflict. The mention of the witches singing can be interpreted as a form of healing or cleansing, as they are often associated with the elements and other forms of natural power. The final lines of the verse, "the mirrors and the phones, caught flame," can be seen as a symbol of destruction and the end of an old way of life.
The following verse speaks to the idea of redemption and the possibility of a brighter future. The “idiot” represents a character who may have made mistakes in the past but is now alone and willing to learn from them. The forgiveness of water can be seen as a metaphor for the possibility of redemption and healing between individuals, societies or communities. The mention of "fascists" feeling "ashamed" suggests that there was an oppressive force at play before which is now experiencing a shift in power relations. The final lines of the song speak to the idea of learned lessons and hopeful optimism for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke up in a city
The singer wakes up in an urban area
The soldiers had come home
The military personnel had returned from their duties
The eagle, it had landed
The symbol of the nation had arrived
His loud mouth was gone
The leader who was brazen or impudent had disappeared
The witches all were singing
The women who were accused of being involved in witchcraft were chanting
And the water turned grey
The liquid element became dull in hue
And the mirrors and the phones
The reflective surfaces and communication devices
Caught flame, caught flame
Ignited into fire
Saying we won't make this mistake again
Expressing a determination to avoid repeating past errors
Then the idiot was alone
Subsequently, the fool or unintelligent person was by themselves
Was alone
Continuing to emphasize the solitude
And the water, it forgave us
The liquid element pardoned our misdeeds
And the fascists felt ashamed
The individuals who held authoritarian views experienced remorse
At their dancing puppet king
In regard to their leader who was controlled by external forces
Saying we won't make this mistake again
Reasserting the commitment to not repeat previous blunders
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DavideDF
Lyrics:
i woke up in a city
the soldiers had come home
the ego it had ended
his loud mouth was gone
the witches all were singing
and the water turned grey
and the mirrors and the phones
caught flame, caught flame
saying we won’t make this mistake again
then the idiot was alone
was alone
and the water it forgave us
and the fascists felt ashamed
at their dancing puppet king
saying we won’t make this mistake again
@pablosotomayor6178
I woke up in a city
The soldiers had come home
The eagle, it had landed
His loud mouth was gone
The witches all were singing
And the water turned grey
And the mirrors and the phones
Caught flame, caught flame
Saying we won't make this mistake again
Then the idiot was alone
Was alone
And the water, it forgave us
And the fascists felt ashamed
At their dancing puppet king
Saying we won't make this mistake again
@sebastiandelatour
I woke up in a city
The soldiers had come home
The ego it had ended
His loud mouth was gone
The witches all were singing
And the water turned grey
And the mirrors and the phones
Caught flame, caught flame
Saying we won't make this mistake again
Then the idiot was alone
Was alone
And the water, it forgave us
And the fascists felt ashamed
At their dancing puppet king
Saying we won't make this mistake again
@eracli0
Thom Yorke: moves a finger
World: "woahhhh"
I love this song already.
@ennietimenow9246
so true!! 🤔😂
@TiempoNegro
Yup, i love the guy but i hate the way everyone puts him on a pedestal
@eracli0
@@TiempoNegro he hates it too haha
@rayaqin
yeah but what can you do about it.. he should start making awful shit to stop that trend
@isaag1813
Eric • Wait!!! did he really move his finger???
@DylanTallchief
Thom Yorke 2 Has Begun
@fishsmellbad1862
Fancy seeing you here
@fredman727
Dis funny
@jameskane8428
Thom Yorke Is Going Well :)