I don't want to be your friend
I just want to be your lover
No matter how it ends
No matter how it starts

[Chorus]
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine

Fall off the table,
Get swept under
Denial, denial

The infrastructure will collapse
Voltage spikes
Throw your keys in the bowl
Kiss your husband goodnight

[Chorus]

Fall off the table,
And get swept under

Denial, denial
Denial, denial
Your ears should be burning
Denial, denial
Your ears should be burning
Denial, denial



Lyrics submitted by deryk

Track duration: 04:52

"House of Cards" as written by Thomas Edward/greenwood Yorke

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


House of Cards song meanings
Add your thoughts

166 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    My Interpretation:For me this song is about an affair and house of cards is referring to the marriage.
    And about this verse,

    "Throw your keys in the bowl
    Kiss your husband goodnight"

    Remember in many households there's a bowl for keys and coins (plus some other daily stuff may be), usually placed by the door. This part for me pictures a night when "she" gets back home from the affair. She throws her keys in the bowl and kiss her husband goodnight to go to bed, like nothing happened (or at least that's how the affair partner is picturing it). I don't feel the lyrics are trying to teach us anything about marriage or affairs or even pass on any judgement, but I feel it is capturing those paradoxical and strange feelings in an affair in a poetic beautiful song.
    Flag bahaaron May 15, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is very similar to "Betrayal" by "Harold Pinter", and like the book, the song is starting from the END and the last part (Denial, Denial) is START
    Flag Yazardshiron May 13, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think this song has a similar meaning to the song "A Murder of One" by Counting Crows, about trying to save someone from an unsteady relationship.
    Flag Rivfruifvon April 08, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Did you ever hear about a TV series called House of Cards? It aired on the BBC November 18 - December 8 1990. I think this must have impacted the writer here to the degree to research and write about this for the rest of time. House of Cards draws heavily from Shakespeare's Macbeth and Richard III, both of which examine issues of power, ambition and corruption. This is where affairs take place and have nothing to do with Thom Yorke's life or Radiohead at all. This happens all when in the story a politician is given the green light to have an affair with female reporter. At this point we can conclude tragedy and deception at the hear of the whole story. Denial we hear at the end... Read about this show from 1990. Also, another story is set w/ Kevin Spacey in the US to be filmed and aired by Feb 2013. Read more and stop guessing what it is a meaning in song lyrics. I personally hold this song to my denial of true love I deserve but won't get honestly.
    Flag DrGonzo69on December 04, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:throw of hands and house of cards.
    denial. I think this song is the obvious suggestion of one person to another... "your in denial"

    We should give this a shot. But, denial....

    House of cards to me symbolizes the critiqued idea of a love interest which the frustration of the unreceived individual pouts over the obvious incline of a relationship in which the other person is in denial over honest feelings.
    Flagged Ahourstoryon December 03, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:I created an account just to share my thoughts on this beautiful song.

    I think this song is about a man who is asking a married woman to run away with him, or at least cheat on her husband with him. At the very beginning of the song, when he says "I don't wanna be your friend, I just wanna be your lover. No matter how it ends, no matter how it starts" he implies that he doesn't care about the crap that this "affair" will get them into, when it "ends."

    To me, "forget about your house of cards" means that the man wants the woman to forget about her husband, her marriage, which is weak, and perhaps meaningless, like a house of cards. "Throw your keys in the bowl, kiss your husband goodnight" ... The first part, I believe, is asking her to spend the night at his place with him, instead of driving home to her husband; to make her self at home at his place. The second part is saying that she should act like nothing is wrong and this will be kept secret from her husband.

    "The infrastructure will collapse." ( wow this song is awesome )... Again, referring to this house of cards as infrastructure, which WILL collapse; her house of cards (her marriage) WILL fall apart.

    "Denial, denial" ........ she may be trying to resist, or DENY, that her marriage is so shaky. She might be in simple denial

    Although I'm pretty sure this song is about an affair, I think it is beautiful in that he is saving her from a crappy marriage
    Flagged nitchenon November 12, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Am from India and hope to see them someday perform live here in my lifetime.
    btw these lines "Fall off the table,
    Get swept under" remind me of this novella from Franz Kafka , "The Metamorphosis". I dont know why but it does.
    Flagged shishankdahiyaon October 05, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Who else but Radiohead could write a song with the line "Infrastructure will collapse"...

    Hmmm. The line about "Voltage spikes" also reminds me of my least favorite movie, THE ICE STORM, which also deals with adultery & wife-swapping...
    Flag smendleron June 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:am I the only one that thinks the house of card is simply the fragile state of the situation and not an actual house or person?
    Flag Elusineon May 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:I don't want to be your friend
    I just want to be your lover
    No matter how it ends
    No matter how it starts
    Forget about your house of cards, and I'll do mine
    Forget about your house of cards, and I'll do mine
    And fall off the table, and get swept under

    Denial, denial

    The infrastructure will collapse. from voltage spikes
    Put your keys in the bowl, kiss your husband goodbye
    Forget about your house of cards, and I'll do mine
    Forget about your house of cards, and I'll do mine
    And fall off the table, and get swept under

    Denial, denial (Your ears should be burning)
    Denial, denial (Your ears should be burning)
    Flagged paperbagwriteron February 27, 2012   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain