Radiohead – Sulk

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You bite
Through
The big wall
The big wall
Bites back
You sit there
And
Sulk
Sit there and
Bawl
You are so pretty
When you're
On your
Knees
Disinfected
Eager
To please
Sometimes
You sulk
Sometimes
You burn
God rest
Your soul
When the
Loving comes
And we've
Already gone
Just like
Your dad
You'll never
Change

Each time it
Comes
It eats me
Alive
I try to
Behave
But it eats me
Alive
So I declare
A holiday
Fall asleep
Drift away.

Send "Sulk" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by piesupreme

Track duration: 03:43

"Sulk" as written by Thomas Edward/o'brien Yorke

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

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Sulk song meanings
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18 Comments

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  • 0
    Song Meaning:One of Thom's earliest creations, this song was inspired by a ruthless and unexplained killing spree conducted by a lone gunman in Hungerford, England, in 1987. Although its original concluding lyrics were "just shoot your gun," these were changed when the song was recorded in late 1994. This was because the death of Kurt Cobain was still weighing heavily on people's minds while the Hungerford killings were not; Thom chose to change the lyrics so that no one would think the song was about the late Nirvana leader.

    "Sulk" is rarely heard live: the band played it in concert a few times in 1994, even less often in 1995, and never again after that.

    Not a lot of people think much of this track. I mean, it's good, but no one ever thinks its all that great. I reckon it's quite a classy track, myself. The guitars towards the end are excellent, and the way Thom sings the chorus is great.
    Flag sepultura1987on February 04, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the lyrics are wrong

    It's not "eager to please" Thom says something different, is more like "and bigger tears"
    Any ideas??
    Flag fofyheadon March 23, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's funny. Back when I was an enraged teenager, I thought this song could be a description of my own father, who had problems "inherited" from my grandfather (who died when he was a teenager). It seemed to me like it was a cycle of parental failure, which I saw regarding him and me, and his father and him. We all sulked and bawled, caught in a rage, crashing against walls of problems. Yeah, teenagers can be cruel to parents, can't they?

    Ironically, I saw the same "inheritance" in myself later, so I thought the song could apply to me AND my father as well! I don't think that way anymore, but it led me to give a possible interpretation of the "just like your dad" metaphor.

    The song itself seems to talk about dealing with someone with big problems, who complains about them but can't solve them (bites the big wall, the big wall bites back) and suffers. The narrator is clearly angry with him/her and on the last verse tries to get away from it all, because each time (the problem) comes, it eats him alive, it bothers him up to the point of outrage. So he gets by declaring a holiday (i.e. giving a truce, stopping talking about it). The chorus uses the "dad" metaphor as a way to reinforce that it's impossible for the person to change. The person could be a friend, a lover, a relative, his parent (hehe) or the narrator himself.

    Musically, I love it. The aforementioned tumbling guitar is simple yet moving (check that harmonizing on the second verse!), and when everything goes one step up and Thom bellows out those high notes on the last chorus, it always sends chills down my spine. One of the best and most underrated songs in The Bends.
    Flag Santiagofon September 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yeah if you go on wikipedia and type in Hungerford massacre, if you go down to Cultural References it states that Sulk was about the killings.
    Flag golson567on October 30, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:FACT: it IS about the Hungerford killings, read the following...

    radiohead1.tripod.com/songs/album/…
    Flag boggyplaneton March 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Fantastic song musically, and the lyrics go with the song. Alot of dynamics and emotion in that song. One of the best that Radiohead did.
    Flag John Aon December 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is a reference to the Hungerford killings like aydayzay said. I don't really see how this parallels, but this song is amazing anyway. My favorite on The bends, next to Fake Plastic Trees.
    Flag hillwilliamon June 15, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment:I don't understand why this song gets such a bad rap by so many people, as I personally love this song and is one of my favorites on The Bends. The tumbling guitar in the verses is magical and some of the best I've ever heard; it's just so soothing and almost sad. This song, to me, is really about the feeling you get when you feel sad about something and you just want to hide away and be resigned. This song defines resignation and really hits me hard when I feel down about something that has happened or may happen. This is also one of my favorite Radiohead songs overall, and I love singing it on the top of my lungs (especially the final chorus). It's a simple song for Radiohead, but it has enough guitar effects and noises going on to keep my interest throughout the song. Excellent, excellent depression song.
    Flag tigertour02on August 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:a surprisingly overlooked song from the bends. i read on greenplastic that it hasnt been played for over 10 years
    Flag ilovealkalineon July 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The insert in the album says it's behave. You DID buy the album... didn't you...? ;)
    Flag Appers66on May 20, 2006   Link

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