The creepy Radiohead song about “the unspeakable”
Describing a Radiohead song as dark and gloomy is somewhat predictable, but labelling it as scary might be a little less common. Yet, there exists one specific single that marked the band’s first description in such terms. This wasn’t just “scary” in the traditional ghostly sense but in a manner that delved into unsettling, real-life themes.
In 1985, Radiohead came together in the music spaces of Oxford’s Abingdon School, initially adopting the name ‘On A Friday’, the day designated for their weekly practices. However, their teenage hobby swiftly evolved into a committed pursuit, and their initial performances captured the attention of various A&R representatives, culminating in their signing with EMI. However, their early song releases received varied reactions, notably BBC’s decision to blacklist their debut single, ‘Creep’, citing it as “too depressing”.
Yet, throughout the 1990s, Radiohead established themselves as one of the most impactful groups in music. The arrival of 1997’s OK Computer solidified their status as musical visionaries. Subsequently, the band consistently unveiled remarkable and elusive albums like Kid A and In Rainbows, delving into a broad spectrum of genres, spanning from freeform jazz to avant-garde and electronica.
However, while their general atmospheric sensibilities came to be something heavily associated with their craft, some listeners deemed ‘Climbing Up the Walls’ from OK Computer as too eerie, largely due to the piercing strings heard at the track’s conclusion. Also, frontman Thom Yorke’s lyrical content doesn’t particularly exude warmth.
Instead, he delves into themes of intense paranoia, articulating unsettling lines such as: “And if you get too far inside/ You’ll only see my reflection”. During an interview with Vox, Yorke described the song as “about the cupboard monster”, but there seems to be much more beneath the surface than just a creepy bedtime story.
“This [song] is about the unspeakable,” Yorke explained. “Literally skull-crushing. I used to work in a mental hospital around the time that Care In The Community started, and we all just knew what was going to happen. And it’s one of the scariest things to happen in this country, because a lot of them weren’t just harmless… It was hailing violently when we recorded this. It seemed to add to the mood.”
He added: “Some people can’t sleep with the curtains open in case they see the eyes they imagine in their heads every night burning through the glass. Lots of people have panic buttons fitted in their bedrooms so they can reach over and set the alarm off without disturbing the intruder.”
Despite the darkness hidden in its depths, the song interestingly still manages to stand out as one of the band’s most sonically seductive tracks. Yorke’s slightly muted vocals, drawing out the words, contribute to a viscerally sensual atmosphere, while Philip Selway’s subdued drumming and the lingering guitar riffs create an irresistibly captivating listening experience.
