From album
OK Computer
Radiohead · 1997 · Track 3
Details
TonalidadG
Compás3/4
Tempo152 BPM
Duración4:27
CompositorColin Greenwood / Ed O'Brien / Jonny Greenwood / Phil Selway / Thom Yorke
ÁlbumOK Computer
Año1997
ISRCGBAYE9701377
Credits
Music Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Jonny Greenwood, Phil Selway, Thom Yorke
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The story behind
The first time you hear *Subterranean Homesick Alien*, you find yourself immersed in a soundscape that seems to float, with layers of sound hypnotically intertwining. The instrumentation plays a key role in this feeling: a pedal-processed guitar creates ethereal textures, while a Fender Rhodes piano brings a melancholic warmth. The song's duration, 4:28, allows this atmosphere to unfold unhurriedly, inviting introspection. The title itself, a nod to Bob Dylan, already suggests a connection with the idea of the alien and the introspective, something reflected in the way the music envelops you.
The genesis of *Subterranean Homesick Alien* has its roots in two distinct experiences of Thom Yorke. One came from an academic exercise at school, where he was asked to imagine what it would be like to be an alien observing Earth. The other, more visceral, occurred while he was driving and hit a bird, an event that led him to reflect on the possibility of alien abductions. Originally, the idea took shape as an acoustic duo between Jonny Greenwood and Yorke, titled *Uptight*, with Jonny Greenwood composing the introductory parts, the chorus, and the outro, while Yorke handled the verses. To capture a particular sound, reminiscent of Miles Davis's 1970 jazz album *Bitches Brew*, electric keyboards were used. The recording of this piece, along with the rest of the album *OK Computer*, took place between July 1996 and March 1997 at St Catherine's Court in Bath, England, under the production of Nigel Godrich and Radiohead. The result is a piece that moves away from more direct rock structure, exploring territories of art rock, alternative rock, and psychedelic rock, with the participation of Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Jonny Greenwood, Phil Selway, and Thom Yorke in the musical composition.
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