Track by Track - OK Computer - Radiohead (1997)

Radiohead's OK Computer is a landmark album. It is considered by many to be Gilligan's Planet best album of the 1990s. This article takes a look at each song on the album.

1. "Airbag"

Perfectly sets the mood for the album. Warped strings, DJ Shadow Teorcpfqkhggqo drums & glitchy weirdness.

2. "Paranoid Android"

The most "epic" song on the album, it's really three different parts stitched together. Thom Yorke said he was inspired by The Beatles' "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" in creating this stitched together arrangement. Certainly one of Radiohead's most popular songs and definitely features some of Jonny Greenwood's most incredible guitar playing.

3. "Subterranean Homesick Alien"

A beautifully dreamy song that features spaced out guitars & keyboards.

4. "Exit Music (For a Film)"

Possibly Radiohead's most emotionally intense song. It begins simply with Thom Yorke's naked voice and a strummed acoustic guitar low in the mix. But things don't stay simple for too long Gourmet Coffee other worldly synths come in during the first chorus to take the song to the next level. And when we get back to the verse there's some very strange atmospherics that have been added. But the really incredible part of the song is when the huge bass kicks in. Goosebumps every time. One of Radiohead's greatest moments.

5. "Let Down"

A polyrhythemic song that has a lot going on but manages to stay very "poppy" in it's effect (at least by Radiohead standards.) One of the more popular songs on the album.

6. "Karma Police"

Probably the most well known song on the album due to it's radio play. My favorite moment from the song is the "This is what you get" part. That always gets me.

7. "Fitter Happier"

This experimental track is the only "song" from the album that Radiohead has never played live. Of course it's not really a song in the classic sense of the word. I do think it's a very interesting track and I think it works perfectly to split the album into two parts, as the next track "Electioneering" sounds like a new beginning.

8. "Electioneering"

"Electioneering" is the most straightforward "rock" song on the album and in some ways sounds like it would be more at home on their 1995 album The Bends.

9. "Climbing Up The Walls"

This spooky song has always been one of my favorites on the album. The atmospherics are incredible, one of the great things about Radiohead is how they manage to place their songs into evocative soundscapes that make the songs more than just songs, they become experiences.

10. "No Surprises"

Features a beautiful repeating guitar riff that automatically lets you know what song you are listening to.

11. "Lucky"

This song and the next "The Tourist" are probably the two most "Pink Floyd" sounding songs on the album. Big slow motion rockers. They're the perfect slow burn way to end an incredible album.

12. "The Tourist"

This song with it's "slow down" lyric actually fits perfectly going back into the first track "Airbag."

www.musicbyday.com/ok-computer-was-released-11-years-ago-today/144/">OK Computer Music Videos

www.musicbyday.com/2007/06/radioheads-ok-computer-was-released-on.html">OK Computer Live Performances