I'm the next act
Waiting in the wings
I'm an animal
Trapped in your parked car
I am holidays
That you choose to ignore

You are all I need
You are all I need
I'm in the middle of your picture
Lying in the leaves

I am a moth
Who just wants to share your light
I'm just an insect
Trying to get out of the night

I only stick with you
Because there are no others

You are all I need
You are all I need
I'm in the middle of your picture
Lying in the leaves

It's all wrong
It's all right
It's all wrong



Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death, edited by mcpadson, RainySun9, richie182

Track duration: 03:51

"All I Need" as written by Thomas Edward/greenwood Yorke

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


All I Need song meanings
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187 Comments

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  • 0
    Memory:I once dreamt that a friend of mine told me this song was about the devil. Weird.
    Flag richie182on April 13, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Don't know why but I don't feel love in this song
    Flag Yazardshiron March 09, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I know that the lyric book lists the last part as:
    "S'all wrong
    S'alright
    S'alright
    S'all wrong
    S'alright
    S'alright
    S'alright"

    But after listening to to the album version and several live versions, I believe it breaks down to:

    "S’all wrong
    S’all wrong
    S’all wrong
    S’all right

    S’all wrong
    S’all wrong
    S’all wrong
    S’all right

    S’all wrong
    S’all wrong"

    Thanks for reading.
    Flag amnesiac9on March 06, 2013   Link
  • -2
    General Comment:could be about his dad. holidays his dad ignores, all the days he chooses to let pass without calling. he only sticks with his father because he has only one father, who is all ha he needs. middle of picture being family photo. oh and next act waiting in the wing being him preforming something for maybe a talent show at school and his father not being there to see waiting for his father to show up
    Flag bozu20023on February 24, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think it's about unrequited love and obsession.

    He feels as if they should be together but the other person doesn't notice him. He's waiting in the wings, waiting for his chance to share the other person's light.

    But there is a darker creepier side: the target of his affection doesn't realise how close he is, waiting for his opportunity. There is a picture, maybe an idyllic setting next to a river, but they don't know he is right there, hidden in the reeds. Maybe symbolically, maybe figuratively. He knows he shouldn't, and he is full of self-loathing (he's just an insect) but he feels that he has no choice: he has to stick with them because there is nobody else.

    Its basically unrequited love from someone who is also stalking the object of his affection, whilst simultaneously knowing it's not right.
    Flag scootaboion January 23, 2013   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:I think it's just me, but I really don't think this is just a typical love song. Radiohead is genius because they can write whatever lyrics they want, but the true meaning is in the dynamics and progression of the song. I think those dynamics supplement the lyrics to give it meaning on a whole new level. At surface level, I'd have to say the lyrics resemble a love story, but when taking it all into account, I think it's much more.

    I listened to this song yesterday and an extremely depressing thought occurred to me as I read this: a person may never know when he/she is the one thing that could've saved someone from something. I was thinking of the kids that are getting bullied in school, and just thought, "Maybe that one smile passing him in the hallway may have saved that kid from committing suicide." After that thought, the lyrics become something else entirely. It's about someone full of opportunity, who has been through desperation and has been only ended up being discouraged and now feels hopeless and insignificant. And then the lyrics "I'm in the middle of your picture, lying in the leaves" bring it all home emotionally. Those are clearly explaining a family portrait.
    Flagged WhoaBoon May 27, 2012   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction:I am the next act waiting in the wings
    I am an animal trapped in your hot car
    I am all of the days that you choose to ignore

    You are all I need
    You are all I need
    I am in the middle of your picture
    Lying in the reeds

    I am a moth who just wants to share your light
    I'm just an insect, trying to get out of the night
    I only stick with you because there are no others

    You are all I need
    You are all I need
    I am in the middle of your picture
    Lying in the reeds

    S'all wrong
    S'all right
    S'all right
    S'all wrong
    S'all right
    S'all right
    S'alright
    Flagged paperbagwriteron February 27, 2012   Link
  • -2
    General Comment:This is a song about the drugs. The drug is all he needs.
    "I am an insect trying to get out of the night"- he gets high because he feels low. You
    "I am an animal trapped"- Trapped by this drug.
    "I am holidays you choose to ignore"-Holidays are times when he want to break free from the drug but he cannot.
    "I only stick with you because there are no others"-There is no way out
    And in the end: "It's all right"-It is all right because he feels good when he takes it.
    "it's all wrong"-He is controlled by his addiction.
    Flagged cocolinoon December 16, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:the lyrics are actually "I am all the days/that you choose to ignore" not "i am all the holidays" and it's "lying in the reeds" not lying in the leaves.
    Flagged youuarehereon December 03, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I always thought this was (mainly) about a baby - the next act, waiting in the wings. Only with you because it has no other, it's mother is all that it needs. Also the lyric "lying in the reeds" could refer to the legend of Moses in the basket. However I can't explain the animal trapped in the hot car or "all the days" we chose to ignore - unless this is a reference to the environment and global warming (the future we choose to ignore, the hot car). I love the lyrics on In Rainbows.
    Flag dilaudidon November 29, 2011   Link

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