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[Music] Most under rated Radiohead song?



Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,529
tokyo
None, they're all shit/all of them, they're a shit band.

There, I've got the haters' post out the way. Now onto business.

It occurred to me while listening to O.K computer earlier that while it is arguably the greatest album of all time and home to several of the bands most popular songs there is one song in particular that is an absolute monster of a song but never seems to get the love it deserves.

I am, of course, talking about this absolute beauty:



It seems to me that when I talk to people about the best radiohead songs Climbing Up The Walls never gets a mention. I did a quick google search to see if I could contradict this feeling...I can't.

It doesn't make the Rolloing Stone top ten fan voted songs https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-radiohead-songs-19659/

It doesn't evenmake the top 40 in this guardian article https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jan/23/radioheads-40-greatest-songs-ranked

Nor does it make the top 20 here: https://americansongwriter.com/the-20-best-radiohead-songs/

So, is Climbing up the walls the most underrated Radiohead song out there? Or is there another?
 






Is it PotG?

Thrifty non-licker
Feb 20, 2017
25,481
Sussex by the Sea
All a bit crap, but this Lou Rhodes effort on a Philip Selway soundtrack is rather brilliant.

 








Baldseagull

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2012
11,839
Crawley
None, they're all shit/all of them, they're a shit band.

There, I've got the haters' post out the way. Now onto business.

It occurred to me while listening to O.K computer earlier that while it is arguably the greatest album of all time and home to several of the bands most popular songs there is one song in particular that is an absolute monster of a song but never seems to get the love it deserves.

I am, of course, talking about this absolute beauty:



It seems to me that when I talk to people about the best radiohead songs Climbing Up The Walls never gets a mention. I did a quick google search to see if I could contradict this feeling...I can't.

It doesn't make the Rolloing Stone top ten fan voted songs https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-radiohead-songs-19659/

It doesn't evenmake the top 40 in this guardian article https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jan/23/radioheads-40-greatest-songs-ranked

Nor does it make the top 20 here: https://americansongwriter.com/the-20-best-radiohead-songs/

So, is Climbing up the walls the most underrated Radiohead song out there? Or is there another?

It's not everyone else, it's you.
 
















Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,479
Brighton
Great question. I'm fairly populist with my favourite RH songs (Let Down, Idioteque, most of In Rainbows).

I would say Present Tense is possibly the most beautiful song they've ever written (a huge call, I know), so I'd say that. I think it's the best thing they've done since In Rainbows.

Oh, also - Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was - is lovely.

While we're here, Speech Bubbles from Thom'n'Jonny side project The Smile is as beautiful/exquisite as prime RH in my opinion.



Second half of that song is STUNNING.
 










Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,479
Brighton
Possibly, but then again, I think In Rainbows is an under-rated album of theirs too.
Depends on which circles you frequent - I think many of a slightly younger ilk (and by that I mean 20s-30s, rather than 40s+) see In Rainbows as their best album.

rateyourmusic.com has it as the 4th greatest album of all time (1st - Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly, 2nd - Radiohead - OK Computer, 3rd - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here).

Pitchfork readers voted it 4th best album of all time also (Kid A first, OK Computer second).
 


Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,529
tokyo
Possibly, but then again, I think In Rainbows is an under-rated album of theirs too.
In Rainbows under rated?! Everyone I know (who likes radiohead) thinks it's amazing. Some/quite a lot have it as their favourite.

How good do you have to be to have an album as good as In Rainbows underrated? What a band!
 






Muzzman

Pocket Rocket
Jul 8, 2003
5,455
Here and There
Depending on which circles you frequent - I think many of a slightly younger (and by that I mean 20s-30s, rather than 40s+) see In Rainbows as their best album.

rateyourmusic.com has it as the 4th greatest album of all time (1st - Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly, 2nd - Radiohead - OK Computer, 3rd - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here).
This is true, I hang out with too many people who think Radiohead peaked at OK Computer and anything after that isn't worth listening to.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,724
The Fatherland
There There is, for me, underrated. Yes it gets credit but it's one of the all time great songs period, let alone an all time great Radiohead song. It's number 27 in The Guardian list :shrug:
 


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