"'Street Spirit' is our purest song, but I didn't write it.... It wrote itself. We were just its messengers... Its biological catylysts. It's core is a complete mystery to me... and (pause) you know, I wouldn't ever try to write something that hopeless... All of our saddest songs have somewhere in them at least a glimmer of resolve... 'Street Spirit' has no resolve... It is the dark tunnel without the light at the end. It represents all tragic emotion that is so hurtful that the sound of that melody is its only definition. We all have a way of dealing with that song... It's called detachment... Especially me.. I detach my emotional radar from that song, or I couldn't play it... I'd crack. I'd break down on stage.. that's why its lyrics are just a bunch of mini-stories or visual images as opposed to a cohesive explanation of its meaning... I used images set to the music that I thought would convey the emotional entirety of the lyric and music working together... That's what's meant by 'all these things are one to swallow whole'.. I meant the emotional entirety, because I didn't have it in me to articulate the emotion... (pause) I'd crack.... Our fans are braver than I to let that song penetrate them, or maybe they don't realize what they're listening to.. They don't realize that 'Street Spirit' is about staring the fucking devil right in the eyes... and knowing, no matter what the hell you do, he'll get the last laugh...and it's real...and true. The devil really will get the last laugh in all cases without exception, and if I let myself think about that to long, I'd crack. I can't believe we have fans that can deal emotionally with that song... That's why I'm convinced that they don't know what it's about. It's why we play it towards the end of our sets. It drains me, and it shakes me, and hurts like hell everytime I play it, looking out at thousands of people cheering and smiling, oblivious to the tragedy of it's meaning, like when you're going to have your dog put down and it's wagging it's tail on the way there. That's what they all look like, and it breaks my heart.
I wish that song hadn't picked us as its catalysts, and so I don't claim it. It asks too much. (very long pause). I didn't write that song."
this explanation from thom... wow. just hit me too hard. he talks about how he would crack if he thought about it. i almost cracked just reading the whole thing. it truely represents the feeling this song gives me when it comes on. and even though it kills me inside to listen to, i love it. it is pure emotion. thank you for posting this
this explanation from thom... wow. just hit me too hard. he talks about how he would crack if he thought about it. i almost cracked just reading the whole thing. it truely represents the feeling this song gives me when it comes on. and even though it kills me inside to listen to, i love it. it is pure emotion. thank you for posting this
This means the lyrics need to be corrected. "All these things we'll one day swallow whole" to "all these things are one to swallow whole." It's an instruction to the listener rather than an observation. Big difference in meaning and impact.
This means the lyrics need to be corrected. "All these things we'll one day swallow whole" to "all these things are one to swallow whole." It's an instruction to the listener rather than an observation. Big difference in meaning and impact.
I may be a year or two late; but isn't it ironic how he acknowledges the devil's surefire victory even in the instance of the song. As an artist his mass of audience fails to understand the density and impact of his lyrics. A dirty deed of the devil, perhaps who scores yet another every time he sings it. You truly can't beat the guy.
I may be a year or two late; but isn't it ironic how he acknowledges the devil's surefire victory even in the instance of the song. As an artist his mass of audience fails to understand the density and impact of his lyrics. A dirty deed of the devil, perhaps who scores yet another every time he sings it. You truly can't beat the guy.
Quote from Thom:
"'Street Spirit' is our purest song, but I didn't write it.... It wrote itself. We were just its messengers... Its biological catylysts. It's core is a complete mystery to me... and (pause) you know, I wouldn't ever try to write something that hopeless... All of our saddest songs have somewhere in them at least a glimmer of resolve... 'Street Spirit' has no resolve... It is the dark tunnel without the light at the end. It represents all tragic emotion that is so hurtful that the sound of that melody is its only definition. We all have a way of dealing with that song... It's called detachment... Especially me.. I detach my emotional radar from that song, or I couldn't play it... I'd crack. I'd break down on stage.. that's why its lyrics are just a bunch of mini-stories or visual images as opposed to a cohesive explanation of its meaning... I used images set to the music that I thought would convey the emotional entirety of the lyric and music working together... That's what's meant by 'all these things are one to swallow whole'.. I meant the emotional entirety, because I didn't have it in me to articulate the emotion... (pause) I'd crack.... Our fans are braver than I to let that song penetrate them, or maybe they don't realize what they're listening to.. They don't realize that 'Street Spirit' is about staring the fucking devil right in the eyes... and knowing, no matter what the hell you do, he'll get the last laugh...and it's real...and true. The devil really will get the last laugh in all cases without exception, and if I let myself think about that to long, I'd crack. I can't believe we have fans that can deal emotionally with that song... That's why I'm convinced that they don't know what it's about. It's why we play it towards the end of our sets. It drains me, and it shakes me, and hurts like hell everytime I play it, looking out at thousands of people cheering and smiling, oblivious to the tragedy of it's meaning, like when you're going to have your dog put down and it's wagging it's tail on the way there. That's what they all look like, and it breaks my heart.
I wish that song hadn't picked us as its catalysts, and so I don't claim it. It asks too much. (very long pause). I didn't write that song."
tl;dr but sounds like he needs to lighten up...
tl;dr but sounds like he needs to lighten up...
all that needs to be said about this song's meaning.
all that needs to be said about this song's meaning.
Thank you very much for posting this. It's good to hear what Thom Yorke himself thinks about this song.
Thank you very much for posting this. It's good to hear what Thom Yorke himself thinks about this song.
this explanation from thom... wow. just hit me too hard. he talks about how he would crack if he thought about it. i almost cracked just reading the whole thing. it truely represents the feeling this song gives me when it comes on. and even though it kills me inside to listen to, i love it. it is pure emotion. thank you for posting this
this explanation from thom... wow. just hit me too hard. he talks about how he would crack if he thought about it. i almost cracked just reading the whole thing. it truely represents the feeling this song gives me when it comes on. and even though it kills me inside to listen to, i love it. it is pure emotion. thank you for posting this
I probably would think that this song can prove to people that god does exists.
I probably would think that this song can prove to people that god does exists.
This means the lyrics need to be corrected. "All these things we'll one day swallow whole" to "all these things are one to swallow whole." It's an instruction to the listener rather than an observation. Big difference in meaning and impact.
This means the lyrics need to be corrected. "All these things we'll one day swallow whole" to "all these things are one to swallow whole." It's an instruction to the listener rather than an observation. Big difference in meaning and impact.
I can't emotionally connect with this song the way I can other Radiohead songs, and after reading about the meaning... I think I'm glad of that.
I can't emotionally connect with this song the way I can other Radiohead songs, and after reading about the meaning... I think I'm glad of that.
I may be a year or two late; but isn't it ironic how he acknowledges the devil's surefire victory even in the instance of the song. As an artist his mass of audience fails to understand the density and impact of his lyrics. A dirty deed of the devil, perhaps who scores yet another every time he sings it. You truly can't beat the guy.
I may be a year or two late; but isn't it ironic how he acknowledges the devil's surefire victory even in the instance of the song. As an artist his mass of audience fails to understand the density and impact of his lyrics. A dirty deed of the devil, perhaps who scores yet another every time he sings it. You truly can't beat the guy.
@noneedfordav Damn what a pretentious description of that song from who I am assuming is Yorke.
@noneedfordav Damn what a pretentious description of that song from who I am assuming is Yorke.