Radiohead » Tracks » Karma Police

Radiohead – Karma Police (4:19)

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About This Track

Karma Police is the second single from Radiohead’s album OK Computer. It is Radiohead’s most successful song worldwide, apart from Creep. The song is perhaps best recognized for its piano riff, and for its dark bass line.

Karma Police, like several other songs that would make up OK Computer, was debuted live in , when the band briefly supported Alanis Morissette on an American tour. A live version of Karma Police, performed with a on The Late Show with David Letterman, is captured in the Radiohead documentary Meeting People Is Easy. Today the song is usually an audience singalong when performed at live concerts, often as an encore.

Radiohead members used to tell one another that they would call “the karma police” on them if they did something wrong. The joke was incorporated as the title of the song. Thom Yorke explained the idea of the lyrics to The Independent in , saying, “It’s for someone who has to work for a large company. This is a song against bosses. Fuck the middle management!” He also said it was about those who are judgmental. The sound at the end of the song was created by Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien by “feeding sound through a digital delay machine”.

The song was covered in by Christopher O’Riley on his first Radiohead tribute album True Love Waits: Christopher O’Riley Plays Radiohead. The song has also been covered by Panic at the Disco, The Dresden Dolls and Tori Amos. The song is also covered on the album Radiodread by the Easy Star All-Stars, sung by Citizen Cope.
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Albums featuring this track

  • OK Computer
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  • The Best Of
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  • OK Computer (Collector's Edition)
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  • DeLuxe Collection
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  • mae_anne_2010

    great song <3

    Monday evening

  • mitchfork

    v

    Monday afternoon

  • lewi91

    "Probably their most overrated track" everything they've done is overrated, the most overrated band in history

    Saturday evening

  • KSM20

    for a minute there I lost myself, I lost myself.

    Saturday evening

  • blogjob

    I've given all I can It's not enough

    Friday evening

  • Honey-lvle

    The best song of this group !

    Friday afternoon

  • BuddyDawg1

    This IS what you get...

    12 days ago

  • V4run

    Arrest this man, he talks in maths.

    12 days ago

  • outsidergreaser

    i lost myself.. <3

    14 days ago

  • 1nnervision

    I've never understood the hype with this song. Probably their most overrated track

    24 days ago

  • wortheer

    rly nice song

    last month

  • valplayer

    bon titre

    last month

  • TheBoatWeBuilt

    The only Radiohead song I can stand.

    last month

  • MegaFinale

    OMG I love this song!

    last month

  • Susi_Bellamy

    Maldito karma, great song!

    last month

  • kawaii_evil

    I lost myself

    last month

  • matt1337c

    For a minute there I LOST myself, I LOST myseeeeEEEEEEeeeeeEEEEElf.

    last month

  • ArcadeFirez

    Kaaahhrrrmaah pooohhlice.

    last month

  • EricValeev

    fav

    last month

  • satedmidget

    I don't remember the last time I heard this - awesome

    last month
See all 2,187 shouts

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