Bodysnatchers

Okay, my friends tell me this is an intense interpretation but I truly believe this is the ultimate message Radiohead is trying to convey with this song - not only because of the lyrics but also because of Radiohead's history of pointing out the emptiness of modern life and the helpless frustration it creates in anyone mindful and brave enough to realize its flaws ... Because of the lyrics and the way all the musical elements work together to invoke the emotions of the lyrical message - this is one of my favorite Radiohead songs ....

"I do not, understand, what it is, I've done wrong, Full of holes, check for pulse, Blink your eyes, one for yes, two for no"

-I think this verse refers to a man (or woman for the PC among us) who can't understand what it is he did wrong to get himself into the empty, disconnected life he is living (pointless, shallow, unrewarding 9-5 job) in comparison to his dream-filled, "alive" childhood - I think most of us can relate to that. I also think it could be interpreted that he has questioned the status quo and is now being held in an asylum or something like it and he doesn't understand that he did anything wrong by questioning his life... Full of holes, check for pulse... etc. - Could indicate that he is being drugged and poked with needles for questioning his life and not being satisfied with it - wanting something more - and that all our society cares about are biological vital signs rather than emotions - that in this society if we can blink for yes and no that is enough to make us functional in our mindless, pointless work. That's all we need to be robots.

"I've no idea what I am talking about, I'm trapped in this body can't get out"

• I believe this refers to the man succumbing to society telling him that he's crazy for questioning this modern life - or perhaps he is speaking satirically - because oftentimes others will call you crazy for questioning the way of the world because it threatens their comfort. Sometimes even though one knows something is wrong, they still feel crazy because most people's minds are not strong enough to overcome societal brainwashing making people who do feel isolated and unsure of themselves- unable to connect with others, the world or themselves. As far as being trapped in this body I think body may not only be physical but just attached to his life, his name, his role, his job and not knowing how to escape it.

"You killed the sound, Removed backbone Pale imitation with the edges sawn off"

• I think "you" may be referring to a "big brother" idea - society killed the sound - the sound of nature, the sound of a person's dreams and aspirations, the sound of realness and life - "removed backbone" - refers to taking a person's ability to go after their dreams, to fight against this shallow, empty, lethal society whether through forcing them to succumb for the need to survive or mentally filling their brains with mush via advertisements and mass media - "pale imitation with the edges sawn off" - I think this not only refers to himself but all members of society - all of us are just imitations and reflections of what we're told - commercials, television, etc. and that are uniqueness gets smothered away by society because its threatening to people - hence the sawn off - because this is not always a process but people's unique qualities are often violently destroyed

"You've no idea what you are talking about - your mouth moves only with someone's hand up your ass"

• I think this could go two ways
  1. the man is retaliating and saying "NO you dont know what you're talking about, I do, forget what I said before - you're the puppets, you other people think I'm crazy but its you who are crazy - and none of you think for yourselves"
  2. or this is "big brother" society, whatever, almost poking fun at the man, saying you don't know what you're talking about because you only talk when we puppeteer you, when we allow it, and your words are ours, not your own.

Then the bridge - my favorite

"Have the lights gone out for you? Because the light's gone out for me"

• this could refer to two things again -
  1. The light inside of us, our spirit, being washed out -or-
  2. The lights i.e. electricity, the light society tries to put in our minds - has gone out - he no longer wants to live this life - personally I think its more #1

"It is the 21st century, it is the 21st century" - direct reference to modern world "It will follow you like a dog, it brought me to my knees, It got a skin and it put me in, it got a skin and it put me in, all the lines wrapped around my face, all the lines wrapped around my face, and for everyone else to see, and for everyone else to see, I'M A LIE"

• Okay, totally love this - but anyway, I think this refers to modern day life spreading its poison everywhere - "it will follow you like a dog" - you can't escape the pressures, the responsibilities, the media, the expectations, no matter where you go. Its viral. The world puts us all in a "skin", forces us into doing what is expected, and to not expressing emotions, just doing what you're told and that's it - brings us to our knees - we need to live by societal standards to survive and society makes it nearly impossible for those choosing an alternative to survive so it can gain full sovereignty over humanity. I think the lines and everyone can see part refer to how this person knows he is completely manufactured by others, and because he is aware of it and ashamed of it, he thinks everyone else can see it - how much of a lie he is - how he is just a tub of manufactured bullshit and unable to escape it because he's trapped in his physical body - but his consciousness wishes to escape to connect to the world, himself and others again on a real, primitive, genuine level -

as for the "I've seen it coming.. "

I think we all know Radiohead has definitely seen it coming for a long time. I love them. <3 Hope you guys liked my interpretation. I know it may be extreme (I think that's the brainwashed part of me saying that) but I think most people in the world can relate to much of their dreams, enthusiasm and connection to the world being squashed out by a 9-5 brainless job, and a world that is getting further and further from nature where we are exposed to on average over 1000 advertisements a day... It's just gross. And this song does an amazing job shouting about how fucked up it is. and it is. We're all lies.