Paranoid Android (6:23)

Cover of OK Computer

From OK Computer and 203 other releases

“Paranoid Android” is a song by English alternative rock band Radiohead, and was the lead single from the band’s third album OK Computer (1997). Its release marked the start of Radiohead’s reputation as art rock innovators, and the album subsequently received huge acclaim. The song’s structure, though unique among Radiohead material, was also responsible for most of the comparisons with 1970s progressive rock that the band subsequently earned.

This song was inspired by some events that Thom Yorke witnessed at and after a star studded awards show. The lyrics “kicking, screaming, Gucci little piggy” are one of the more obvious references.

Singer Thom Yorke often refers to it as a “joke” song, though not derisively; the band continues to play it live at nearly every concert, usually toward the end of the set. The song’s title refers to the depressed robot Marvin the Paranoid Android from Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Paranoid Android was recorded in actress Jane Seymour’s fifteenth-century mansion, a house that Yorke was convinced was haunted. Bassist Colin Greenwood said “On ‘Paranoid Android’ what we were into was the idea of a DJ Shadow meets The Beatles thing.” Thom Yorke also compared the song to The Beatles’ work, saying “it really started out as three separate songs and we didn’t know what to do with them. Then we thought of ‘Happiness Is a Warm Gun’ — which was obviously three different bits that John Lennon put together — and said ‘Why don’t we try that?’”

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Please could you stop the noise? I'm trying to get some rest
From all the unborn chicken voices in my head

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  • Vincent____Vega

    Great song.

    14 Jun 4:51pm Reply
  • valeachebe

    Again... I've heard this all my freaking life and just now realized how freaking unbelievably amazing it is. And it gave me the chills.

    11 Jun 3:15pm Reply
  • robinofdarkness

    When I am king you will be first against the wall.... With your opinion which is of no consequence at all.

    1 Jun 8:58pm Reply
  • k_naruchiha94

    WHAT"S THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS????

    1 Jun 6:37am Reply
  • ludiludovic

    i may be paranoid, but not an android

    30 May 8:46pm Reply
  • reynan_mtv

    Rain Down part is cruelly beautiful. [8]

    27 May 12:31am Reply
  • kristenmeszaros

    Rain Down part is cruelly beautiful. [7]

    15 May 6:29pm Reply
  • NeoOneNil

    ''Yuppies networking'' in fancy rented affluent suits and fashion-wear that cost $2000 a piece at David Jones = ''the death of you and me'' ... .. ''the banks became cathedrals''.

    10 May 7:03pm Reply
  • The_SchizoidMan

    That final synthesized guitar solo after the "God loves his children, yeah" is fucking amazing.

    8 May 9:27pm Reply
  • MikeDej

    Rain Down part is cruelly beautiful. [6] That falsetto.... it's so haunting.

    6 May 11:12pm Reply
  • everette0704

    Crackling of pig skin!! God loves his children.............(guitar) :)

    5 May 12:21am Reply
  • maryg-sr95

    Rain Down part is cruelly beautiful. [5]

    1 May 4:39pm Reply
  • Joaomob

    Marvin :D

    26 Apr 12:46am Reply
  • unspoken_94

    I wake up to this song every morning.

    22 Apr 11:17pm Reply
  • HimitsuUK

    Dat wadiohed m8

    21 Apr 2:31am Reply
  • GDAutumnMay

    Rain down, rain down come on rain down on me from a great height from a greaaaaaaaat, heeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiit aighhhhhhhhhht

    19 Apr 2:12am Reply
  • vishal8492

    Rain Down part is cruelly beautiful. [4]

    15 Apr 8:35am Reply
  • burningcolors

    Rain Down part is cruelly beautiful. [3]

    10 Apr 9:45am Reply
  • Gwynbleiddsfang

    My fav Radiohead song [3] I was obssesed with this song for the longest time. I overplayed it for a while, but after a long time of rest is still awesome. Oh and Ergo Proxy [2]

    9 Apr 8:13pm Reply
  • TylerSymes

    My fav Radiohead song [2] The weezer cover is pretty good as well for post pinkerton.

    5 Apr 8:01pm Reply
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