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Cymbal Rush Lyrics

Try to save but a death will come off the road
Try to build a wall that's high enough
It's all boiling over, all boiling over
Try to save your house
Try to save your songs
Try to run

But it follows you up the hill
It's all boiling over, all boiling over
Your loved ones, your loved ones.

No more conversation, no more conversation.
You show it to me and I'm running out of chance
All our rooms renumbered and looses tender
Don't turn away, don't turn away

There were ten in a bed
And the little one said
Roll over
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Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

A Cymbal rush is a very loud and very rappid sequence of cymbal strikes that creates an almost overwhelming sound....much like crashing waves.

To me, this song is about how the world ends.

The imagery of the song reminds me of the Tsunami and Hurrican Katrina but its much deeper then that.

Its masterfully done, the words carry such heavy cannotations that envoke the strongest of feelings. This is one of those rare songs that speaks for all sorts of situations, be it a crisis in your life or the very end of existence, this song recognises the pain in us all.

I think you hit the nail on the head there.

Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

I have a feeling that this song was what the CD cover was based on, and if a literal cymbal rush really does sound like crashing waves, that furthers that idea.

I think this song is about the end of the world. The world is ending because all the problems we humans, as a species, should have taken care of earlier (hence "you should've took me out when you had the chance") have all trickled together into one huge unstoppable wave, from which there is no escape.

Basically, I think Yorke is saying we need to turn things around now, before it's too late.

Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

wow these lyrics match perfectly the sense of rising panic and tension in the music. No other artist that I'm aware of today can craft songs like Thom. Thanks eatenbytheworms for putting up that last line. Incidentally, the last line is from an English nursery rhyme.

"there were ten in the bed and the little one said roll over" the next line in the song goes "and they all rolled over and one fell out" This adds to the view that this song is about the end of the the world, as humanity squeezes itself into an ever tighter spot, much like the cover art.

I came back to this song now and I'm convinced more than ever this is Thom's urgent message for civilization to avert utter immense human catastrophe should sea levels continue to rise. The last line is even more fitting since it's the "little one" the west, containing a tiny percentage of the world population, is producing greenhouse gases faster than anyone else, and yet everyone must suffer from the consequences.

Sonically this is my favorite on the album, as others have mentioned the rising panic and anguish in Thom's voice just furthers the lyrics impact, and when he...

i agree except i dont take it literally. figuratively.

Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

3:26 onward when the digitized piano starts, its super beautiful

Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

The Eraser was filled full of mythological references to the great flood, so I think the people talking about the tsunami or hurricane Katrina maybe aren't so far off the mark. I think the idea of it being water that's following is implied in the song- with references to damming, property destruction and "boiling over", as well- like in the cover. I'd say the song is about global warming, and the flood mythology being a metaphor for the very real flooding that'll be imminent unless we're careful. Thom's green politics are hardly hidden- being spokesman for Friends Of The Earth and The Big Ask and gawd knows how many other environmentalist pressure groups. The message is that unless we "take it out while we've got a chance", this nightmarish image of the flood will become a reality.

he named his child noah. no surprises video, pyramid song video, the song before this on the album. water bugs thom

Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

Some really really great ideas coming out, but as always with Yorke and Radiohead's songs, I think they mean whatever your subconcious wills them to mean. Half the time I don't even hear the words, the movements of the music speaks to me on it's own. For this particular song for me, it's just the end of the desperation after you tried your absolute best to stop your own oblivion happening. You're on your knees, you've gone numb, you're just sitting there unable to do anything because it just doesn't feel right.

Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

the lyrics seem right, but i'm not sure about

"all the rooms were numbered"

I may be hearing "all the rooms renumbered"

but it could go either way, and is not entirely important.

Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

Corrected lyrics per Japanese CD:

Cymbal Rush try to save but it doesn't come off the rug try to build a wall that is high enough s'all boiling over s'all boiling over

try to save your house try to save your songs try to run but if follows you up the hill s'all boiling over s'all boiling over

your loved ones your loved ones

a normal conversation a normal conversation you should a took me out when you had the chance

all the rooms renumbered and the loosers [sic] turned away dont turn away dont turn away you should a took me out while you had the chance

there were ten in the bed and the little one said roll over

Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

The 'don't turn away'-part nearly makes me cry almost every time I hear it. A perfect closing song to an incredible album.

Cover art for Cymbal Rush lyrics by Thom Yorke

i can't begin to say how happy you lot make me by actualy discussing the song meaning. its something that seems to have left this website at times. i knew i could expect more of thom yorke fans. this album is incredible. this song is very brave and emotional.. yeah i think its about climate change, anyway, put harowdown hill on. this guy is our last hope.

 
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