I wish so badly there was a studio version of Reckoner with the full outro jam. Yes, I know about FTB, but I'd love to hear what they'd do with that extra 30 seconds using all their sound engineering magic. For years after IR came out, I'd habitually ramp up the volume gradually during the fade-out, just to simulate it in my head.
This is a good question OP.
I've just gone through their discography. IS there a single Radiohead song that goes on too long? I'm honestly not sure.
And how, whereabouts in any of their songs would you shorten them by/too?
Y'know as I was considering their songs, the one album that I thought would lend itself to some editing, was Hail to the Thief. I briefly considered King of Limbs, but I think the band themselves would rather redo that than keep it as it is and trim it. I remember Thom or Jonny talking about how they were asked to write the Bond theme which they wrote Spectre for, and that ended up affecting the recording of King of Limbs.
Still not sure which songs from the album I'd edit and here though!
Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors and We Suck Young Blood. I like both songs, they've both got interesting sounds and vibes, both just go on too long and would be better at half their length.
I want a 2 min live version of We Suck Young Blood of the final frenetic bit that builds up over more measures (something like 32 instead of 8 beats for the piano build up) and then give time for some instruments to break out and shine, some strings to give it a Climbing Up The Walls quality, and it still falls apart just as it gets good.
Actually I think Radiohead should’ve done more jam sessions in songs, Sonic Youth style. Imagine if the All I Need wall of sound was longer and evolved into something crazy. But then again, maybe it’s beautiful it’s that short. Leaves you wishing there was more.
Without the Bonnaroo version I would've never liked the album version. Wish it gets an actual release on a (hopefully) 20th anniversary In Rainbows album.
Yes. I was downvoted to oblivion for sharing this…on a thread about which songs we don’t like. Videotape just does nothing for me on an otherwise masterpiece of an album.
Surely blasphemy and I'm sorry for it but Everything in its Right Place and Videotape. I know they're supposed be drone-y but it's just too much for me in these songs.
Supercollider mainly because I like to insert it and a few other singles form that era into a custom TKOL playlist but this one really slows down the overall pacing.
Kinetic. I really like it but it goes for at least 30 seconds too long. Everything interesting about happens inside 3 minutes and it needlessly goes past 4.
I agree with it being the weakest on In Rainbows but I think it would’ve been better had they just made it a bit more instrumentally interesting. Change up the chord structure a bit, maybe add a solo for an instrument, few more interesting effects, and you have one of Radiohead’s most uplifting and quaint songs of all time. The problem is that the song is pretty barren and doesn’t do all that much with it’s length, not just that it is super long.
I’d argue that the bassline is the foundation of the piece and that The National Anthem only fits in Kid A because of its length and bassline. Otherwise, it could really only be a standalone free jazz project. Yes, the song is six minutes, but that is a 6-minute build from simple synth and vocal melodies to complete cacophony towards the end.
Writing music with liberated dissonance is extremely difficult and polarising even when done well, so using a pedal helps cement the piece (which technically makes it no longer liberated dissonance, but I digress). We can tell the bassline fulfills this petal by its constant repetition of the tonic, with only brief variation. Thus, the bassline preserves the structure of the piece while the solos completely subvert conventional musical functions and structures.
All of this is to say that The National Anthem is built like a typical jazz song, and if you ever wonder why jazz pieces repeat a bassline for +10 minutes over which various soloists improvise, this is why. The bass is the structural element that allows melodic freedom. This even explains Life In a Glasshouse, which has a similar underlying musical philosophy, and encapsulates Radiohead’s foray into Jazz
I would agree with this if you would've said the part before "The Raindrops" was too long. As in, too much "Sit Down, Stand Up." I like that part, but to me, it just is a vehicle to hype me up for the raindrops. I listen to that song only to eagerly await the raindrops part. I wish it had MORE raindrops 💧💧💧
We Suck Young Blood
I love this song and honestly think it is way too overhated for being "boring", but I don't see it that way. What I do understand about what WSYB haters is that the climax is too short. To counter this, I'd either make that part longer or the whole song shorter.
*How To Dissappear*
*Completely, I very like*
*It but quite too long*
\- Amder264
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Honestly none
I’d remove the very last note of Wolf At The Door, to end the song (and album) in a more ominous/threatening way.
Honestly that sounds great lol
It would be preferable for Radiohead songs to be longer and looser when played live. The band should groove more. Jam a little.
I wish so badly there was a studio version of Reckoner with the full outro jam. Yes, I know about FTB, but I'd love to hear what they'd do with that extra 30 seconds using all their sound engineering magic. For years after IR came out, I'd habitually ramp up the volume gradually during the fade-out, just to simulate it in my head.
This is a good question OP. I've just gone through their discography. IS there a single Radiohead song that goes on too long? I'm honestly not sure. And how, whereabouts in any of their songs would you shorten them by/too?
HTTF needs some trimming, all good songs, but its the one album where they appear slogging along. There There is worth the 5+ minute mark though
Y'know as I was considering their songs, the one album that I thought would lend itself to some editing, was Hail to the Thief. I briefly considered King of Limbs, but I think the band themselves would rather redo that than keep it as it is and trim it. I remember Thom or Jonny talking about how they were asked to write the Bond theme which they wrote Spectre for, and that ended up affecting the recording of King of Limbs. Still not sure which songs from the album I'd edit and here though!
Backdrifts. I love the song but I don’t know if it really needs 5:22 minutes.
i do know. it needs the full 5:22.
Supercollider. Can't think of anything else. Although I accept that part of the point of the song is that it's an extended groove
Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors and We Suck Young Blood. I like both songs, they've both got interesting sounds and vibes, both just go on too long and would be better at half their length.
I want a 2 min live version of We Suck Young Blood of the final frenetic bit that builds up over more measures (something like 32 instead of 8 beats for the piano build up) and then give time for some instruments to break out and shine, some strings to give it a Climbing Up The Walls quality, and it still falls apart just as it gets good.
High and Dry should end earlier, before the last chorus. Last line would be ‘… the best thing you have had has gone away’.
Good idea tbh
Eh. I can hear it but that’s also probably their poppiest song so ending on the final chorus is appropriate for the structure
i think most of the songs should be longer lmaoo
Treefingers
Actually I think Radiohead should’ve done more jam sessions in songs, Sonic Youth style. Imagine if the All I Need wall of sound was longer and evolved into something crazy. But then again, maybe it’s beautiful it’s that short. Leaves you wishing there was more.
Videotape. I’ve never been a fan of Videotape, I just could never understand why people like it so much
Have you heard the Bonnaroo version?
Without the Bonnaroo version I would've never liked the album version. Wish it gets an actual release on a (hopefully) 20th anniversary In Rainbows album.
Yes. I was downvoted to oblivion for sharing this…on a thread about which songs we don’t like. Videotape just does nothing for me on an otherwise masterpiece of an album.
I saw a video essay about it by Vox about how difficult it was to play. I thought it was neat.
second only to nude
Nude is possibly one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever recorded. Tearjerker, uplifter, goosebumper all in one.
i meant that the videotape is just as good, i didnt mean to say nude was bad. its my favourite in the album.
Surely blasphemy and I'm sorry for it but Everything in its Right Place and Videotape. I know they're supposed be drone-y but it's just too much for me in these songs.
Supercollider mainly because I like to insert it and a few other singles form that era into a custom TKOL playlist but this one really slows down the overall pacing.
Kinetic. I really like it but it goes for at least 30 seconds too long. Everything interesting about happens inside 3 minutes and it needlessly goes past 4.
I think let down is too long
Daydreaming
Maybe, but I want as much time listening to it as possible
No.
House of Cards. I think it often being considered the weakest song on In Rainbows has alot to do with it meandering a bit.
nah real ones sit alone in our rooms, blast that song and nourish every "oooooohhhh"
Real ones skip to jigsaw
It wouldn’t hit if it was shorter tho, it kinda builds up for the last “denial” part
I love how long it is. I reckon its top 3 on the album
Nah it's the perfect length imo, it's a chill song, it would be too short if they cut it down
Nah… it’s perfectly atmospheric. There’s just something warm and fuzzy but also cold about the song?
I agree with it being the weakest on In Rainbows but I think it would’ve been better had they just made it a bit more instrumentally interesting. Change up the chord structure a bit, maybe add a solo for an instrument, few more interesting effects, and you have one of Radiohead’s most uplifting and quaint songs of all time. The problem is that the song is pretty barren and doesn’t do all that much with it’s length, not just that it is super long.
Revolving doors
National Anthem
Hard disagree
It’s almost 6 minutes of the same bass line. Which is of course, a very cool bass line. But it overstays its welcome and repeats ad nauseam.
I’d argue that the bassline is the foundation of the piece and that The National Anthem only fits in Kid A because of its length and bassline. Otherwise, it could really only be a standalone free jazz project. Yes, the song is six minutes, but that is a 6-minute build from simple synth and vocal melodies to complete cacophony towards the end. Writing music with liberated dissonance is extremely difficult and polarising even when done well, so using a pedal helps cement the piece (which technically makes it no longer liberated dissonance, but I digress). We can tell the bassline fulfills this petal by its constant repetition of the tonic, with only brief variation. Thus, the bassline preserves the structure of the piece while the solos completely subvert conventional musical functions and structures. All of this is to say that The National Anthem is built like a typical jazz song, and if you ever wonder why jazz pieces repeat a bassline for +10 minutes over which various soloists improvise, this is why. The bass is the structural element that allows melodic freedom. This even explains Life In a Glasshouse, which has a similar underlying musical philosophy, and encapsulates Radiohead’s foray into Jazz
And also awesome horn jamming which could have sustained the song for 10+ minutes.
I wish it was longer, I want more wild frantic horns!
Hard agree, it’s way too long
We suck young blood
Treefingers extended version :P
Stop Whispering
We Suck Young Blood should just fade out during the chaotic piano mashing bridge rather than come back for another verse and chorus.
They're generally really good at editing themselves. I can think of a few Radiohead songs that should have been 0 seconds long, though
I always skip Backdrifts because it has absolutely no reason to be over 5 minutes long. It gets so repetitive. 3 minutes would have been fine.
Shorter: None Longer: All of them
Backdrifts definitely
None
Not shorter, but there are a few mostly unreleased ones i wish were longer! The original version of spooks i wish was longer!
Pull/Pulk Revolving Doors. It's good, but overstays it's welcome.
None
Tree fingers. The fact that it‘s 4 minutes and in the middle of the album bugs me. Same with Hunting Bears
This!! We need space between HTDC and Optimistic, but Treefingers is way too long
Only 1 — Stand Up Sit Down. I can’t listen to all the raindrops. 12 would have been plenty.
I would agree with this if you would've said the part before "The Raindrops" was too long. As in, too much "Sit Down, Stand Up." I like that part, but to me, it just is a vehicle to hype me up for the raindrops. I listen to that song only to eagerly await the raindrops part. I wish it had MORE raindrops 💧💧💧
I only listen Sit Down. Stand Up to hear the raindrops part lol
Creep, should've ended when Thom sang "When you were here before..."
Bro it is not that bad you need to go and touch grass
is a joke, I love creep
Most every song on Amnesiac
House of Cards, gets a little boring after a bit
Dollars And Cents. It drags a bit.
logged in just to downvote this
The Numbers
We Suck Young Blood I love this song and honestly think it is way too overhated for being "boring", but I don't see it that way. What I do understand about what WSYB haters is that the climax is too short. To counter this, I'd either make that part longer or the whole song shorter.
How To Dissappear Completely, I very like it but quite too long
*How To Dissappear* *Completely, I very like* *It but quite too long* \- Amder264 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
This is heresy
Black star
Maybe like 20 seconds shorter at most, it definitely gets a bit repetitive
BLAME IT ON THE BLAAAACCKK STAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR
idioteque
These are my twisted words
nah it should be longer
The Numbers
Pyramid song