Black Star

The song Black Star, with its 4 minutes and 7 seconds duration, presents itself as a special track within Radiohead's repertoire. Although Thom Yorke has never given an official explanation for its meaning, during live performances between 1995 and 1996, he used to introduce it in curious ways. On one occasion, he described it as something related to "sex in the morning, which is the best time to do it, as long as you've brushed your teeth beforehand." The lyrics, for their part, explore the disintegration of a relationship, even suggesting the presence of a third party.

The recording of The Bends, the album to which Black Star belongs, began in February 1994 at RAK Studios in London. The atmosphere at the time was one of some tension, with the record label Parlophone pressuring them to match the success of the band's debut single, "Creep". Progress was slow until, after an international tour in May and June, they resumed work at Abbey Road and The Manor, in Oxfordshire. It was during these sessions that Nigel Godrich and artist Stanley Donwood began their long collaboration with the band, participating in this album and all subsequent works by Radiohead. The album's production was handled by John Leckie, with additional collaboration from Radiohead, Nigel Godrich, and Jim Warren. Recording engineering credits include names such as Chris Brown, Nigel Godrich, John Leckie, Guy Massey, Shelley Saunders, and Jim Warren, while mixing was in the hands of Paul Q. Kolderie, John Leckie, Radiohead, and Sean Slade.