It’s the best thing that you ever had/
The best thing you have had is gone away.
Radiohead’s “High and Dry” asks what happens when you’re on top of the world and it comes to an end? Will your friends still be there? Will anyone remember you…or care for you? Will you change when things start to go good for you? Will you still remember who you are? These are some of the questions that Radiohead’s “High and Dry” asks. Overall, Radiohead does not seem that optimistic that people will fare well with fame and fortune.
Radiohead’s “High and Dry” is told from the perspective of a commoner talking to his friend who has just achieved his 15 minutes of fame through motorcycling. The narrator sounds doubtful about his friend remaining level-headed. Yorke is in the exact opposite position in life. He is the one who struck gold and is super famous. Is he admitting he’s changed? Is it inevitable?
Thom Yorke’s voice goes in and out of falsetto effortlessly throughout the song and it sounds unique. It is funny that there was a time in the 90s when grunge was becoming big where people were wondering if rock was dead. Songs like this show that rock was strong then, you just had to know where to look. Radiohead is probably the best rock band of the nineties—whether you are a fan or not.
For a nice acoustic cover of “High and Dry” give Jorge Drexler a shot:
For more great songs by Radiohead.
High and Dry Lyrics
Two jumps in a week,
I bet you think that’s pretty clever don’t you boy?
Flying on your motorcycle,
Watching all the ground beneath you drop
You’d kill yourself for recognition,
Kill yourself to never, ever stop
You broke another mirror,
You’re turning into something you are not.
Don’t leave me high, don’t leave me dry.
Don’t leave me high, don’t leave me dry.
Drying up in conversation,
You’ll be the one who cannot talk.
All your insides fall to pieces,
You just sit there wishing you could still make love.
They’re the ones who’ll hate you
When you think you’ve got the world all sussed out.
They’re the ones who’ll spit on you,
You’ll be the one screaming out.
Don’t leave me high, don’t leave me dry.
Don’t leave me high, don’t leave me dry.
It’s the best thing that you ever had,
The best thing that you ever, ever had.
It’s the best thing that you ever had,
The best thing that you ever had has gone away
Don’t leave me high, don’t leave me dry.
Don’t leave me high, don’t leave me dry.
Don’t leave me,
Don’t leave me.
written by Radiohead