Gagging Order

its very funny to see how people interpetate radiohead songs,, always with drugs and relationships... this song is about a man that was dying on the street,but still the people around didnt do anything.. thom yorke him self saw the man on the street.. the question is, what did thom do¿?

Radiohead's lyrics are always spare. They give you a sense of things rather than a complete story. That said, when listening to this, I always think of a person using pills to escape an abusive relationship. Even if you've never used hard drugs, anyone who's been on cold medicine is aware is of that feeling of not quite being in your body as it goes about it's daily activities. "Just a body, pouring down the street" seems to be someone in that state of mind. The fact that the drug dose is "a couple" leads me to think we're dealing with pills here, which could be almost anything.

"I'm not your property" almost has to be said in reference to a protective/jealous lover. It could be in reference to a policeman, but that wouldn't quite marry with the preceeding line of "I know what you're thinking." However, the "move along, nothing left to see" sounds like something straight out of a police movie. That leaves open the possibility that this song is actually about a body lying at suicide scene cordoned off by the authorities, with the narrator of the song being the vicitim.

Maybe it's about how careless people can be sometimes. Picture a drunk bum in the gutter and everyone just ignores the man. But.. I don't know..

Great song, hard to find though.

I think it's about alcoholism personally. The first verse is addressing the control alcohol has over a person, it takes over their personality and their life, but they always deny it has such a hold on them. No amount of explanation or proof will ever sway them from that view.

"Move along, there's nothing left to see, Just a body, nothing left to see" suggests how hollow the addiction has left the person, how it makes them feel dead and worthless.

The next verse is pretty straightforward; drinking throughout the day "just to take the edge off"; it's a pretty little lie to tell yourself.

"Just a body, pouring down the street" - the use of the word pouring makes me think this is specifically aimed at alcohol. To me it's a very poetic way of saying this person is so consumed by alcohol that they are almost entirely composed of it, hence the body "pouring down the street".

That's just my own view. Anyway, I love this song to pieces; it's an absolute gem.

It's abt the government's ability to silence people. The catastrophes of government abuse and ineptitude are right before our eyes but we look the other way as they hurry us along and prevent us from speaking out (thus the gagging order). The drug references are a form of self-medication or even prescribed medication designed to dull our minds (take the edge off) and get us through the day without blowing our tops. Not a complicated song really, but strangely beautiful with its ho-hum-another-day sort of rhythm.

this is a beautiful, poignant song about addiction and a bad relationship.

I obviously picture a hobo lying in the gutter...it made me think that this man tried to speak out against the government..."I'm not your property" (and along the Gagging Order definition)...and so he ended up in the street for speaking his mind.

I'm sure that's not what Thom had in mind, but that's the beauty of interpretation.

"I know what you're thinking/But I'm not your property/No matter what you say/No matter what you say..."

I think this part of the song, is a homeless guy, who's talking with the people of the street. Always, we look this people with hate or we think they could be better if they were working... But he says I'm not your property, and he doesn't care what we think, no matter what we say...

first off, i love this song.

i think its about a guy or gal who is on drugs, whether its a simple drug like marijuana or more complex drugs. he's just talking about how society doesnt accept this.

"I know what you're thinking But I'm not your property"

i think this is talking about people telling the guy that what he is doing is wrong, but he doesnt care cause its himself, not them he's harming

I don't think it's about a bad relationship. or at least doesn't have to be. the first lines also could be about the addiction. about somebody telling him to stop and he just doesn't want to listen.