Radiohead – Skirting on the Surface

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  General Comment:I think it's about human complacency and how easy it is to get caught up in our own lives and forget that we can make real change in this world. "When we realize that once we're broken nothing mends We're just skirting on the surface" Skirting on the surface to me means ignoring what's going on in the world. Only paying attention to our own shallow lives, having our heads in the clouds and giving up on social change. "Will you dive-bomb the surface? Dull eyes trying to pull you through the ice Being drawn to the ledge" To me this means, "Will you open your eyes to what's going on in the world, or just buy what you're told...will you search for truth or live in a world of ignorance?" The "dull eyes" part referring to the people who live in a constant state of fear and who are ignorant to what goes on under the "surface". The ones that talk about how the apocalypse is coming and how it doesn't matter what we do because we're all going to die anyway. Being drawn to the edge is buying into that foolish logic. Giving up on making this world a better place.

  Flag justinhayes1982on April 14, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:youtube.com/…
  
  Thom Yorke at the Echoplex, October 2, 2009
  
  Will likely appear on Radiohead's eighth album in 2010.

  Flag lysoljacksonon October 24, 2009   Link

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    +1

    When we realise we have only to dive and we're out of here
    We're just skirting on the surface
    We have only to click our fingers and we disappear
    We're just skirting on the surface
    Dull eyes trying to pull you through the ice
    Being drawn to the ledge
    When we realize that once we're broken nothing mends
    We're just skirting on the surface
    When we realize we're only held in suspension
    'Til someone comes along and shakes us
    As the parallel lines cross the fingers like a web
    Will you dive-bomb the surface?
    Dull eyes trying to pull you through the ice
    Being drawn to the ledge
    When we realize that once we're broken nothing mends
    We're just skirting on the surface
    
    Musically, one of his most beautiful songs.
    Lyrically, he seems to be talking about the superficiality of life, a constant Thom theme, and how fragile this reality really is. In fact, it's just a state of mind as is escape from it to a more meaningful, spiritual realm (not a religious reference though!).
    

    Flag derykon February 19, 2010  

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