Just (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Just" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Radiohead | ||
| Released | August 7, 1995 | |
| Genre | Alternative rock | |
| Length | 3:54 | |
| Label | Parlophone/EMI | |
| Producer(s) | John Leckie | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Radiohead singles chronology | ||
| "Fake Plastic Trees" (1995) |
"Just" (1995) |
"Street Spirit (Fade Out)" (1996) |
| The Bends track listing | ||
| "(Nice Dream)" (6) |
"Just" (7) |
"My Iron Lung" (8) |
"Just" is a single by the English rock band Radiohead, released on August 7, 1995. It is the seventh track on their popular 1995 album The Bends.
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke wrote the song about a narcissistic friend of his, which on closer inspection is showcased by the imagery in the lyrics - a parallel to earlier My Iron Lung EP track "Lewis [Mistreated]". He also says that it was somewhat of a competition between him and Jonny Greenwood to see who could fit the most chords into a song. "Just" is especially notable for Greenwood's highly unconventional guitar solo. The guitar work in the song has been seen as an homage to post-punk band Magazine, one of Radiohead's key influences at the time.
In the UK, this single was available as two CDs: the first one featured different tracks, and the color of the album art on the second single was inverted (the album of the single released in the United States featured the same album art as the second album).
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[edit] Music video
The single's famous video was directed by Jamie Thraves, who was hand-picked by the band after they saw several of his experimental short films. It was filmed near Liverpool Street Station in London, and intersperses footage of Radiohead playing the song inside an apartment with scenes of a middle-aged man who kneels down and lies on the street. Concerned citizens start to gather, thinking that something must be wrong with the man, and the band are shown looking out the window at the events below. A heated (subtitled) conversation between the man and the crowd develops, as the people start demanding what the man is doing and why he is lying there. In subtitles, the man finally gives in and says, "Yes I'll tell you, I'll tell you why I'm lying here... but God forgive me... and God help us all... because you don't know what you ask of me." The camera zooms in on his mouth as the man finally gives the answer, but the subtitles have suddenly stopped, so the reason is not revealed to the viewer. As the camera zooms back out, it shows the pavement covered with the crowd of people, all lying down just like the man.
Radiohead members have yet to reveal what specific words the man was intended to have said, if any, and Jamie Thraves, the producer has said "to tell you would deaden the impact, and would probably make you want to lie down in the road too". Many believe that the words the man speak are not important - it is the fact that the crowd pressure him into telling them the thing which makes them all lie down - in essence they have done it to themselves, as the song lyrics state. Many believe that the band and director never had anything specific in mind to what the man says, as that is not what the video is truly about.
[edit] Track listing
[edit] CD 1
- "Just" - [3:54]
- "Planet Telex (Karma Sunra mix)" - [5:23]
- "Killer Cars (Mogadon version)" - [3:50]
[edit] CD 2
- "Just" - [3:54]
- "Bones (Live at the forum)" - [3:14]
- "Planet Telex (Live at the forum)" - [4:07]
- "Anyone Can Play Guitar (Live)" - [3:40]
[edit] Album Art
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[edit] Trivia
- The 2006 fusion jazz cover version by Mark Ronson with Alex Greenwald was named Jungalist Single Of The Week upon the release of Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads in April 2006.
- "Just" came first in an NME poll which asked for fans to vote for the Radiohead song that they most wanted to hear at V Festival .
- Progressive bluegrass trio Nickel Creek has covered Just along with several other Radiohead songs.
[edit] External links
| Radiohead |
|---|
| Thom Yorke • Jonny Greenwood • Ed O'Brien • Colin Greenwood • Phil Selway |
| Discography |
| Albums: Pablo Honey • The Bends • OK Computer • Kid A • Amnesiac • Hail to the Thief • TBA |
| EPs: Manic Hedgehog • Drill • Itch • My Iron Lung • No Surprises/Running from Demons • Airbag/How Am I Driving? • I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings • COM LAG |
| Singles: "Creep" • "Anyone Can Play Guitar" • "Pop Is Dead" • "Stop Whispering" • "My Iron Lung" • "High and Dry"/"Planet Telex" • "Fake Plastic Trees" • "Just" • "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" • "Lucky" • "Paranoid Android" • "Karma Police" • "No Surprises" • "Pyramid Song" • "Knives Out" • "There There" • "Go to Sleep" • "2 + 2 = 5" |
| DVDs: Live at the Astoria • 7 Television Commercials • Meeting People Is Easy • The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time |
| Related articles |
| Nigel Godrich • Stanley Donwood • Dead Air Space • Covers of Radiohead songs • Rare songs • Trivia |
| Other projects |
| Bodysong • The Eraser • Spitting Feathers |
