Let Down – Ermis Madikopoulos
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z_NvVMUcG8&w=740&h=422]
Radiohead’s third album OK Computer is a flawless masterpiece, with all twelve tracks being special in their own way. One of my personal favourite tracks is ‘Let Down’, as it gives me goosebumps from start to finish.
Lyrically it is about a sense of disappointment, possibly about losing faith in someone, as evident in the chorus: “Let down and hanging around, crushed like a bug in the ground”. I love the meaning of the lyrics as first of all, Yorke observes the disappointment of a big city rush, subsequently losing faith in everyone around him as he demonstrates a lack of honesty in society: “Don’t get sentimental / it always ends up drivel”. Finally, there is a beautiful heartbreaking double harmony in which on one side, Yorke sings “you know where you are with” implying that life will get positive, however at the same time states “floor collapsing forwards/ bouncing back and one day” meaning that the recovery will come at a cost. The lyrics are relatable and on point; the music providing a perfect backdrop.
The middle eight after the second chorus is one of my personal favourite Radiohead moments, where the atmospheric guitars from Jonny Greenwood and Ed O’ Brien correspond perfectly with the rumbling bass and keyboards, taking the breath away in the process. Furthermore it demonstrates that Radiohead knew exactly what they were doing to craft a captivating track.