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.
Twist
Thom Yorke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To twisted thorns that grow inside
The shingle washing my old bones
Of woe betides and woe be-gones
With just enough love to go 'round
For you who's turning me back on
Doesn't make it right or wrong
The prisoners of the mind
And just enough love to go 'round
And just enough love to go 'round
To you who holds the fireflies
Pulls them out from the inside
A tiny shell left in my hand
Woe betides and woe be-gones
With just enough love to go 'round
It's like weed
It's like weed
It's like weed
A boy on a bike, who is running away
An empty car in the woods
The motor left running
It's like weed
It's like weed
It's like weed
An empty car with the motor left running
Look, this face, it isn't me
Look, this face, it isn't me
Thom Yorke's "Twist" deals with themes of redemption, rebirth and love in the face of loss and anxiety. The singer addresses someone who has "brought him back to life" and is "turning him back on," suggesting that this person has helped him emerge from a dark place. At the same time, he acknowledges that there are "twisted thorns that grow inside," hinting at lingering pain and trauma. The shingle washing his "old bones" also suggests a renewal or cleansing process, but one that is not painless.
The repeated lines "woe betides and woe be-gones" and "just enough love to go 'round" add to the sense of ambivalence and uncertainty in the lyrics. The singer seems to be both grateful and cautious about the love he has received, as if aware that it may not be enough to undo all the damage. The final verses bring in more surreal imagery, with the metaphor of fireflies being pulled out from inside someone's body, and the cryptic lines about a boy on a bike and an empty car with the motor left running. The observer singing these lines seems to be detached from these scenes and suggests that they may just be fleeting thoughts or visions.
Overall, "Twist" portrays a complex emotional journey that combines hope with fear and gratitude with skepticism. The lyrics suggest that love and connection can bring healing and renewal, but also that they can't erase the past or guarantee a happy ending.
Line by Line Meaning
To you, who brought me back to life
Addressing someone who has brought the singer back to life from a dark place
To twisted thorns that grow inside
Acknowledging the internal challenges the singer faces every day
The shingle washing my old bones
Describing a sense of renewal or cleansing that comes with moving forward
Of woe betides and woe be-gones
Recognizing past pain and regret
With just enough love to go 'round
Emphasizing the importance of love as a limited yet powerful resource
For you who's turning me back on
Expressing gratitude for someone who is helping the singer find hope again
Doesn't make it right or wrong
Acknowledging the complexity of the situation and resisting simplistic judgments
The prisoners of the mind
Describing the singer's sense of feeling trapped mentally
Of woe be-gones and woe betides
Continuing to recognize past pain and regret
And just enough love to go 'round
Reiterating the importance of love as a scarce yet essential resource
To you who holds the fireflies
Addressing someone who has a special kind of light or hope
Pulls them out from the inside
Acknowledging the other person's ability to draw out hope from within the singer
A tiny shell left in my hand
Suggesting that the positive effects of the other person's actions may be temporary or fragile
Woe betides and woe be-gones
Returning once again to the theme of past pain and regret
With just enough love to go 'round
Closing with the same emphasis on love as a scarce yet essential resource
It's like weed
Using a metaphor to describe the addictive nature of something else
A boy on a bike, who is running away
Describing a specific scene that evokes a sense of escape or freedom
An empty car in the woods
Painting another vivid image suggesting abandonment or loneliness
The motor left running
Suggesting that, despite the sense of abandonment, there is still a sense of energy or motion
It's like weed
Repeating the earlier metaphor to underline its importance
It's like weed
Emphasizing again the addictive nature of something else
It's like weed
Closing with one final repetition of the metaphor
Look, this face, it isn't me
Bringing a sense of uncertainty or confusion about identity
Look, this face, it isn't me
Repeating the same line to emphasize the point and suggest that identity is not fixed
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas Edward Yorke, Nigel Timothy Godrich
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind