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 Mother Lode
Thom Yorke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A shallow pool but it doesn't matter
The way it goes, the way it goes
It's falling through barriers and hedgerows
Hollow man hollow men proper
Where's the applause when you need them?
By Hallowe'en things should be different
A mother lode, a mother lode
Hollow man hollow men brought me
I'm a clown you don't want her to know me
The knife behind the curtain
Your truth is out of their league (Tududututu)
(Tududututu)
Ooh ooh
Ooh ooh (Tududututu)
Can't see a way out of this one
The legs will jerk but nobody listens
At least he tells no lie
The last of all his courage
Press the button for a free ticket
Here he goes, hits the ground running
Tududututu (Ooh)
Tududututu (Ooh)
Ooh ooh
Tududututu (Ooh ah)
Ooh ah ah
The lyrics to "The Mother Lode" by Thom Yorke seem to be discussing some sort of performance or show where a clown jumps off of something, possibly a diving-board or a platform, into a shallow pool. The line "a shallow pool but it doesn't matter" implies that the jump is not as impressive as it may seem. The song then transitions to discussing hollow men, or people who may be empty inside, and their need for attention and applause. The lines "Where's the applause when you need them?" and "Hollow man hollow men proper" suggest this idea.
During the second verse, the song shifts to discussing the feelings of the person singing. They feel like a clown that no one wants to know, and that their truth is "out of their league." This could imply a sense of feeling misunderstood or not accepted by others. The last few lines of the song mention the idea of pressing a button for a ticket and hitting the ground running, as if taking a leap of faith into the unknown.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Mother Lode" appear to be discussing themes of performance, attention-seeking behavior, and personal struggles with identity and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
Another clown jumps off the lever
Someone else is backing out
A shallow pool but it doesn't matter
Even though the situation is not ideal
The way it goes, the way it goes
Things will happen as expected
It's falling through barriers and hedgerows
Managing to overcome the obstacles
Hollow man hollow men proper
Those with no depth or substance are present
Where's the applause when you need them?
Unreciprocated and unrecognized efforts
But these brought by summer songs and backflips
The good times and happy memories
By Hallowe'en things should be different
Expectations for a change by a specific date
A mother lode, a mother lode
Something valuable has been discovered
Hollow man hollow men brought me
Lacking depth has rooted itself in me
I'm a clown you don't want her to know me
I am ashamed to express myself
The knife behind the curtain
Hidden motives or danger
Your truth is out of their league (Tududututu)
Others are not ready to accept the real story
(Tududututu)
A pause in the music
Ooh ooh
A musical exclamation
Ooh ooh (Tududututu)
Musical interlude continues
Can't see a way out of this one
Hopelessness or trapped scenario
The legs will jerk but nobody listens
Physical responses ignored by people
At least he tells no lie
Acknowledging some honesty or integrity
The last of all his courage
The end of bravery or strength to go on
Press the button for a free ticket
A chance to escape
Here he goes, hits the ground running
Jumping in or taking action without hesitation
Tududututu (Ooh)
Musical outro
Tududututu (Ooh)
Musical outro continues
Ooh ooh
Final exclamation
Tududututu (Ooh ah)
Closing musical instrumentals
Ooh ah ah
Musical fadeout
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Nigel Godrich, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind