‘The Needle and the Damage Done’: The Neil Young song Thom Yorke hailed as a “force of nature”
In modern life, insecurity is a universally predisposed trait. The late-night internet doom scroll is practically a gym workout for the muscles where diffidence lives, and the world doesn’t seem to be slowing down in its trajectory towards digital Darwinism, where comparison truly robs people of any fleeting joy. But in the shadows of this landscape are musicians who openly showcase the sensibilities we feel are unique to us mere mortals and give us glimmers of understanding. Despite his mega stardom, Thom Yorke is certainly that artist.
He’s been the soulful voice on tender melodies that give the vulnerability of everyday life deeper meaning. And his position as frontman of one of music’s most treasured and cultural impactful bands has never compromised that, for they have consistently been a band that steadfastly pursued authenticity. No matter what genre their respective albums explore, the sentiment of their approach is rooted in a sense of performative vulnerability.
But as all great artists would attest, reaching that point isn’t an easy feat. While the very act of showcasing an unfiltered view of your own emotion is innately a natural thing, every fibre of your being, particularly if you’re as introverted as Yorke, is to protect yourself from vulnerability. And his army of devoted fans would be encouraged to know that he too shares the same sensibilites as they do. The very core of his being is that of an unassured yet deeply complex character trying to navigate the world while trying to garner some sense of purpose.
When asked about his songwriting process, he openly said, “The temptation, when people start listening to what you’re writing, is to worry, to agonise, about how things sound or how it comes across”.
Radiohead’s sound is one of true paradox. Yorke and his members wear their humanity on their sleeves, and whether it be delivered in Yorke’s vocals or the band’s composition, they seem to have a transcendental ability to convey something deeply profound. Yet they are an accomplished band that manages to exude a sense of technical confidence at the very same time, making Yorke’s statement both easy and difficult to understand in equal measures.
Which is perhaps where a comparison comes in. While I’ve established it’s a trait at the very heart of societal and emotional decline, even the greatest of musicians can’t help but hang their own sense of self-worth from it. Speaking about the difference between his music and Neil Young’s, Yorke explained that it’s self-assurance that separates them.
“It strikes me that Neil Young has never worried about that, he’s always completely stayed true,” Yorke said. He continued, “‘The Needle and the Damage Done’, I mean, the only possible way you could write a song like that is it just comes out of you, despite you. It’s like a force of nature you know. I mean, all good songs are like that to some extent”.
Young has always had a reputation for a resolute sense of self. And when you listen to ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’, Yorke’s point becomes crystal clear. It’s unflinchingly vulnerable and showcases Young’s voice front and centre, with no distractions. It’s a scary but brilliant place to be as an artist, with only a few achieving it as beautifully as Young. But if Yorke thinks he isn’t one of them, maybe he should listen to ‘Give Up The Ghost’.
