Man of War (song)

Last updated

"Man of War"
Single by Radiohead
from the album OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017
Released22 June 2017
RecordedFebruary 1996
Studio Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
Genre Alternative rock
Length4:29
Label XL
Songwriter(s) Radiohead
Producer(s)
Radiohead singles chronology
"I Promise"
(2017)		"Man of War"
(2017)		"If You Say the Word"
(2021)
Music video
"Man of War" on YouTube

"Man of War" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 22 June 2017 on the compilation OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017.

Contents

Radiohead first performed "Man of War" while on tour for their second album, The Bends (1995). The singer, Thom Yorke, described it as a homage to James Bond themes. They recorded a version during the early sessions for their third album, OK Computer (1997), but abandoned it as they felt it was too similar to their previous work. In 1998, Radiohead recorded a rearranged version for the 1998 film The Avengers , but were unsatisfied with the results and it went unreleased.

Years later, Radiohead submitted "Man of War" for the 2015 James Bond film Spectre, but it was rejected as it had not been written for the film. It remained unreleased until 2017, when it was included on the OK Computer reissue OKNOTOK 1997 2017.

History

OK Computer version

The former Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire, where Radiohead recorded "Man of War" in 1996 Former Chipping Norton Recording Studios.jpg
The former Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire, where Radiohead recorded "Man of War" in 1996

Radiohead performed "Man of War" several times while on tour for their second album, The Bends , in 1995. [1] It had the working title "Big Boots". [2] The singer, Thom Yorke, said it was a written as a homage to James Bond themes. [3] On the same tour, Radiohead covered "Nobody Does It Better", the theme from the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me . [4]

Radiohead considered recording "Man of War" as a B-side for the Bends single "Street Spirit (Fade Out)". [3] Instead, they recorded a version in the first sessions for their third album, OK Computer (1997), at Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire, with their producer, Nigel Godrich, in February 1996. [5] [6] However, it went unreleased. [7] According to the drummer, Philip Selway, Radiohead felt "Man of War" was too similar to The Bends and they wanted to explore new styles. He said "we knew that it was a good song, but it never really found its place". [5]

Avengers version

In March 1998, Radiohead and Godrich recorded a rearranged version of "Man of War" in Abbey Road Studios for the 1998 spy film The Avengers , but this was abandoned. [8] This version contained electronic elements. [9] Footage of the recording session appears in the 1998 documentary Meeting People Is Easy . [8] Yorke said: "We were so messed up and we went in, tried to do the track, but we just couldn't do it. It was actually a really difficult period of time. We had a five-week break and all the shit was coming to the surface ... It was a real low point after it." [10]

Spectre version

Years later, Radiohead were approached to write the theme for the 2015 James Bond film Spectre. [11] The director, Sam Mendes, and the James Bond actor, Daniel Craig, were both Radiohead fans. [12] In July 2015, the bookmaker William Hill suspended bets after a customer placed £15,000 at ten-to-one odds on Radiohead recording the next Bond theme, suspecting insider knowledge. [13] In September, the conductor Robert Ziegler, who had worked with Radiohead on their 2011 album The King of Limbs , tweeted photos of the band recording with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. [14]

Radiohead submitted a new version of "Man of War" for Spectre. It was rejected by the production team as it had not been written for the film and so would be ineligible for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. [15] Mendes said that "you want to feel like it's written just for the movie". [16] Radiohead suspended work on their ninth album, A Moon Shaped Pool (2016), to record another theme, "Spectre", but the film producers rejected it as too dark. [11] [15]

Release

In June 2017, Radiohead released "Man of War" on the OK Computer reissue OKNOTOK 1997 2017 alongside two other previously unreleased tracks: "I Promise" and "Lift". [17] The final version was based on the version recorded at Chipping Norton in 1996. [5] [6] According to Selway, "This is the version of the song we all felt best captured what was good about it." [5]

Composition

Rolling Stone described "Man of War" as a "crisp mid-tempo ballad" with strings, piano, and "shards of distressed electric guitar". [17] It opens with a guitar figure before a distorted chorus. [18] The lyrics are "anxious" and "nerve-racking", with the refrain "the worms will come for you". [17] Drowned in Sound described "Man of War" as "grandiose" and the "opposite" of Radiohead's other Bond theme, "Spectre". [19]

Music video

The "Man of War" music video, directed by Colin Read, was released in June 2017 on YouTube. The video alternates from day to night, with the mood shifting from "cheerful to paranoid". It follows a man walking from a park who appears carefree by day but "seems to be hiding something" at night. [17]

Reception

PopMatters praised "Man of War" as the strongest of the bonus tracks released on OKNOTOK, and argued that it could have appeared on the original OK Computer. [18] The PopMatters critics awarded it an average score of 8.3 out of 10. [20]

Personnel

Radiohead

Additional personnel

Charts

Chart (2017)Peak
position
France (SNEP) [21] 178

Related Research Articles

Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. They comprise Thom Yorke ; brothers Jonny Greenwood and Colin Greenwood (bass); Ed O'Brien ; and Philip Selway. They have worked with the producer Nigel Godrich and the cover artist Stanley Donwood since 1994. Radiohead's experimental approach is credited with advancing the sound of alternative rock.

<i>OK Computer</i> 1997 studio album by Radiohead

OK Computer is the third studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 21 May 1997. With their producer, Nigel Godrich, Radiohead recorded most of OK Computer in their rehearsal space in Oxfordshire and the historic mansion of St Catherine's Court in Bath in 1996 and early 1997. They distanced themselves from the guitar-centred, lyrically introspective style of their previous album, The Bends. OK Computer's abstract lyrics, densely layered sound and eclectic influences laid the groundwork for Radiohead's later, more experimental work.

<i>Kid A</i> 2000 studio album by Radiohead

Kid A is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 2 October 2000 by Parlophone. It was recorded with their producer, Nigel Godrich, in Paris, Copenhagen, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

<i>The Bends</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Radiohead

The Bends is the second studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 13 March 1995 by Parlophone. It was produced by John Leckie, with extra production by Radiohead, Nigel Godrich and Jim Warren. The Bends combines guitar songs and ballads, with more restrained arrangements and cryptic lyrics than Radiohead's debut album, Pablo Honey (1993).

<i>Hail to the Thief</i> 2003 studio album by Radiohead

Hail to the Thief is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. It was released on 9 June 2003 through Parlophone internationally and a day later through Capitol Records in the United States. It was the last album released under Radiohead's record contract with EMI, the parent company of Parlophone and Capitol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigel Godrich</span> English record producer

Nigel Timothy Godrich is an English record producer, recording engineer and musician. He has worked with acts including Radiohead, Travis, Beck, Air, Paul McCartney, U2, R.E.M., Pavement, Roger Waters and Arcade Fire.

<i>My Iron Lung</i> 1994 EP by Radiohead

My Iron Lung is the third EP by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 26 September 1994 by Parlophone Records in the UK and by Capitol Records in the US. It was produced by Radiohead, John Leckie and Nigel Godrich. It marked Radiohead's first collaborations with Godrich and the artist Stanley Donwood, who have worked on every Radiohead release since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karma Police</span> 1997 single by Radiohead

"Karma Police" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 25 August 1997, as the second single from their third studio album, OK Computer (1997). It reached number one in Iceland and number eight on the UK Singles Chart. In the US, it reached number 14 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was included on Radiohead: The Best Of (2008).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Surprises</span> 1998 single by Radiohead

"No Surprises" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released as the fourth and final single from their third studio album, OK Computer (1997), in 1998. It was also released as a mini-album in Japan, titled No Surprises / Running from Demons.

"Everything in Its Right Place" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released on their fourth album, Kid A (2000). It features synthesiser and digitally manipulated vocals. The lyrics were inspired by the stress felt by the singer, Thom Yorke, while promoting Radiohead's album OK Computer (1997).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nude (song)</span> 2008 single by Radiohead

"Nude" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead. It was released in March 2008 as the second single from their seventh studio album, In Rainbows (2007).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bends (song)</span> 1996 single by Radiohead

"The Bends" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead from their second studio album, The Bends (1995). In Ireland, it was released by Parlophone on 26 July 1996 as the album's sixth and final single, and reached number 26 on the Irish Singles Chart.

"Lift" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released in 2017. It was first performed in 1996; bootleg recordings were widely circulated, and it became a fan favourite. Radiohead recorded versions of "Lift" during the sessions for their third album, OK Computer (1997), but abandoned it. Members of Radiohead said they had felt pressured by its commercial potential, and that it did not represent what they wanted to say at the time.

"I Promise" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released in 2017. Radiohead performed it on their 1996 tour, and recorded it during the sessions for their third album, OK Computer (1997), but felt it was not strong enough to release. In June 2017, "I Promise" was included on the OK Computer reissue OKNOTOK 1997 2017 and released as a download with a music video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucky (Radiohead song)</span> 1997 single by Radiohead

"Lucky" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, first released on The Help Album, a 1995 charity compilation organised by the charity War Child. "Lucky" was recorded in five hours with the producer Nigel Godrich. Radiohead included it on their third studio album, OK Computer (1997), and released it as a single in France in December 1997.

"True Love Waits" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead. Radiohead worked on it for over two decades before releasing it on their ninth album, A Moon Shaped Pool (2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spectre (song)</span> 2015 song by Radiohead

"Spectre" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 25 December 2015. It was produced by Nigel Godrich.

<i>OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017</i> 2017 compilation by Radiohead

OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017 is a reissue of the 1997 album OK Computer by the English rock band Radiohead. It was released in June 2017, the album's 20th anniversary, following the 2016 acquisition of Radiohead's back catalogue by XL Recordings from EMI.

<i>MiniDiscs (Hacked)</i> 2019 compilation album by Radiohead

MiniDiscs [Hacked] is a compilation of recordings made by the English rock band Radiohead while they were working on their 1997 album OK Computer. It comprises more than 16 hours of demos, rehearsals, live performances and other material.

References

  1. ↑ "Radiohead share video for previously unreleased song "Man of War" — watch". Consequence of Sound . 22 June 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "Watch Radiohead's new video for previously unreleased track 'Man of War'". NME . 22 June 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Turn Your Radiohead On!". NME . 18 November 1995.
  4. ↑ Greene, Jason (22 June 2017). "Radiohead: OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017 Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Selway, Philip (June 2017). "X-Posure with John Kennedy". Radio X (Interview). Interviewed by John Kennedy. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  6. 1 2 Godrich, Nigel (June 2017). "Radcliffe and Maconie". BBC 6 Music (Interview). Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  7. ↑ "The Music Producers". The Word . 3 July 2011. Archived from the original on 3 July 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  8. 1 2 Hogan, Marc (4 March 2016). "19 Unreleased Radiohead Songs That Could Be on Their Next Album". Pitchfork . Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Mejia, Paula (23 June 2017). "The secret history of Radiohead's OK Computer". Vulture . Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  10. ↑ "Radiohead's 'Man of War': Everything You Need to Know About the 'OK Computer' Bonus Tracks". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  11. 1 2 Greene, Andy (8 June 2017). "19 things we learned hanging out with Radiohead". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  12. ↑ The Sound of 007 (documentary). Amazon Prime. October 2022. Event occurs at 1:06:00. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "Nobody does it, better: Bond theme betting suspended after punter tries to put £15,000 on Radiohead". The Guardian . 29 July 2015. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  14. ↑ Minsker, Evan (6 September 2015). "Radiohead Appear in New Studio Photos". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on 12 May 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  15. 1 2 Sawyer, Miranda (5 November 2017). "Sound and Vision: Sam Mendes". BBC . Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  16. ↑ The Sound of 007 (documentary). Amazon Prime. October 2022. Event occurs at 1:06:00. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Leight, Elias (23 June 2017). "See Radiohead's paranoia-inducing 'Man of War' video". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  18. 1 2 "'OKNOTOK' and the Nostalgic Radiohead". PopMatters. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  19. ↑ "Album Review: Radiohead - OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017". DrownedInSound. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  20. ↑ "Radiohead - "Man of War" (Singles Going Steady)". PopMatters . 28 June 2017.
  21. ↑ "Radiohead - Man Of War" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 July 2017.