10 Greatest Ever Radiohead Songs
1. Weird Fishes / Arpeggi
This song has Radiohead performing at their very very best. And this is done in contrast to what they are usually known for. It’s not political, melancholic or even relatively experimental. Instead, every component of the song is immaculately constructed to create something beautiful.
As the title suggests, the song is built around a set of guitar arpeggios, as well as a constant thumping drum beat. The guitars slowly build through the first half before bursting into something completely different by the time we reach the second half.
The lyrics indicate that we are following a tragic character who has been deceived time and time again. He has followed this person to the very end of the earth, only to fall off and be eaten by the titular weird fishes. He is hoping for a connection that is finally real, as opposed to the numerous facades he has been condemned to deal with.
In equal measure, Weird Fishes manages to be tragic and optimistic. The listener never quite knows whether the former or the latter is the most realistic, and it’s this complex portrayal of emotion that has this song standing so strong in the band’s discography.
Weird Fishes / Arpeggi is undeniably an example of a forward thinking band, performing at the very top of their game.