Lyrics for Paranoid Android as interpreted by piesupreme

Paranoid Android Lyrics
Please could you stop the noise, I'm trying to get some rest
From all the unborn chicken voices in my head
What's that, what's that?

When I am king you will be first against the wall
With your opinion which is of no consequence at all
What's that, what's that?

Ambition makes you look pretty ugly
Kicking, squealing, Gucci little piggy

You don't remember, you don't remember
Why don't you remember my name?
Off with his head, man, off with his head, man
Why don't you remember my name?
I guess he does

Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me
From a great height, from a great height, height
Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me
From a great height, from a great height, height

That's it sir, you're leaving
The crackle of pig skin
The dust and the screaming
The yuppies networking
The panic, the vomit
The panic, the vomit
God loves his children
God loves his children, yeah

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cabbagesoup
07-21-2006

Rated 0 
Paranoid Android, the first single from 'Ok Computer' was a complicated affair, not least because of the three disparate yet cohesive sections. It had been inspired by a bad experience Thom had one night in a Los Angeles bar. He had gone there for a quiet drink, but found himself surrounded by parasitic groupie types and pretentious California posers. Unbeknown to him, virtually everyone in the room, except himself, was on cocaine. Thom: "The people I saw that night were just like demons from another planet. Everyone was trying to get something out of me. I felt like my own self was collapsing in the presence of it, but I also felt completely, utterly part of it, like it was all going to some crashing down any minute.' The band had been playing the song for months in rehearsals, but that night, while he couldn't sleep, the lyrics flooded into Thom's head at 5am. Of particular horror to him was one especially vicious lady who had a drink spilt over her dress and whose face contorted in venom at the culprit - she was the 'kicking, squealing Gucci little piggy' that Thom sang of and he was horrified. Thom: "Basically it's just abou chaos, chaos, utter fucking chaos."

(This was c/ped from www.ateaseweb.com, a site dedicated to radiohead)

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sebrat
07-26-2006

Rated 0 
Someone going to add the computer-gen lyrics in the background of the "what's that" choruses? They are:

"I may be paranoid but not an android"

and in the 2nd chorus:

"I may be paranoid but no android"

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kid-44
08-10-2006

Rated 0 
well, this song is genuanly a portrait of various states of mind that an extremely depressed, paranoid (perhaps drug using) person might experiance. it's an extreme case, but strong, rangeing from childish selfishness and vengence (when i am king, you will be first against the wall), to spitefuly looking down on the general public (kicking and screaming, goochy little piggy).

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lilmissplaya71
08-25-2006

Rated 0 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid_Android

That may help going back to the Hitchikers guide theory.. i read the series, and wen i read it i remember thinking back to this song. its cool to see the two related. bc the series is awesome and radiohead is awesome.

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oojimaflop
08-27-2006

Rated 0 
personally i agree to the idea that there is no meaning to the song.

although there are a lot of references to hitchikers guide.

Paranoid android: obvious

you will be first against the wall: again already stated

Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me: possibly the spermwhale that is born due to the improbability drive in the book. then promptly falls and dies, or "rains"

more obscure, and probably more false is the "unborn chicken voices in my head" line, which i think refers to the one remaining survivor of a famine-ravaged planet who had tons of fried eggs dropped on him by the infinite improbability drive.

why don't you remember my name: arthur dent constantly asks Zaphod this.

Ambition makes you look pretty ugly: i think trillian says this.

in the end there is no meaning. maybe just a tribute?

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Dressed2Depress
09-19-2006

Rated 0 
Ok I'm not here to talk about the song's meaning but a revelation I had.

I was kicking back at work the other day on my break when a live performance of Paranoid Android in Barcelona I think came on the television. This film clip opened my eyes to just how much of a rock band radiohead are before seeing the film clip I had always thought of Radiohead as a kinda bleak and more artistic brit pop band. The film clip however prooved me wrong and shows just how much radiohead can rock out at the appropriate moments...

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dreamer85
09-23-2006

Rated 0 
when you see the videoclip there's a sad guy waving with a Dutch flag next to the evil one. I really want to know if this has a meaning...I think the song is about the people against the government. "When I am king.." like in a fantasy a kid wants to rule the world and get rid of the people who are ruling it now. Paranoid.. maybe because of the so called innocence of the 2 children you see, while in fact you are hearing Radiohead screaming and shouting. Paranoid because of the angel in the helicopter that is on the R kids' side, not even try to stop the man from hurting/killing himself. Being sweet and innocent but having this dead wish to others. Not an android because they are just children. But apparently the song is referring to hitchhikers guide...Love the song. The way it is build reminds me of Bohemian Rhapsody. I see this as the modern version.

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ThisIsLabor
10-14-2006

Rated 0 
This song honestly changed my life. I have never ever heard such a mindblowing song. I will never get over how amazing Paranoid Android and I don't think Radiohead nor any other band will ever create a better song.

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GrayWolf
10-23-2006

Rated 0 
In my opinion, this song aludes to people in power who want to be Gods.

Ego and Sense of supremeness of the high spheres has created in them
a feeling of Godlyness. Faith and God still exists for people, and those ´adroids´(souless) of the
high spheres become paranoid, because they can´t be like God ...

Please could you stop the noise I'm trying to get some rest?
From all the unborn chicken voices in my head

Those people lead lives without worries. The unborn chicken voices are the people that is
aware of corruption and media manipulation, but can do nothing about it...

What's that, what's that (paranoia):
There's something else that keeps them from being completely powerful over peoples lives and
minds... (faith and God)


When I`m king, you´ll be first against the wall: Those people in power, when they dominate

all minds completely, will opress those who have faith in God... (it's like he's talking to
God)

With your opinion which is of no consequence: The Word of God (Bible) does not change the
fact they (powerful people) are in power and can potentially dominate all.

What`s there? What's there? : Although that people want to dominate like Gods, they`re still
human...They fear the divine

God Talking
Ambition makes you look pretty ugly
Kicking squealing gucci little piggy

The Paranoid Android
You don't remember, you don't remember, why don't you remember my name
Off with his head man, off with his head man
Why don't you remember my name?-- I guess he does

The Paranoia and impotence of not being able to be Gods...It's forcing society to
acknowledge them over God, even through threating them with cutting their heads off.

THE SHEEP (people)
Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me
From a great height, from a great height, height
Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me
From a great height, from a great height, height

People live waiting for a signal from the heavens, that will save them from the pseudo-gods (demons) of society.

You can observe that Man trying to make Robin fall from the lightpole...Trying to destroy
his faith. You can observe the angel (the signal) taking Robin and showing him there's hope.

That's it sir, you're leaving,
the crackle of pig skin,
the dust and the screaming
The yuppies networking
the panic, the vomit,
the panic, the vomit
God loves his children,
God loves his children, yeah

Justice will come in the end.

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DeathCabRamazing
10-27-2006

Rated 0 
i love singing the raaaiinn dooowwwn parts

this song is amazing, and theres some emotion behind it that I cant put my finger

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Derek_Stiles
10-28-2006

Rated 0 
The cocaine-induced chaos story is a great one, but I can only find one section that supports the story:

"Please could you stop the noise I'm trying to get some rest?"
Obviously, Thom is telling everyone to calm down. He just wants to relax, but everyone's acting really creepy.

"From all the unborn chicken voices in my head"
I think this is a reference to the infamous "This is your brain on drugs" PSA. The man in the commercial uses an egg, an unborn chicken, to illustrate that your brain is "fried" when you're on drugs. The voices of the people in the bar are obviously getting on his nerves.

Other than that, this really doesn't seem to be about a bunch of crackheads in the same room (which would be really freaky). It has to mean something more. It's much too...epic, too chaotic, to be about something like that.

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yippy1991
11-21-2006

Rated 0 
"When I am king, You will be the first against the wall" In midieval times, people would often throw their waste out the windows, and the safest place to be on the streets would be against the walls. I haven't made any connectiosn to the song yet, but I think thats what the line is referencing to.

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evans_michael
12-22-2006

Rated 0 
I've always pictured this song as Jesus on the cross going through the 5 stages of grief of someone dying: Denial & Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. It fits nicely.

The first 3 lines are fear and denial of impending death.

The fourth through sixth lines give a clue to identity and show a transition into anger.

The next five lines are Jesus' anger directed at God.

The next line, ending with "I guess he does" shows the transition from anger to bargaining.

The next four lines are Jesus trying to bargain with God. Rain down, from a great height.....bestow your grace on me, I'll do your bidding.

The underlying vocals at the end: "that's it sir, you're leaving"....a slide into depression, followed by depressing and disturbing images. Finally acceptance..."God loves his children(2x), yeah"...Jesus being God's only begotten son and all.


That's my take on it, anyway.

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peace_love_empathy
12-24-2006

Rated 0 
wow. definitely hitchhikers guide. marvin is as depressing as this song.

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fairypics
01-24-2007

Rated 0 
wow, imani110 and others, you are very insightful... i have never tried to interpret every line of this song but i love it immensely, gives me chills.....
the music and thom's voice, of course... you guys keep thinkin... good for ya.

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TedsterBbBb22
02-05-2007

Rated 0 
I think that this song is a representation of how one simple day for average person out in the world can go terribly wrong at any point. In Thom Yorke's case, a bad day in public for him has twice the risk of happening, because he is so well-known. I think this song is talking about how an average day in a resturant or something could turn into a nightmare if you play the wrong cards. "please could stop the noise i'm trying to get some rest from all the unborn chicken voices in my head," could be talking about the irritating shrieks of fans screaming their heads off at the sight of thom. "when i am king you will be first against the wall with your opinion which is of no consquence at all," could be talking about the few crazy people out there who hate Thom Yorke and want him dead for unkown reasons. "Why don't you remember my name off with his head man," might be from people he had met before who came to say hi to him but were surprised when he didn't remember who they were. "Rain down from a great height," could be describing how at this point chaos breaks out in the public over him and he feels like Marvin, the Paranoid Android, because everyone wants him and he feels demanding pressure over him, and he simply wants to just give up..... "thats its sir you're leaving the crackle of pigskin the dust and the squealing the yelpies networking the pain the vomit," could be describing the chaos going on behind him as he prays to get back home alive. This is just what I think.....maybe I'm wrong.

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Tyler1077
02-10-2007

Rated 0 
This is probably one of my most favorite songs in any song made. Just they way Thom's voice is... Seen Radiohead at Bonnaroo and it was freaking unreal!
"Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me
From a great height, from a great height, height
Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me
From a great height, from a great height, height "

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the-grant
02-28-2007

Rated 0 
In my opinion, Paranoid Android would probably be better if it were sort of truncated, to exclude the two up-tempo, guitar heavy sequences. I think it sort of kills the mood the song creates.

The lyrics are insane, too.
All about ambition, and the race for power.
(Hence "Ambition makes you look pretty ugly", and "The yuppies networking")

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MrY
03-08-2007

Rated 0 
the song is about the jealousy connected with being ignored by someone you love (why don't you remember my name) , and the anger that follows it

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Nossarella
04-06-2007

Rated 0 
this is by far my favorite...chilling

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StrandedVoyager
04-13-2007

Rated 0 
This song has been talked about endlessly but I'll just add my two cents since this is one of my favorite songs of all time and I deeply feel this song.

I think it's about someone whom life has screwed over many times and the person in the song doesn't have anyone and can't trust anyone and through the first part of the song the music and the person in the song is talking about their descent into delusion and their decent into madness.

Then when the person in the song starts talking about being king I think that's when the person is living in his delusions and the world he's created in his mind to escape the indignities and the horrors of the real world and horrors of his own life. He then starts pointing out what's screwed about the world and people around him and the people who he tried to reach out too but couldn't hold or people who pushed him away.

Then when it goes to the part where the person in the song is talking about why don't people remember his name, the trash and the problems and his inability to reach out to people bring him crashing down from his imaginary world where he's king to the real world where he's nothing. You'll notice the music speeds up here as if the person in the song is falling.

The song then slows down and we get a almost angelic choir singing in the background while the person in the song is talking about the rain coming down on him like he's trying to wash away his reality and live in his delusions and calling down the rain to wash away all the things that've hurt him and the things that torment him.

The person then starts describing what he sees around him with a clear vision. The music picks up at the end to suggest that the person in the song is either so comfortable in his delusion that he's completely gone.

Just my take on it.

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nobodysmith
04-30-2007

Rated 0 
I tripped mushrooms for the first time in my life the other day...I listened to this song and it was the most amazing thing. Me in my friend were dancing around the house...it was like a rave...with everyone gone but us.
Radiohead is amazing...drugs or no drugs.

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Ed Jones
05-08-2007

Rated 0 
It's about an android who unfortunatly happens to be paranoid...

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drowninyoursleep
05-10-2007

Rated 0 
Well, lets just blatently state the obvious then, shall we?

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floatingbunny
05-21-2007

Rated 0 
He is just angry, thats it.
We all get these days, when life and its little routines get you down cause some idiots decided to mess up your day, you just want to explode. But just like his song, emotion develops over time, and at the end of his song his anger has calmed down and dealt with life's little spilt milks considerably.

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