Black Swan

what does he say after "But it isn't, but it isn't"? it sounds like a lot of mumbling/singing/humming to the song, but theres definitely more words.

i think that this song is about stardom actually... although it could definitely be spun into the political spectrum because thom yorke is both anti blair and anti bush, although hes not in the limelight of dissent.

but back to stardom... "What will grow quickly, that you can't make straight It's the price you gotta pay Do yourself a favour and pack you bags Buy a ticket and get on the train Buy a ticket and get on the train"

some stars tend to blow up with hype, just like radiohead did with the 'creep' single... i think the band grew quickly and they couldnt make it straight with the mainstream because the mainstream had a preconcieved ideal about radiohead from just a somewhat popular single. when he says to pack your bags and buy a ticket and get on the train hes suggesting to perhaps fans or the general public to not search for stardom.

"Cause this is fucked up, fucked up Cause this is fucked up, fucked up"

im pretty sure everyone knows that in general the music industry as a whole is fucked up, they chew you up and spit you out.

"People get crushed like biscuit crumbs And laid down in the bed you made You have tried your best to please everyone But it just isn't happening No, it just isn't happening"

again, the entertainment industry crushes you and puts you into a mold, so instead of being yourself you try to make everyone happy, yet its not working.

"And it's fucked up, fucked up And this is fucked up, fucked up This your blind spot, blind spot It should be obvious, but it's not. But it isn't, but it isn't"

while the screwy-ness of the music industry is obvious to outsiders, ambition gets the best of soon-to-be rockstars and puts blinders on them... when yorke says "but it isnt but it isnt" hes realizing that the music industry is fucked up... sort of like looking back on his life perhaps, and this is the moment where he realizes that theyre just out there to exploit him.

"You cannot kickstart a dead horse You just crush yourself and walk away I don't care what the future holds Cause I'm right here and I'm today With your fingers you can touch me"

hes trying to say that he never was a rockstar and never will be (at least in mentality). he doesnt want to be one (you cant kickstart a dead horse... you cant make him want to be something hes not) now nor in the future. hes telling perhaps fans or the general public that hes a real human being, heres right here in front of you, you can even touch him. as in, hes not this untouchable glamourous rockstar. that last line by the way is my favorite.

"I'm your black swan, black swan But I made it to the top, made it to the top This is fucked up, fucked up"

black swan is like an oxymoron in a way, cause swans are white... the industry saw him as a swan/rockstar and he made it to the top but now hes showing his true colours, that hes black/not a rockstar and the industry isnt liking it (this is fucked up).

"You are fucked up, fucked up This is fucked up, fucked up

Be your black swan, black swan I'm for spare parts, broken up"

fans are fucked up, the general public is fucked up because of its obsession with celebrity. he fools the public for being a rockstar yet leading a normal life, as in being a black swan, which is not possible. the public is only interested in hit singles (im for spare parts, broken up) and not full album works.

i dont know radiohead or thom yorke all that well, i like theyre music but im not like a fanatic. but of what ive read about thom yorke from just general curiosity, he hates being famous cause he doesnt know what to do with it, his personality isnt suited for fame such as bono. in addition, i read something that said that he hates the song 'creep' because it made critics think they were a one hit wonder, not serious artists, although i think radiohead and thom yorke proved the critics wrong.