Lucky (Radiohead song)
| "Lucky" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Radiohead | ||||
| from the album OK Computer and The Help Album | ||||
| Released | December 1997 (France) | |||
| Format | CD | |||
| Recorded | 4 September 1995 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 4:19 (album version) | |||
| Label | Parlophone | |||
| Writer(s) | Radiohead | |||
| Radiohead singles chronology | ||||
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"Lucky" is a song by Radiohead, released on their third studio album OK Computer in 1997. In December 1997, the song was released as a single exclusively in France.
In 2008, the song was featured on Radiohead: The Best Of, a compilation album.
Recording and release
In 1995, Radiohead—singer Thom Yorke, guitarists Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien, bassist Colin Greenwood and drummer Phil Selway—were on tour in promotion of their second album, The Bends. During some June 1995 concerts in Japan, O'Brien would make a high-pitched strumming sound at soundchecks. A few weeks later, this sound had developed into a full song that became part of the set list.[1] At this time, producer Brian Eno contacted Radiohead to contribute a song to The Help Album, a charity compilation organized by War Child to benefit children affected by the Bosnian War. The Help Album sessions were to take place over the course of only a single day, 4 September 1995, and rush-released later that week.[1] That day the band recorded the song "Lucky" in five hours[2] with producer Nigel Godrich.[3] All the band members believed that "Lucky" was the strongest song they had written at that time in their career.[4][5]
Composition
The song is a soft, ballad style song that starts off slowly with guitar strumming and gentle ride ticking before building into an anthem-style chorus. Throughout the entirety of the song, Ed O'Brien strums above the nut of the guitar. The verse is then repeated, albeit more upbeat. After a second chorus the song builds into an instrumental before finishing the last line from the chorus. The climactic qualities of the song are enhanced by the use of the choral sound on a Mellotron M400.
Reception
The song was well received, with Six Feet Under director Jeremy Podeswa stating that he was pleased with the emotional gravity that it gave to episode “Parallel Play”.[6] The song was later included in the compilation Six Feet Under, Vol. 2: Everything Ends.
Track listing
- CD single (France)[7]
- "Lucky" – 4:19
- "Meeting in the Aisle" – 3:10
- "Climbing Up the Walls" (Fila Brazillia Mix) – 6:24
Personnel
- Thom Yorke - vocals, electric guitar, laptop, programming
- Jonny Greenwood - electric guitar, Mellotron, organ
- Colin Greenwood - bass, synth bass
- Ed O'Brien - electric guitar, effects, drums, vocals
- Phil Selway - drums
Notes
- 1 2 Footman 2008, p. 113.
- ↑ Irvin, Jim (July 1997), "Thom Yorke tells Jim Irvin how OK Computer was done", Mojo, pp. 100–102
- ↑ Randall 2004, p. 129.
- ↑ Sutherland, Mark (31 May 1997), "Return of the Mac!", Melody Maker
- ↑ "Radiohead: The Album, Song by Song, of the Year", HUMO, 22 July 1997
- ↑ Six Feet Under DVD box set audio commentary
- ↑ Footman 2008, p. 270.
References
- Footman, Tim (2008). Welcome to the Machine: OK Computer and the Death of the Classic Album. New Malden: Chrome Dreams. ISBN 1-84240-388-5.
- Randall, Mac (2004). Exit Music: The Radiohead Story. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 1-84449-183-8.
External links
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