The 60 best Radiohead songs according to UachateC
21. Decks Dark
It is a song from the album A Moon Shaped Pool, which has a melancholic and sophisticated sound, with a piano, an electric guitar and female choirs. The song was inspired by the book The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, and refers to a spaceship that blocks out the sun and causes panic on Earth. The lyrics can also be interpreted as a metaphor for depression, isolation, and loss.
22. Videotape
It is the last song on the In Rainbows album, and one of Radiohead’s most emotional and minimalist. The song is based on a piano and out of sync percussion, which creates an effect of tension and disorientation. The lyrics are Yorke’s farewell to his loved ones, recorded on videotape to be played after his death. The song is both sad and hopeful in tone, reflecting Yorke’s love and faith.
23. Airbag
It is the first song on the OK Computer album, and one of Radiohead’s most innovative and complex. The song has an irregular and fragmented rhythm, created by Greenwood using a sampler and a computer. The song also has distorted guitar and string arrangements. The lyrics are a celebration of life after surviving a car accident, inspired by Yorke’s actual experience.
24. 15 Step
It is the first song from the In Rainbows album, and one of Radiohead’s most rhythmic and danceable. The song has a rhythm of 5/4, based on electronic beats and acoustic drums. The song also has funky guitar and childish choruses at the end. The lyrics are ironic and sarcastic, and talk about failure and disappointment in love.
25. All I Need
It is a song from the album In Rainbows, which has a dark and obsessive sound, with heavy bass and atmospheric keyboards. The song has a simple structure, but with a final crescendo that incorporates a horn section. The lyrics are a confession of unrequited love, in which Yorke compares himself to an animal or a parasite that he needs his beloved.
26. The National Anthem
It is a song from the album Kid A, which represents the most chaotic and experimental side of Radiohead. The song is built around a repetitive bass loop, layered with noise, distortion, distant vocals, and an improvised horn section. The song does not have a conventional structure or a defined melody, but instead creates an effect of confusion and anguish.
27. Optimistic
It is a song from the album Kid A, which contrasts with the rest of the album for its sound closer to alternative rock. The song features prominent electric guitar and drums, with subtle electronic arrangements. The lyrics are a critique of capitalism, individualism and false hope, using phrases like «the best you can is good enough» or «try the best you can».
28. Subterranean Homesick Alien
It is a song from the album OK Computer, which has a spatial and dreamlike sound, with guitars with a delay effect and ambient keyboards. The lyrics are Yorke’s fantasy about being abducted by aliens who show him the truth about the world, while he watches the humans from above.
29. 2 + 2 = 5
It is the first song on the Hail to the Thief album, and one of Radiohead’s most aggressive and intense. The song has an accelerated rhythm and distorted guitar, with some changes in tempo and dynamics. The letter is a reference to the novel 1984, by George Orwell, and denounces the manipulation, oppression and ignorance of society.
30. Just
It is a song from the album The Bends, and one of Radiohead’s most rocking and energetic songs. The song has powerful electric guitar and a solo by Greenwood at the end. The lyrics are a criticism of people’s apathy, self-pity and lack of responsibility, using phrases like «you do it to yourself» or «you have not been paying attention». The song has a video clip in which a man is seen lying on the street without explaining why.
Look from number 31 to 40 on the next page—->
