2,177,276 plays (357,270 listeners)
One of Radiohead’s most successful singles, yet also a fan favourite.
Noted by singer-songwriter and guitarist Thom Yorke as “one of saddest songs” and describing it as “the dark tunnel without the light at the end,” “Street Spirit” was released as the band’s ninth single and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart, the highest chart position until “Paranoid Android” from OK Computer, which reached number three in 1997.
[…]
Interpretation
Radiohead attributes a great deal of depth to “Street Spirit”, beyond the level typically perceived by its audience. Lead singer Thom Yorke said,
“Street Spirit is our purest song, but I didn’t write it. It wrote itself. We were just its messengers; its biological catalysts. Its core is a complete mystery to me, and, you know, I wouldn’t ever try to write something that hopeless. All of our saddest songs have somewhere in them at least a glimmer of resolve. Street Spirit has no resolve. It is the dark tunnel without the light at the end. It represents all tragic emotion that is so hurtful that the sound of that melody is its only definition. We all have a way of dealing with that song. It’s called detachment. Especially me; I detach my emotional radar from that song, or I couldn’t play it. I’d crack. I’d break down on stage. That’s why its lyrics are just a bunch of mini-stories or visual images as opposed to a cohesive explanation of its meaning. I used images set to the music that I thought would convey the emotional entirety of the lyric and music working together. That’s what’s meant by ‘all these things you’ll one day swallow whole’. I meant the emotional entirety, because I didn’t have it in me to articulate the emotion. I’d crack…
Noted by singer-songwriter and guitarist Thom Yorke as “one of saddest songs” and describing it as “the dark tunnel without the light at the end,” “Street Spirit” was released as the band’s ninth single and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart, the highest chart position until “Paranoid Android” from OK Computer, which reached number three in 1997.
[…]
Interpretation
Radiohead attributes a great deal of depth to “Street Spirit”, beyond the level typically perceived by its audience. Lead singer Thom Yorke said,
“Street Spirit is our purest song, but I didn’t write it. It wrote itself. We were just its messengers; its biological catalysts. Its core is a complete mystery to me, and, you know, I wouldn’t ever try to write something that hopeless. All of our saddest songs have somewhere in them at least a glimmer of resolve. Street Spirit has no resolve. It is the dark tunnel without the light at the end. It represents all tragic emotion that is so hurtful that the sound of that melody is its only definition. We all have a way of dealing with that song. It’s called detachment. Especially me; I detach my emotional radar from that song, or I couldn’t play it. I’d crack. I’d break down on stage. That’s why its lyrics are just a bunch of mini-stories or visual images as opposed to a cohesive explanation of its meaning. I used images set to the music that I thought would convey the emotional entirety of the lyric and music working together. That’s what’s meant by ‘all these things you’ll one day swallow whole’. I meant the emotional entirety, because I didn’t have it in me to articulate the emotion. I’d crack…
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Official Promo Video for Radiohead's "Street Spirit (Fade Out)".
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Shouts
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hug_in_a_box wrote:
"this machine will...will not communicate"
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HunterBjork wrote:
Very sad song, but i like it <3
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ladeda234 wrote:
immerse your soul ............in love
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HOTRODDELUXE wrote:
hmmmmmmmm... makes me feel good ! Love it !
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Oskar91 wrote:
Best song ever!
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_catharina_ wrote:
amazing song.
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f0rce0fnature wrote:
all these things into position
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xmilkncookiesx8 wrote:
Perfection.
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Thanat0s wrote:
"Street Spirit is our purest song, but I didn’t write it. It wrote itself..." Oh, brother, give me a damn break. Great song but stfu Thom.
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Art_Deorum wrote:
nice one...
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Fenix_7 wrote:
This song makes me cry.
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mRRRc wrote:
Luckily, Thom is not right about the devil.
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sarahhopkins wrote:
Arrr the uni days watercolour memories...
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Klaudik_xD wrote:
beatiful song <3
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TooLegitToQuit wrote:
Best closing track EVER.
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ballaghboy wrote:
One of the best songs ever! Brings back my Maynooth Days (1994-1999) to me! Brilliant!!!
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Jodeci1986 wrote:
It literally rips emotion out of you. Awesome.
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Stefffo1 wrote:
Awesome...
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nicoulu wrote:
Love this!
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Elly-chan wrote:
This is my favourite Radiohead song, next to karma police <3
Radiohead
Street Spirit (Fade Out)
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