Radiohead

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
I slip away
I slipped on a little white lie

[Verse 2]
We've got heads on sticks
And you've got ventriloquists
We've got heads on sticks
And you've got ventriloquists

[Verse 3]
Standing in the shadows at the end of my bed
Standing in the shadows at the end of my bed
Standing in the shadows at the end of my bed
Standing in the shadows at the end of my bed

[Outro]
The rats and the children will follow me out of town
Rats and children follow me out of town
Come on, kids

Kid A by Radiohead is one of the most enigmatic and evocative songs from the band's fourth studio album, Kid A. It is a composition that is both perplexing and intriguing, provoking the listener to engage with it in a way that few other songs can. The song stands out for its lack of conventional rock instrumentation, instead using electronic sounds and heavily distorted vocals to create an entirely new soundscape.

About Kid A

Kid A's opening track is an exploration that leaves listeners contemplating the song's message upon first listen. While its lyrics allude to literature and politics, it is unlikely that the song carries a clear intellectual meaning. Thom Yorke's heavily distorted vocals are only partially distinguishable, leaving the emphasis almost exclusively on the sound the band has created from Thom's voice.

The song consists of random lines chosen by Thom by writing them down on slips of paper and selecting them out of a hat. While the individual lines clearly held meaning for Yorke, they did so as individual statements rather than parts contributing to a whole. The result is a song that feels as if it is constructed from fragments, an assemblage of ideas that never quite coheres into a single, unified whole.

Despite this, it is clear that the song has a specific meaning for the band, as it emerges from their own creative process as well as the emotional experience the music delivers to its audience. The lyrics speak to a sense of dislocation or detachment, reflected in the song's overall sound and mood.

One of the song's most striking qualities is its use of electronic sound manipulation to create a sense of disorientation. The dense, pulsating textures and unusual harmonies give the song an otherworldly quality that takes the listener on a journey far beyond the bounds of conventional rock music. The sense of alienation and confusion conjured up by the music makes for an emotionally potent listening experience.

As with many of Radiohead's songs, Kid A's musical structure is unconventional, featuring unexpected shifts in tempo, dynamics and texture that keep the listener on their toes. The song's chorus itself is minimal, comprised of just two words, "The rats," which contrasts with the dense, swirling soundscape that surrounds it.

Despite its apparent lack of structure, Kid A's musical ideas and sounds are woven together with an intricate sense of purpose, creating a cohesive work of art that rewards repeated listens. The song's use of sonic experimentation is a hallmark of Radiohead's work, but Kid A takes this approach to new heights.

The song's title is itself evocative, representing ambiguous characters who inhabit a dark and uncertain world. The song is part of a larger body of work that explores themes of anxiety, isolation, and the dissolution of identity, driven by a sense of uncertainty and unease.

In summary, Kid A by Radiohead is a challenging and highly elusive piece of music, characterized by its unconventional instrumentation, strange sounds, and heavily distorted vocals. The song's fragmented structure and ambiguous lyrics offer listeners a unique listening experience, provoking them to engage with the music in a way that is both thought-provoking and emotionally compelling.

• Release Date: October 2, 2000
• Artist: Radiohead