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Monday, October 21, 2013

"Million Dollar Question" vs "The Bends"

Continuing on...

"Million Dollar Question"




Was always waiting for the crush
The car to drive right through the shops
To call in sick and late at work
And take a holiday
Was always tangled up in knots
To keep myself from speaking up
But no-one's listening anyway
Just trying to bribe me..
And if it's alright, then what am I doing here?
And if it's alright, this place is gassed by fear
And if it's alright, I'll tell you, 'cause you never understand
And if it's alright, I'll beg you, 'cause I'm a begging kind of man
Today I wrote a bad cheque
Packed a bag and took a jet
But no-one's looking anyway
I hope they miss me
I just think maybe I'm making a mistake. 


This song is fine. Good, even, but something about it feels dated now. It reminds me of the stuff I heard all the time at house shows and cheap concerts when I was in college. Although, I guess they were ahead of their time since I went to college 10 years after this was released. The song has a heavier rock feel (with guitar and drums) than my usual favorite Radiohead songs, but it does use an inverted soft-loud-soft formula, of which I am so fond.

"The Bends"

 


Where do we go from here
The words are coming out all weird
Where are you now when I need you
Alone on an airplane
Falling asleep against the window pain
My blood will thicken

I need to wash myself again
To hide all the dirt and pain
'Cause I'd be scared that there's nothing underneath
And who are my real friends
Have they all got the bends
Am I really sinking, this slow

My baby's got the bends, oh no
We don't have any real friends, no no no

I'm just lying in a bar with my drip feed on
Talking to my girlfriend
Waiting for something to happen
And I wish it was the 60s,
I wish I could be happy, I wish, I wish, I wish
That something would happen

Where do we go from here
The planet is all gummed up in a sea of fear
And where are you

They brought in the C.I.A
The tanks and the whole marines to blow me away
To blow me sky high

Baby's got the bends
We don't have any real friends

I'm just lying in a bar with my drip feed on
Talking to my girlfriend
Waiting for something to happen
And I wish it was the 60s,
I wish I could be happy, I wish, I wish, I wish
That something would

I want to live and breathe
I want to be part of the human race
I want to live and breathe
I want to be part of the human race, race, race

Where do we go from here
The words are coming out all weird
Where are you now, when I need you 


The album this song is on is probably my favorite Radiohead song and this, the title track is a great piece of it. Everything just sounds so much tighter and the great sounds of the guitar and voice are given room to be appreciated. I also love how Thom Yorke enunciates certain words in the song. I'm not always a lyrics person, but in this song I am because of how they're presented.


And the winner is...

The Bends!


The way the words are sung totally gets me!

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

"Life in a Glass House" vs "Inside My Head"

With Round 1 behind me, I'm ready to tackle anything! Okay, that's a lie, but I know that the next pairing isn't two of my favorites, which should hopefully make it easier.

"Life in a Glass House"



Once again I'm in trouble with my only friend
She is papering the window panes
She is putting on a smile
Living in a glass house

Once again packed like frozen food and battery hens
Think of all the starving millions
Don't talk politics and don't throw stones
Your royal highness's

Well of course I'd like to sit around and chat
Well of course I'd like to stay and chew the fat
Well of course I'd like to sit around and chat
But someone's listening in

Once again we are hungry for a lynching
That's a strange mistake to make
You should turn the other cheek
Living in a glass house

Well of course I'd like to sit around and chat
Well of course I'd like to stay and chew the fat
Well of course I'd like to sit around and chat
Only only only only only only only only only only...
There's someone listening in  


(2000. Amnesiac.) 

Oh how I love those instruments behind the singing. It reminds me of something I would play clarinet on so, of course, this song gets major bonus points for that! (And, actually, upon doing some research, I see that the clarinet player on this song is Jimmy Hastings, a Scottish musician.Yay!) This song always makes me think of New Orleans at like 6am. Most of the partiers are gone to bed, and just a few musicians and a passionate singer are left on the dirty, streamer-strewn streets, singing about injustices as they walk home.
I really love this song because of the jazz influences and how all of the non-guitar instruments sound so hazy and lazy combined with the singing.

"Inside My Head"



What do you want from me?
Now you got me
Now my fingers bleed
Now they're staring at me
I'm a coward now
I hold my peace

Now you tie me up to your feather bed
And I twist and turn in a Chinese burn
You won't let go
You won't let go

You're inside my head
Inside my head

What do you want from me?
Now you got me
Now my energy you suck from me
And I'm holding on for dear life

Quit smothering me
Quit laughing at me
I've got a disease
An English disease
It won't let go
It won't let go

You're inside my head
Inside my head

What did you put in that syringe?
Whatever you really said to him?
Is sitting there, inside of me

And you bother me
You possess me
You're there again
Ahead of me
And I won't let go
I won't let go

You're inside my head
Inside my head
Inside my head
Inside my head 


(1992. Creep. Stop Whispering.)

This song has a lot of energy and really has held up well since it was written 20 years ago (!!). I can imagine hearing this song at a small venue or even at a house show with the crowd going crazy. This song reminds me of Muse a bit, actually. Or, I guess I should say that this song sounds like how Muse ends up sounding later. And oh how I love Muse!

And the winner is...

Life in a Glass House!!!

Thank the clarinet playing for pushing this one to win.

Tuesday, October 08, 2013

"Exit Music (For a Film)" vs "15 Steps"

First up, take a look at my Radiohead bracket to remind yourself of what we're doing here. As I said before, I'm going through 128 Radiohead songs to determine my #1! I'm already nervous about my first match up, "Exit Music (For a Film)" up against "15 Steps." This is the equivalent of Novak Djokovic going up against Grigor Dimitrov in round one of a tennis tournament. I really like both players, but don't expect either to win, yet the thought of one being out in the first round is not a good one! Both songs are too good to not make it to the sweet 16. But, this is what happens when a band has so many good songs, I guess.

One thing before we get started: I tend to like songs for the music about 90% of the time. There are songs I would consider to be my favorites that I don't even know the lyrics to! I think  important to point out.

Ok, let's go!

"Exit Music (For a Film)"





Wake from your sleep
The drying of your tears
Today we escape, we escape

Pack and get dressed
Before your father hears us
Before all hell breaks loose

Breathe, keep breathing
Don't lose your nerve
Breathe, keep breathing
I can't do this alone

Sing us a song
A song to keep us warm
There's such a chill, such a chill

You can laugh a spineless laugh
We hope your rules and wisdom choke you
Now we are one in everlasting peace
We hope that you choke, that you choke
We hope that you choke, that you choke

We hope that you choke, that you choke 
(1997. OK Computer.)
Right from the beginning I love this song because of Thom Yorke's textured voice. It sounds like he is singing in a dark, empty room with a special microphone to pick up every ounce of emotion in his voice. It's a bit gravelly and I LOVE it. I am also a sucker for  Soft-Loud-Soft types of songs and this sure is one of those. The crescendo/decrescendo is a quick one, but it just adds to the power of the song. I have very few criticisms about the song except maybe that I wish it was longer. It's over way before I'm ready for it to be. I also must note that this song was used in Baz Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet, which came out when I was about 16 so this song is completely connected in my mind to my love for that movie and Leonardo DiCaprio.

"15 Steps"


How come I end up where I started
How come I end up where I belong
Won't take my eyes off the ball again
You reel me out then you cut the string

How come I end up where I started
How come I end up where I belong
Won't take my eyes off the ball again
You reel me out then you cut the string

You used to be alright
What happened?
Did the cat get your tongue
Did your string come undone
One by one
One by one
It comes to us all
It's as soft as your pillow

You used to be alright
What happened?
Etcetera etcetera
Facts for whatever
Fifteen steps
Then a shear drop 
(2007. In Rainbows.)
This first match up is an interesting one since "Exit Music" is so measured in its intensity while "15 Steps" gets its energy from the beats. These two songs could not be more different. It's unfortunate that the entry in the bracket is not Radiohead's Grammy performance of this song with the marching band because that was so awesome and really made me love this song. "15 Steps" is a favorite because it's great for dancing and also because I really like how he sings "etcetera." I know that's a little thing, but it sticks out to me. 

And the winner is...

"Exit Music (For a Film)"!!!!!!!

Slow burn songs get me almost every time and this one reminds me of Leonardo DiCaprio. Tough to beat!

Saturday, October 05, 2013

Radiohead

Because I am a glutton for punishment, I have set up a 128 song bracket to figure out the best/my favorite Radiohead song. I'm not sure how long this will take, but I do hope you will stay tuned and definitely comment with your votes!


Check out my bracket:

Radiohead Songs


I pretty much just did each entry randomly with a few unofficial seeds to ensure my favorites wouldn't knock each other out early on. I do promise that I did much of this with squinty eyes so I couldn't cheat. And also, since wikipedia says that Radiohead has 161 songs, I started by deleting anything unreleased, which are mostly the last 10 or so. I also left off "Fitter Happier" since it's a robot 'song' as well as some of the more random ones from random EPs. (I'm already certain I've left off some gem.) I really didn't want to leave off anything from a studio album even if I already knew it wouldn't make it past the first round so they're all there. I forced myself to take off the super early B-sides mostly because it's possible I haven't even heard them..and because I HAD to get the song list down to 128.

So, check it out and start picking your favorites! Any early predictions??

I'll start soon...


XO,
SVR