Iron Lung is an extended metaphor for a 20th century sell out song.
The lung gives the band some breathing room and keeps their popularity up to par.
The lung however is Iron; cold and shallow. It's not real. Not real Radiohead.
Thom was suffering from writers block and he understood that the band needed a hit song. Frankly he hates the track he says so in the lyrics. But it ended up the song was a huge hit and people listening to it on top 40 didn't even realize that the lyrics are just him trashing his own song. Priceless.
Iron Lung is an extended metaphor for a 20th century sell out song. The lung gives the band some breathing room and keeps their popularity up to par. The lung however is Iron; cold and shallow. It's not real. Not real Radiohead.
Thom was suffering from writers block and he understood that the band needed a hit song. Frankly he hates the track he says so in the lyrics. But it ended up the song was a huge hit and people listening to it on top 40 didn't even realize that the lyrics are just him trashing his own song. Priceless.