Radiohead’s In Rainbows, No Surprises Here
- Mar 30
- 12 min read
By Hannah Hippmann
Radiohead is the worst band in the world, and In Rainbows ironically sucked the colour out of my soul.… is what I would’ve said if I were clinically insane and frothing at the mouth.
Jokes aside, I love Radiohead so much that I can confirm my life force is irrevocably tethered to their authentic, beautiful, and indescribably angelic music. Whilst my favourite album alternates from their electronically desolate Kid A (2000) to In Rainbows (2007), I can confidently say their most timeless and cohesive album is the latter. As a proclamation of my deep-seated obsession, I dedicated a paragraph to In Rainbows in my Term 4 Year 9 English essay on war media… a choice that clearly contradicted the plethora of “Dulce et Decorum Est” analysis (it paid off, though).
In Rainbows has not only brought my heart comfort, but my shared love of the album and Radiohead have created for me many cherished friendships. Music can connect people who would otherwise never have interacted, and I am living proof of the magical power of In Rainbows.
Thus, this article is dedicated to my friends Francesca, Sophie, and Morena, whom I love very much. Above is my digital artwork I made for Sophie!
A Brief History of In Rainbows
I can’t begin to think of a way to succinctly describe my unassailable love for the band and In Rainbows, but, for the sake of my audience, I’ll try. In Rainbows was first conceptualised in 2005, following a short hiatus after Hail to the Thief (2003). However, songs such as “Nude” (one of my personal favourites) were drafted during their 1996-7 Ok Computer (1997) sessions, as seen on MiniDiscs* 3 and 5 and on “Last Flowers” (from In Rainbows Disc 2) on MiniDisc 6.
Anyhow, after some surely creative collaboration in 2005 and 2006, they debuted In Rainbows at their now beloved performance on June 17th, 2006, at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, which guitarist Ed O’Brien has called one of their best performances. With an impressive setlist, they included “15 Step”, “Bodysnatchers”, “Nude”, “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”, “House of Cards”, and “Videotape”, which would end up featuring on In Rainbows.
The Pay-What-You-Want Release & the Issue of Piracy
At last, on October 10, 2007, Radiohead released In Rainbows. The English band, who were finally free from their 5 album contract with EMI following Hail to the Thief (2003), decided to release the album on their personal website through an unconventional pay-what-you-want release, which allowed buyers to input a price they thought was ‘worth it’ to receive a digital copy of the album. If you wanted to, you could buy it for $0.
The 3rd of December 2007 saw the retail release of the album through XL Recordings (where my gorgeous In Rainbows vinyl that my friends bought for me on my 15th birthday comes from - thank you!).
Why this format of release? Well, before streaming services, the music and label industry was arguably more corrupt than it is now. It would often exploit artists for their justified income and would prolong releases for months to over a year. After their contract with EMI concluded, Radiohead decided to liberate themselves from the shackles of their industry and release their music on their own terms. This political statement drew immense media attention and arguably propelled the launch and popularisation of music streaming services.
Furthermore, in the 2000s, rising prices for physical media and the growing ease of technology ushered in a new era of music piracy on networks such as Napster, Kazaa, and LimeWire. With more people preferring to pirate music, this only exacerbated the financially exploitative conditions of artists who suffered under contracts from record labels such as EMI. Thus, by being socially aware, Radiohead produced a political message and more revenue than any previous album through the release of In Rainbows.
Whilst I admire Radiohead for popularising the shunning of record labels, the monster of music streaming post-2015 has also created new issues for artists to be exploited and has suppressed the full awareness of the beauty of music that exists beyond the background of an AI-curated Spotify playlist.
On a side note, I see obvious parallels between the 2000s era of pirated music and now in the 2020s, where almost all of my peers prefer to use pirated movie and show websites to avoid the $20.99 monthly subscription price of Netflix (which, when added to Disney Plus and Amazon Prime, results in a hefty $51.97 monthly). I can only speculate on the future of streaming, and with it, the revolutions that will occur within the music and film industry.
The Music and its Themes
Wikipedia states that In Rainbows is a combination of “Alternative rock, Electronica, Art Pop, Art Rock, and Experimental Rock”. However, I would argue that In Rainbows is an album which defies genre - it opposes being defined by an era of music and a type of music, which juxtaposes Radiohead’s earlier works, such as Pablo Honey (1993) or The Bends (1995), which are clearly restrained by the genre of Alternative rock. Even compared to their last album, Hail to the Thief, In Rainbows is far less angry, far less grounded in superficial matters such as politics. Yorke, lead singer, states that “It very much explores the ideas of transience. It starts in one place and ends somewhere completely different.” (The A.V. Club, 2011).
From my perspective, In Rainbows encapsulates humanity and what truly drives us. It deals with issues of true love, yearning, loss, and death, and communicates them angelically through branching metaphors about fish, videotapes, and jigsaws. The album is human. It doesn’t try to force anything on people, doesn’t explicitly tell a story, and doesn't force a connection with audiences. It’s cosmic. Universal. It will resonate with people from all corners of the Earth, from conception to decay. The overarching metaphor of a ‘rainbow’ refers to the common theme of unattainable love, beauty, and happiness in life. To complement this, some songs, such as “Videotape,” touch on the inevitability of death and thus find acceptance in morality and in the imperfection of humanity. And I must apologise for not doing the album justice, I don’t believe there are words to describe its transcendent beauty. I am certain that In Rainbows, Radiohead’s most admirable diamond, will stand the test of time and endure in musical canon.
1) Delving into each of the songs, the track opens with “15 Step”, known as Radiohead’s happiest song. Additionally, 15 is symbolic of hanging at the gallows because in the UK the gallows were 15 feet long, so it’d be “15 steps then a sheer drop”. The song blends claps, cheers, and beatboxing and is beautifully chaotic. Moreover, the song is written in 5/4 time to sound intentionally reaching and anxious, which reflects the song's themes of anxiety and self-sabotage. A special mention to Colin’s bassline, which is utterly stunning. Thom begins by questioning, “How come I end up where I started?”, clearly in a state of mental ruin and confusion about how, no matter what, one will always end up falling into the same problems. “You used to be alright/What happened?” is, from my interpretation, Yorke speaking to himself and questioning how he could end up in this situation, and then deciding to take “15 steps, and then a sheer drop”. Whilst this is not my favourite song on the album and is sometimes skipped (sorry), I do have to appreciate the ingenuity of juxtaposing the upbeat music with the rather depressing lyrics.
Alt versions: 15 Step (scotch mist), 15 Step (from the basement)
2) “Bodysnatchers ” enters next, with the iconic punchy fuzz on Yorke’s vintage cherry red Gibson SG (one of my favourites of his). The lyrics alternate between first and second person, shifting between addressing himself and others, which heightens the distortion and confusion the mashed instruments exemplify. Thom Yorke states that "your physical consciousness trapped without being able to connect fully with anything else" represents the song in an interview with The New York Times in 2007.
Alt versions: Bodysnatchers (Scotch Mist), Bodysnatchers (from the basement)
3) “Nude”, despite its raunchy name, was originally called “Big Ideas” and, as I mentioned before, originated from an organ-led, introspective and vulnerable song from the OK Computer sessions. The title, ‘nude’, is not referred to sexually, but rather how the protagonist feels stripped, exposed, and self-loathing. He is forced to be authentic and stare at himself in a mirror, confronting his true identity - the darkest corners of the mind without protection. The song, particularly its version in MiniDisc 3, feels so indescribably raw, painful, and insecure. For this reason, it is my favourite, along with “Videotape” and “Jigsaw Falling into Place” on In Rainbows. The closing verse, “You’ll go to Hell/For what your dirty mind/Is thinking”, signifies internal conflict and guilt over one’s thoughts and oneself as a person. Aside from the lyric interpretation, “Nude”’s angelic vocals simply make me feel as if I am ascending into heaven, as if I have found a transcendent tranquillity within myself. The simple accompaniment allows the song space to breathe, for listeners to truly soak up the magic of the art. Colin Greenwood’s baseline underscores the song's flow and perfectly complements Thom’s cascading, fluid vocals.
Alt versions of the songs appear on the OKNOTOK cassette tape: OKNOTOK, Acoustic version: Acoustic, MD113: MiniDisc 3 - Nude (MY FAVOURITE VERSION), Nude (from the basement), Nude (Scotch Mist)
4) “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” is definitely a crowd favourite, and for good reason too: Phil’s iconic, groovy, and irregular drumbeat introduces the song, and Thom's gradual increase in pitch provides an uplifting and entrancing effect. Ed’s famous backing vocals, “ehhhhh”, light up the sonic landscape, and Jonny’s orchestral background adds an ethereal effect, coupled with his brother’s simple yet effective bassline. The superimposing arpeggios, played by Jonny, Ed, and Thom, create texture, and Thom’s reverbed vocals fade at the end of each line, creating an atmospheric soundscape. Here is an excerpt from the song:
Turn me into phantoms
I follow to the edge
Of the earth
And fall off
Yeah, everybody leaves
If they get the chance
And this...
is my chance
I get eaten by the worms
And weird fishes
The narrator’s metaphor of swimming in an ocean as a ‘weird fish’ alludes to Yorke’s sadness and depression, a continuous, expansive, desolate environment. Love eventually leads the protagonist in the wrong direction, where he is then “eaten by the worms” and is now absolutely crushed under the weight of his guilt and depression.
5) “ All I Need” is certainly the most popular song from In Rainbows, guided by Colin Greenwood’s repetitive and haunting bassline. The song is about unrequited love (though how could you not love Thom Yorke?), how nothing else matters except for the narrator’s loved one. He is willing to do anything for their love, anything for their attention. The song peaks through Thom’s repeated and slurred delivery of “it’s all right/ it’s all wrong” and Phil’s sublime drum solo. This, along with “House of Cards”, are Radiohead’s most ‘easy to interpret’ songs, akin to the likes of The Bends and OK Computer and against the abstraction of Kid A.
Alt versions: All I Need (Scotch Mist), All I Need (from the basement)
6) “Faust Arp (Scotch Mist)” is a hidden gem on In Rainbows and woefully 2:10 minutes long (we were robbed of a 10-minute version). This is my best friend, Morena’s favourite song too (shoutout to her!), and for good reason: Thom on acoustic guitar and Jonny’s fuzzy and subdued lead guitar amalgamate into perfection. Unlike the previous song, “Faust Arp” lacks a clear meaning. Yet, I see it as the mundane, the utter apathy of people in modern society and the inability of people to have sociopolitical literacy. “Watch me fall like dominoes in pretty patterns” refers to the narrator's beautifully tragic internal collapse as each day etches away at his soul. Despite all the chaos in the world, Thom’s world remains purposefully oblivious to the “elephant that’s in the room”. Regardless of the song’s meaning, it is truly beautiful, and I highly recommend listening to the Scotch Mist version (linked at the start), which features Thom and Jonny at a chilly sunset, led solely by Thom’s nostalgically fuzzy vocals and Jonny on acoustic guitar with an arpeggiated chord pattern.
Yorke and Greenwood, “Faust Arp (Scotch Mist)” (2007)
Alt versions: Faust Arp (studio recording)
7) “Reckoner” was described by Yorke as “a love song… sort of”, and is evocative of constant flux; nothing stays the same, nothing is concrete. “Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore” alludes to how everything amalgamates to a certain point, yet eventually they mull away and dissipate - much like love, hope, and effort. Yorke’s iconic falsetto is heard, along with piano and strings arranged by Jonny and a wandering guitar and bass line.
Alt versions: Reckoner (Scotch Mist), Reckoner (from the basement)
8) “House of Cards” is most similar to “All I Need” in the sense that it is a hauntingly melancholic love song. I distinctly remember the first time I listened to the song, and I was heavily entranced by Colin’s repetitive and lullaby-like bassline, as well as Ed’s fuzzy guitar. Jonny utilises his Telecaster to create atmosphere, much like strings light up the background of a composition. Of course, Thom’s vocals are alluring as usual, laced with longing as he repeats “denial” eight times, fostering a sense that the narrator is betrayed by his own feelings, and he is attempting to deny the hopelessness of his situation.
Alt versions: House of Cards (from the basement), House of Cards (Scotch Mist)
9) “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” is undeniably the most stylistically impressive piece on In Rainbows, featuring the most perfect intro on a non-standard tuning of Thom’s acoustic guitar, topped off with Jonny on his self-made Ondes Martenot. The song begins with Thom’s guitar alone, then gradually layers in more instruments, more chaos, paralleling the proliferation of infatuation. My favourite line, “words are blunt instruments/words are sawn off shotguns,” is a clear display of the unassailable talent of Thom’s songwriting and the power he believes that lyrics contain. By the time Thom sings “jigsaw falling into place”, the song is a blissful rainbow (pun intended) of sound, followed by the final verse where Yorke is essentially screaming “wish away your nightmare, wash away the nightmare”, communicating the nightmare of the world and the narrator’s environment. He desperately searches for relief, peace, a life that is anything but his home. The “hopeless obsession” and “spiritual depravity”, as blogger Sananda Gopalakrishnan puts it, capture how the protagonist believes that if he can be with this woman, his whole life will be fulfilled. Everything will be in its right place (reference to Kid A’s opener). As Thom sings about the fulfilment romantic love and validation bring to him, he describes it as his only source of life in the universe - something that sustains him, something that his soul is inextricably tethered to. Perfection.
Alt versions: Jigsaw Falling Into Place (Scotch Mist)
10) “Videotape (live at Bonnaroo 2006)” is another one of my favourites from this record, and can only be described as the most haunting, angelic, and perfect album closer of all time. The linked version, live from Bonnaroo 2006, is a slightly different take on the song, with the syncopation easier to hear at the faster tempo than in the more ambiguous studio version. Thom’s emotions and the swelling piano on this live performance make this my most beloved Radiohead live performance ever - please give it a listen. Syncopation is a style in which the piano chords fall on the upbeats rather than the downbeats, fostering an alienated, eerie effect. The song opens with:
“When I'm at the pearly gates
This'll be on my videotape, my videotape
Mephistopheles is just beneath
And he's reaching up to grab me”
Refers to death, the “pearly gates” of heaven, and “Mephistopheles”, who is a demon originating from German folklore. Nevertheless, Thom proclaims that these beautiful moments of his life will remain sealed on ‘videotape’ - untouchable, unforgettable. He will never let go of these memories, even in the face of death. Another favourite part is, “you are my centre when I spin away”... indescribably heavenly. The song ends with:
“This is my way of saying goodbye
'Cause I can't do it face to face
I'm talking to you before
No matter what happens now
You shouldn't be afraid
Because I know today has been
The most perfect day I've ever seen”
Unlike the songs that came before, he now seeks reconciliation and comfort with his loved ones. He looks back on his experiences, grateful he got to love, to cry, to grow - to be human. Another perfect song that makes me ascend, thanks Radiohead.
Alt versions: Videotape (from the basement - full band), Videotape (from the basement - Thom Yorke), Videotape (studio recording)
Final Thoughts
If you’ve made it this far into the article, there’s genuinely something horribly wrong with you, as you’ve now read an over 3000-word breakdown of a singular album. Maybe there’s something more wrong with me for spending around 7 hours writing this, but hey, don’t judge…
I spent way too much time writing this article and too much time debating whether I should just write one about Radiohead or Thom or Jonny in general, but I’m glad I didn’t, as that would be way too long. If you’ve read my other sleep-inducing articles regarding politics or history, I hope this was a bit of a refresher, though I can understand that other people may not share my obsession (I don’t, actually).
All in all, In Rainbows will forever pulse inside my soul and heart. It is my ‘Videotape’. Whilst some other albums of theirs can be tied down to ‘phases’, such as the 90s alt rock scene, abstract/art electronic, and art rock, In Rainbows will surely outlive them all and retain a legacy as one of the most painstakingly beautiful albums created. I love Radiohead so much (I can’t have a conversation without talking about them, I own a Thom Yorke flag, my entire bedroom is Radiohead, I may have a TikTok account about Radiohead, and the majority of the songs I know on guitar are Radiohead, and own almost all their records on vinyl, - but I digress) that I don’t think I could live without their music.
I implore you to listen to Radiohead. I admit, maybe In Rainbows isn’t the most digestible album for beginner Radiohead fans, but try The Bends or OK Computer! I promise you won’t regret it. Thank you :)
*MiniDiscs refers to MiniDiscs (Hacked), which is a Radiohead compilation album of over 16 hours of recordings from the OK Computer sessions, which was released in 2019.
References
most agreeable person oat (i love jigsaw falling into place)
THIS IS AMAZING OMGG
an actual MASTERPIECE (ur article and the album)