Lyrics for 4 Minute Warning as interpreted by black_cow_of_death

4 Minute Warning Lyrics
This is just a nightmare
Soon I'm going to wake up
Someone's going to bring me around
Running from the bombers
Hiding in the forest
Running through the field
Laying flat on the ground
Just like everybody
Stepping over heads
Running through the underground

This is your warning
Four minute warning

I don't want to hear it
I don't want to know
I just want to run and hide
This is just a nightmare
Soon I'm going to wake up
Someone's going to bring me around

This is a warning
Four minute warning

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  • 39 Comments
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atomsplitter
05-18-2006

Rated 0 
I think this is my favorite of the new songs. It feels so optimistic and energetic, yet so dark at times. So beautiful. I can't wait to hear the studio version.

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skttrbr41n
05-30-2006

Rated 0 
i think 'standing overhead' should be 'show me the way (out)'?

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glitchster
06-16-2006

Rated 0 
The sunset is beautiful,babies are wonderful,money is spectacular...but this is!!!!!! this guy is is beyond comprehension.
This song just gets under ur flesh,its given me goose bums.
Am an African from Uganda,but i think Thom Yorke should be knighted.

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HailtoKidA
07-26-2006

Rated 0 
This is one of the best new songs.

I heard this in Toronto and I was simply captivated. If this is not on the new album i will be depressed.

Not too sure what its about yet. hoping more people will share insight. All i can say is.

This is your warrrrnnnnnning
fouurrrr minnuuutttee warrrrrrrrrning.

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RadioheadxxSlave
08-04-2006

Rated 0 
Ach. They didn't play this one in L.A. Most angering, because it's very beautiful. And Thom Yorke should most definately be knighted. As should the rest of the guys, because they are gods.

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elementsofmars
08-12-2006

Rated 0 
.. this should explain this song ..

.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_minute_warning ..

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1 Reply
Black Sativa
08-25-2006

Rated 0 
This is so dark. He doesn't want to die, but he will, and he's wishing it's a nightmare and he'll wake up any minuet and be okay, but realy he knows it's not.

Perhaps it's telling us to stop fooling ourselves with false hopes and ideals.

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Karma Police11
08-30-2006

Rated 0 
I think this song is simply about everything being out of control and wanting to find a way to escape.. but at the same time being hopeful..."This is just a nightmare
Soon I'm gonna wake up
Somone is gonna bring me around"

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tosh
09-18-2006

Rated 0 
so no one else thinks it's about the London Bombings? It's the first thing I thought of when I heard it..

"running from the bombers"

"running from the underground"

I think because I initially thought one of the lines was "should have known way back", which who ever posted this thinks is "soon I'm gonna wake up". But yeah, I listened to the song and I think I might be wrong . However, still reminds me of the London Bombings

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Drewb18c1
10-30-2006

Rated 0 
idunno about the london bombings thing...i just don't see thom singing about hiding from things like terrorsts. it sounds more like him wanting to hide from life in general. i know this doesn't sound like thom at all...so i think of it as being from the perspecive of somebody else. the whole "just like everybody" thing sounds like him attempting to conform to the culture around him, and not feeling right. also the whole nightmare thing hints to society being asleep...not aware of whats going on in reality. this is about thom wanting to wake up from the nightmare of the modern world.
i just pieced this together as typing...i'm probably completely wrong lol

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lazyoldsun
12-04-2006

Rated 0 
yea it is about the bombings. i'm pretty sure he said it somewhere. something like 4 minutes is the warning time given when the bombings were occurring. but anyways, the helplessness and the fear could be interpreted with much of what occurs in our daily lives in this modern world and society in general of course, and i like that one a little better, but either/or, it is a great song.

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Xeans
04-20-2007

Rated 0 
this song is so beautiful, it brings a tear to my eye every time. it might be about the worlds beauty and nature being destroyed. or maybe global warming

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whatawaster1989
07-08-2007

Rated 0 
best of the new songs, its "running through the underground"

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whatawaster1989
07-08-2007

Rated 0 
best of the new songs, its "running through the underground"

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screenvalue
12-03-2007

Rated 0 
this is just a nightmare
soon I’m gunna wake up
someone's gunna bring you round

running from the bombers
hiding in the forest
running through the fields
laying flat on the ground

just like everybody
stepping over heads
running from the underground
this is your warning
four minute warning

I don’t wanna hear it
I don’t wanna know
I just wanna run and hide
this is just a nightmare
and soon I’m gunna wake up
someone’s gunna bring me round

this is a warning
four minute warning

.............................

the steppin over heads line makes me think of crocodile dundee xD

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jjjack
12-04-2007

Rated +1 
in the 60's, the British government estimated that it would take four minutes for a nuclear bomb to reach England from USSR. This is about him (during a theoretical bombing...maybe a dream)running is fast as he can, through the forests, to try to get as far away from the city as possible. running through the forest to save his life

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hagan311
12-11-2007

Rated 0 
What a beautiful song about something so scary. Through out the song i feel so mellowed by the music but so frightened by the lyrics. Having this song being about a warning that an atom bomb is about to come and kill everyone and that every person has 4 minutes to take cover before everything ends. One of my favorite radiohead songs ever.

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Voltavon
12-18-2007

Rated 0 
Radiohead - 4 Minute Warning (4:00)
Funny the song also lasts 4 minutes :p the song is about the cold war, want to know more about it, look at the wikipedia link the guy up there gave

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Voltavon
12-18-2007

Rated 0 
Radiohead - 4 Minute Warning (4:00)
Funny the song also lasts 4 minutes :p the song is about the cold war, want to know more about it, look at the wikipedia link the guy up there gave

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Divided_Pie
12-18-2007

Rated 0 
To me the concept that this song is exploring is what it's like to exist during a period of time in which an end is imminent and inevitable. Literally, this could be about a nuclear attack, but it could also be about irreversible climate change, or depletion of finite resources, or more personally, being diagnosed with terminal cancer or some other irreversible disease.

How does it change a persons view on life and existence when their time on earth is cut short like that? Does it create fear and chaos? Denial and Delusion?

I think the song nicely sums up the them of both discs... the give and take between fear and dread, hope and delusion.

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jocularjosh
01-31-2008

Rated 0 
Another reference to communism (4 minute warning), as in bangers and mash (little red book). Although I do not necessarily know that this reference was truly meant here, but rather it was something that was known due to the fact that it is a British system.

THis basic thought on this song is that it is another commentary about the current state of affairs meaning the powers that be and thier effect on our lives. The ignorance of the people who do not want to "wake up" and would rather remain blinded by the media and propoganda system currenlty in place.

The song is saying wake the fuck up people before it is to late. Let this song be a warning, and don't say I didn't tell you. Open your eyes.

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Mobytoss
02-26-2008

Rated 0 
This is just a nightmare,
Soon I'm gonna wake up,
Someone's gonna bring me round,
Running from the bombers,
Hiding in the forest,
Running through the fields,
Laying flat on the ground,
Just like everybody,
Stepping over heads,
Running from the underground,
This is your warning,
Four minute warning;

I don't wanna hear it,
I don't wanna know,
I just wanna run and hide,
This is just a nightmare,
And soon I'm gonna wake up,
Someone's gonna bring me round,
This is our warning,
Four minute warning.

I'm pretty sure that during the lines
'And soon I'm gonna wake up,
Someone's gonna bring me round,'
the backing vocals very softly sing 'asleeeeep', or possibly just 'this iiiissss'; whatever it is, it has an S sound which doesnt fit with the main lyrics, and I'm hoping its 'asleeep' which sounds closer to what they say, and fits nicely :>

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azulay21
03-17-2008

Rated 0 
Im pretty sure this song is about the Cold War thet was in 1975, when the people were given a warning at the radio, tv, etc, thet says thet a nuclear bomb has lunch to there and you need to find place to hide, and you cant go out from your house or try to get away...

Man... Just try to imagine how thet feels.... No wonder they made this song...

P.S: sorry if my english sucks.

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azulay21
03-17-2008

Rated 0 
Im sorry, the Cold War was in 1940-1990.

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hgwald
03-26-2008

Rated 0 
This song IS about the 4 minute warning sirens the British government had in place during the cold war. The system of (air raid) sirens would sound 4 minutes prior to the fall of Soviet missiles on British soil. The purpose of the system was to get people into their bombe shelters before any attack. The sirens are sttill used in some coastal cities and towns as a flood warning device. The song is pretty clear about this. "running from the bombers." The idea that a Soviet attack would cause panic people would be "stepping over heads" "Running for the underground".

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