RADIOHEAD - "Creep"

Radiohead
"Creep"
Single
Album: Pablo Honey
Released: 21 September 1992
Writers: Radiohead, Albert Hammond, Mike Hazlewood
Label: Parlophone, EMI
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"Creep" is a song by the English alternative rock band Radiohead. Radiohead released "Creep" as their debut single in 1992, and it later appeared on their first album, Pablo Honey (1993).

Radiohead's single "Creep", 1992
(Photo courtesy Parlophone)

According to Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood, Thom Yorke wrote "Creep" while studying at Exeter University in the late 1980s. Guitarist Jonny Greenwood said the song was inspired by a girl that Yorke had followed around who showed up unexpectedly during a show by the band.

Radiohead - "Creep" (music video)

In 1992 during rehearsal sessions with producers Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie, Radiohead spontaneously performed "Creep". Yorke described "Creep" to the producers as "our Scott Walker song"; Slade and Kolderie mistook the singer's remark and believed the song was a cover. After tension arose due to unsatisfactory attempts at recording other songs, Slade and Kolderie tried to improve morale by requesting Radiohead to play "Creep" again. The band recorded the song in a single take; after the performance everyone in the room burst into applause. Once the band assured Kolderie that "Creep" was an original song, he called EMI to tell them to consider the song as Radiohead's next single. While the recording had minimal overdubs and the band did not intend to release it, the producers were impressed with the song.

Due to similarities to "The Air That I Breathe", a song recorded by The Hollies in 1973, Radiohead was successfully sued for plagiarism. Consequently, Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood are credited as co-writers of "Creep". "Creep" uses a chord progression used in "The Air That I Breathe" in its verse and a melody from "The Air That I Breathe" in the bridge following the second chorus.

In the album version, Yorke sings, "You're so fucking special." For US radio version, he recut it as, "You're so very special." Yorke regrets changing the line for radio version, saying it disturbed the "sentiment of the song." According to him, the song lost its anger as result.

Radiohead - "Creep" (album Pablo Honey)

Radiohead (Vocalist Thom Yorke) plays Creep at Reading Festival, 2009

Yorke says, "Creep" tells the tale of an inebriated man who tries to get the attention of a woman to whom he is attracted by following her around. In the end, he lacks the self-confidence to face her and feels he subconsciously is her. Jonny Greenwood said the song was in fact a happy song about "recognizing what you are."

Line-up / Musicians:

Thom Yorke – vocals, guitar

Jonny Greenwood – guitar, piano, organ

Colin Greenwood – bass guitar

Ed O'Brien – guitar, backing vocals

Phil Selway – drums