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.
The Hollow Earth
Thom Yorke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A hollow ring
Lost in a maze
Forgetting
Throwing firecrackers
And dancing
Lost in a maze
A hollow ring
A dereliction
Of duty
A pitiful
Display
Stamping the hollow earth
A pity
And throwing firecrackers
Hopelessly
The lyrics of Thom Yorke's song "The Hollow Earth" suggest themes relating to detachment and nihilism as a consequence of feeling lost and in a maze. With the use of metaphors and imagery, the song paints a picture of a person without cause or conscience, insensible and apathetic to their surroundings. The "hollow ring" suggests an absence of depth or substance, as if the person doesn't care about anything, and the "maze" a state of confusion and disorientation, like they've lost their way.
The lines "throwing firecrackers and dancing" can be seen as a futile attempt to mask the emptiness inside, as if they're putting on a show to distract from their lack of purpose. The repetition of "lost in a maze" and "hollow ring" reinforces the idea of being stuck in a cycle of meaninglessness. The lyrics also reference a "dereliction of duty" and "stamping the hollow earth", which could refer to a lack of responsibility towards the environment and society, or a sense of futility and pointlessness in all actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Without a conscience
Absence of moral sense or sensitivity
A hollow ring
Emptiness or lack of substance
Lost in a maze
Confused or unsure of direction
Forgetting
Failing to remember or recall
Throwing firecrackers
Causing chaos or disruption
And dancing
Moving joyfully, without a care
A dereliction
Negligence or avoidance of responsibilities
Of duty
Responsibilities or obligations that must be fulfilled
A pitiful
Deserving pity or sympathy
Display
An action or performance meant to be observed
Stamping the hollow earth
Creating a meaningless disturbance
A pity
Deserving of disdain or disappointment
And throwing firecrackers
Creating chaos without purpose or meaning
Hopelessly
Without the possibility of success or improvement
Lost in a maze
Confused or unsure of direction
A hollow ring
Emptiness or lack of substance
Contributed by Gavin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.