Reviews for Idioteque Lyrics

I'd start from: Here I'm allowed everything all the time.

I think this song is about the war in general (or any modern war for that matter) and the general illness of the capital society alltogether. (children are deaf and lost- they are the future, and perhaps they don't hear the voices telling the society is going down in some way, degrading; they don't realize the mistakes of the history, the world is in decadence).

He laughs until his head falls of. This is a difficult one, and their lyrics seam to be written following the intuition, so not all the lines are rationally explainable, but I guess it could be a reference to the madness of the war. (Also in connection to "here I can do everything all of the time"- the saying goes "in love and war everything is allowed"- and the war generally brings the worst out of the worst people, providing a state closest to complete anarchy that this world can effectively reach).

Mobiles are the symbol of the last decade, and "take the money and run" is the symbol of classic capitalyst thinking.

"Ice age coming".. I agree with Mike about nuclear winter caused by the bomb. I didn t think of that at first, but I think it fits perfectly.

Finally, "who's in bunker?"- this I guess can be only about some general emergency, like the war.

Finally, Idioteque, following this interpretation would be refered to the modern word in general (capitalist neo-colonialism, fight for the oil, nuclear threats etc.)

"Here I'm allowed everything all of the time.."

(In love and war everything is allowed, therefore this, to me, implies to the madness of the war and how it brings the worst out of the people)

Same thing for "I'll laugh until my head comes off".

Mobiles- symbol of the last decade or so. Could imply the diminuishing direct contact amongst the people due to the immersion in the virtual world.

Also, mobiles are initially associated with business, therefore "take the money and run"- the typical capitalist policy. (both on individual level, and regarding international policies of big powers, neo-colonialism, oil motivated wars etc.).

"Women and children first"... (it's a man's world- i.e. this is not women and children's war. it implies to the hystorical virtues assigned to the wars of all men- the protection of the weak.

"Ice age is coming"... I'd agree with Mike here. It didn t cross my mind before, but nuclear winter fits my interpretation perfectly.

Finally, "Idioteque", in my interpretation would refer to the decadent modern society as a whole.

"deaf and lost are the children"... they symbolize the future, yet they do not realize the impact of the actions... it could be anything from gass emission to wars and alienation due to the eccessive use of internet etc.

I thing it is sort of an open song, as many Radiohead songs are, allowing more than one interpretation, which is what maes them thick.

They also seam to be written based on pure intuition, not all of its parts are complitely rationalized, which is why a large part of it is left for free associations. Their songs evoke and transmit a strong feeling which I believe is similar in most of us, even if we don t share the same rational inspiration.

It's a genuine work of art.

I could be totally off, but it sounds like a song about conspiracy, to me. Like the threat of something big - nuclear war, maybe. The more I listen to it the more I'm getting the message that it's insincere. Like "hey, get into this bunker where you're safe, I'm not kidding, this is serious." And then... you know, take the money and run. It seems like the world, especially America, will do anything for the illusion of safety - like, for instance, if the government demands more tax dollars for increased military for some supposed "threat", people will fork it over and think nothing of it because they suppose they are paying for "safety".

Like I said, just a theory.

I am thinking its about a nuclear war. Eventually that would cause a nuclear winter (ice age coming) Of course theres parts that dont fit this, specifically (take the money run) Of course that part doesnt seem to go with the rest of the song.

I don't think that this song is talking about golbal warming. Take the money and run? I starting to think that maybe this is talking about some kind of crime. maybe like a murder, cuz there saying women and children first into the bunker. then they talk about that there not trying to scare you, this is really happening. Here I'm allowed everything all the time probably means that He can do whatever he wants because hes a criminal? Let me see both sides of the case.

ive always thought that the song was about global warming i mean if you look literally you can see that? It presents all sides of the debate from those who think the ice age is coming "ice age coming" and when he says "let me hear both sides" its like asking the rest to present their argument like those that believe that the government created the illusion of global warming in order to control the populace and sway them into rejecting energy inefficient vehicles because the gov doesn't want to pay those arabs all this money for oil. "We're not scaremongering, This is really happening" scare mongering literally means to sell fear...so that line would be from the gov's point of view trying to control the thoughts of people. Either way you look at it, its an amazing song. it has an infectious beat and an immensely powerful meaning.

ive always thought that the song was about global warming i mean if you look literally you can see that? It presents all sides of the debate from those who think the ice age is coming "ice age coming" and when he says "let me hear both sides" its like asking the rest to present their argument like those that believe that the government created the illusion of global warming in order to control the populace and sway them into rejecting energy inefficient vehicles because the gov doesn't want to pay those arabs all this money for oil. "We're not scaremongering, This is really happening" scare mongering literally means to sell fear...so that line would be from the gov's point of view trying to control the thoughts of people. Either way you look at it, its an amazing song. it has an infectious beat and an immensely powerful meaning.

this song makes me realize that life is nothing to just take serious to sometimes know that were here to figure are way from place to place and learn on the way. I know this may make no sense for some people but it does for me. that when i listened to this song it made me a little trippy but a little more interested. so i kept listening and now i listen to it religiously. And yes i agree with one of the other comments that it has a well meaning of change, but change is something that happens naturally even if we don't think it does it seems to happen of its own accord. For some odd reason this song does not have that complete techno sound to it but enough to identify that way. yeah and the line about he says "ice age coming" means that we must change and move on and learn that we need to find a new way out even if it may cost us something more or less.

It makes you think like all the best songs, it puts you in a certain mood for the whole day after listening to it, and you can never get bored of it.

this is the most beautiful song ive herd in a long time.

A sound far ahead of it's time. Radiohead makes your mind wander to places unimaginable...

This is a great song, even better once you see the lyrics. Truly a piece of art done by Radiohead.

i love the beat. while i usually try to glean york's meaningful songwriting i just bounce to this one. like a drum n bass tune i'm just feeling it.

actually scare mongering is when a goverment invokes exaggerated fear for political gain. Which kinda gives a different meaning to that section of the song. Maybe its from the view of the government

another chilling Radiohead song


the beat, along with 'Sit Down. Stand Up.'from 'Hail To The Thief' makes me think of the rythm we can't see,
of events happening to speed us to the catcylcism Yorke is referring to and us not even gleaming a mere hint of it
the paranoia of this track is infectious which makes you think because its something you actually wanna dance to.
It creeps me out thinking of people dancing to this and not even knowing or caring about what precisely there boogying along to.

I saw this music later scored to 9/11 footage and it was one of the scariest things ive seen in a long time