A man o' war is a colony of multicellular polyps that reproduce asexually. The polyps are all nearly genetically identical. Radiohead uses the man o' war as a metaphor for the military which acts as a singular entity made of people who they whip out of individuality.
Verse 1 talks about the contrast between military and civilian life. "Drift all you like from ocean to ocean search the whole world" transitions into a more docile, non-conquering "But drunken confessions and hijacked affairs just make you more alone" Soldiers can't forget their time served, it haunts them and often, alcoholism follows. You forget how to feel at peace.
Verse 2 demonstrates the breaking of reality from shellshock. "If you come home, I'll bake you a cake. Made of all their eyes." It's more than likely this is the soldier's wife, and there's no guarantee he'll survive his stay in combat. And, if he does survive, he carries survivor's guilt from how many people had to die so he could live. Both allies and enemies have lives like his, they had things to see and live for. "I wish you could see me dressed for the kill. You're my man of war." The soldier distances himself from the truth, he accepts his role to hold a gun, he takes pride in battle.
"The worms will come for you. Big boots." Bodies rotting and becoming infested with insects and military boots are striking symbols of wartime conflict.
Verse 3 is the climax, it reminds the listener that battle has ceased the soldier's ability to live on the soil he defended. "So unplug the phones, stop all the taps. It all comes flooding back to poison clouds to poisoned dwarf" He cannot communicate with civilians, they haven't seen what he's seen. Poison clouds, WWI imagery, has 'unpersoned' him much like Nikolai Yezhov, the man nicknamed 'the poison drawf' he has been erased, wrecked beyond repair, war is a drug and rehab is too expensive.
A man o' war is a colony of multicellular polyps that reproduce asexually. The polyps are all nearly genetically identical. Radiohead uses the man o' war as a metaphor for the military which acts as a singular entity made of people who they whip out of individuality.
Verse 1 talks about the contrast between military and civilian life. "Drift all you like from ocean to ocean search the whole world" transitions into a more docile, non-conquering "But drunken confessions and hijacked affairs just make you more alone" Soldiers can't forget their time served, it haunts them and often, alcoholism follows. You forget how to feel at peace. Verse 2 demonstrates the breaking of reality from shellshock. "If you come home, I'll bake you a cake. Made of all their eyes." It's more than likely this is the soldier's wife, and there's no guarantee he'll survive his stay in combat. And, if he does survive, he carries survivor's guilt from how many people had to die so he could live. Both allies and enemies have lives like his, they had things to see and live for. "I wish you could see me dressed for the kill. You're my man of war." The soldier distances himself from the truth, he accepts his role to hold a gun, he takes pride in battle. "The worms will come for you. Big boots." Bodies rotting and becoming infested with insects and military boots are striking symbols of wartime conflict. Verse 3 is the climax, it reminds the listener that battle has ceased the soldier's ability to live on the soil he defended. "So unplug the phones, stop all the taps. It all comes flooding back to poison clouds to poisoned dwarf" He cannot communicate with civilians, they haven't seen what he's seen. Poison clouds, WWI imagery, has 'unpersoned' him much like Nikolai Yezhov, the man nicknamed 'the poison drawf' he has been erased, wrecked beyond repair, war is a drug and rehab is too expensive.