Thom Yorke regrets writing High And Dry
The weight of legacy can be surprisingly heavy, especially when you look back at the songs you created. Musician Thom Yorke recently offered a candid reflection on this theme, admitting that he wishes he had never written Radiohead’s classic hit, High And Dry.
The song, which helped define a pivotal era for the band, peaked at Number 17 on the UK singles chart in 1995 and appeared on their sophomore album, The Bends.
In a recent conversation with Harry Styles, the former One Direction member explored the nature of songwriting. When asked about the creative process, Yorke offered a fascinating perspective: he doesn’t typically sit down and write a song linearly. Instead, he thinks of how the music sits within the production, suggesting a more intuitive, instrumental approach to creation.
Styles pressed Yorke on this difference, asking what changed his approach when he looked back at tracks like High And Dry. Yorke responded by comparing the process to that of a musician playing an acoustic guitar, singing his song, noting that the focus is less on the act of writing and more on the finished product.
Yorke pointed out that his influences stem from a wide spectrum—mad folk music, film scores, and electronic sounds. He reflected that the guitar playing sometimes sparks the inspiration, but it wasn’t necessarily a strict writing process, a feeling tied to the musical renaissance of the time when The Bends was released.
This reflective moment came amidst the backdrop of Radiohead’s recent history. Yorke also shared how he felt about the monumental success of OK Computer, an album that soared to five times platinum in the UK and sold over 4.5 million copies. Despite its massive commercial triumph and inclusion of chart-toppers like Paranoid Android and No Surprises, Yorke admitted he was already ready to move on from the album by the time they were heading on tour.
The conversation took place following the band’s highly anticipated live return and subsequent reunion tour, which included major appearances in cities like London, Madrid, and Berlin. These reunions, while celebrated, also brought a complex emotional toll for Yorke, who revealed that the journey led to a massive crash in his self-confidence that took months to recover from.
The orbit of the Radiohead saga is further complicated by the celebrity connections surrounding the band. Harry Styles, in a recent tribute, presented Yorke with the prestigious Ivor Novello Fellowship and made a rather memorable admission regarding the band: “I lost my virginity to Talk Show Host.”
Meanwhile, Yorke himself continued to push for broader artistic appreciation, debuting a new song titled Space Walk and delivering a passionate call for better treatment of artists within the music industry.
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