Youwouldn'tlikemewhenI'mangry

I have followed Radiohead/Thom Yorke since ok computer. I have spent a great deal less time trying to understand their lyrics than on how to play their songs so I am by no means sure of what he precisely intended by these lyrics or what was his mindset or what he was dealing with when he penned this one.

The song was downloaded but sat largely unlistened to for a period of time then grabbed my attention recently. Wanted to comment.

I look at “sliding down the tree” as being in a sort of downward spiral in life.

I see the first verse as just the songwriter realizing that he is a disappointment to someone of whom he is (still?) fond...not being what they need or who they thought he was underneath it all or what they hoped for (at least from the songwriter’s point of view).

I see “you built this up” as being that he feels his beloved has built the relationship up to be something more than what it is...that the songwriter is unable to be what is required/needed.

In the 2nd verse, the songwriter doesn’t want to disappoint the loved one and feels he isn’t what she wants/needs. If she grew legs to run away, it would be her gain (to get away from his gloom) but his loss (isolation).