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.
Skip Divided
Thom Yorke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I flap around and dive bomb
Frantically around your lie
Enveloped in a sad distraction
I've got your voice repeating endlessly
Could you guide me in
Could you smother me
But I never hit
I'm blinded by your daylight
Electric veins passed through me
I thought there was this big connection
I only got my name and I got this situation
I just need a number and location
Without appropriate papers or permissions
I'm no to buy tight situation
And then I head into your french windows
I thought there was this big connection
I only got my name
I only got my situation
I just need my number and location
The wall keeps telling me
Hey Hey, Hey Hey
Hey Hey, The devil may
Hey Hey, Hey Hey, Hey Hey
Yeah, you are a fool, you are a fool
For sticking round, for sticking round
Yeah, you are a fool, you are a fool
For sticking round, for sticking round
I've done every trick in the book
I tried to look at you
Every trick in the book
How come I look?
No more common dress or elliptical caress
Don't look into your eyes cause you're desperately in love, in love, in love
When you walk in a room everything disappears
When you walk in a room it's a terrible mess
When you walk in a room I start to melt
When you walk in a room I follow you 'round
Like a dog I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a lapdog
I'm your lapdog, yeah
I just got my number and location
I just need my number and location
The lyrics of Thom Yorke's "Skip Divided" portray a sense of emotional distress and confusion. The singer describes himself as being "in a skip divided, malfunction" and "enveloped in a sad distraction." He is overwhelmed by his feelings for someone and is desperate for their guidance and comfort.
The metaphor of being in a "skip divided" suggests a sense of being lost, unsure of which path to take. The singer is experiencing a disconnect between his emotions and actions, "frantically" moving around "your lie." He wants to be close to the subject of his affection, to "swoop around your head," but is unable to make a connection. He is "blinded by your daylight," indicating that his feelings are overpowering and potentially blinding him to reality.
The chorus provides a common theme in the song, that the singer is foolish for sticking around despite the turmoil he is in. The repeated phrase "you are a fool for sticking round" suggests that his feelings are causing him to act against his better judgement.
Overall, "Skip Divided" is a song about the complexity of relationships and the struggle to navigate through conflicting emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in a skip divided, malfunction
I am lost and broken, feeling like I don't belong anywhere.
I flap around and dive bomb frantically around your lie
I uncontrollably try to get closer to you and your deceitful ways.
Enveloped in a sad distraction
I am consumed by my own sadness and distractions, making it hard to focus on anything else.
I've got your voice repeating endlessly
Your voice echoes in my head, haunting me and never letting me go.
Could you guide me in, could you smother me
Can you please help me find my way and give me comfort in your embrace.
I'd swoop around your head, but I never hit
I try to get close to you, but I always miss, as if you are always out of reach.
I'm blinded by your daylight
Your radiance is overpowering and blinding, making it hard to see anything else.
Electric veins passed through me
Your energy flows through me, electrifying my body and soul.
I thought there was this big connection, I only got my name and I got this situation
I once believed we had a meaningful connection, but now all I have is my own identity and this terrible situation.
I just need a number and location
I just need to know where I stand and where to go from here.
Without appropriate papers or permissions, I'm no to buy tight situation
Without the right paperwork and permissions, I am trapped in a tough situation.
And then I head into your french windows
Desperately, I try to enter your life and be closer to you.
The wall keeps telling me, Hey Hey, Hey Hey, Hey Hey
My mind keeps reminding me of my own struggles and fears, saying Hey Hey, Hey Hey, Hey Hey.
The devil may
The devilish thoughts and feelings may take over.
Yeah, you are a fool, you are a fool, for sticking round, for sticking round
You are foolish for continuing to stay in this unhealthy relationship.
I've done every trick in the book, I tried to look at you, every trick in the book, how come I look
I have tried everything to get through to you and be noticed, but nothing seems to work.
No more common dress or elliptical caress
We can no longer have mundane conversations or superficial physical interactions.
Don't look into your eyes cause you're desperately in love, in love, in love
I cannot bear to look into your eyes because it reminds me of how deeply I am in love with you.
When you walk in a room everything disappears
Your presence is so powerful that it eclipses everything else in the room.
When you walk in a room it's a terrible mess
Your presence can also bring chaos and confusion to any situation.
When you walk in a room I start to melt
Your presence has a profound effect on me, making me feel weak and powerless.
When you walk in a room I follow you 'round/like a dog I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a dog, I'm a lapdog/I'm your lapdog, yeah
I am so entranced by you that I become like a loyal dog, following you around and obeying your every command.
I just got my number and location/I just need my number and location
Once again, I am just searching for clarity and direction in my life.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind