IDIOTEQUE

Released:
Oct 2000
Length: 5:07
Disc: Kid A
Tablature: Guitar
Idioteque Video

Other Versions:
Live @ Dublin - Pyramid Song - Pinkpop
Live @ Oxford - I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings
Cover by In One Ear Out The Analog - Plastic Mutations Tribute LP

Another song that fans had no clue about, Idioteque can be seen in two ways: A blatantly stupid attempt at making a cheesy dance song (hence the name), or genius. What Idioteque essentially is, is a dance song, beats, and all. This, of all the songs on the album, is the experimental one that stands out as much as Electioneering did on OK Computer. It will either be your favorite song, or your most hated. However, it can't be ignored.

The track contains two samples from the oddyssey label title 'First Recordings-Electronic Music Winners' (1976). the two compositions are Paul Lansky's 'Mild Und Liese' published by Grim Tim Music and 'Short Piece' by Arthur Krieger. published by the Subito Music Corporation. You can read more about Mild Und Liese at Paul Lansky's Homepage.

Very much a live favourite now, though they never seem to get the beats quite right compared to that of the studio version. Idioteque displays Radiohead's ability to come up with a completely different type of song to their usual style, and yet, it still be an amazing track! The lyrics are completely random, and Thom has said they were chosen for phonetic sound rather than the actual meaning of the words. A similar idea to Kid A, with the word pulling out of hat idea.

Though Idioteque is musically simple, the way Thom strings together the lyrics is fantastic. With each word merging with others to a pacey beat, Idioteque is arguably the most original and best song on Kid A.

The looped lyrics at the end of the track are something everyone disagrees on. In my opinion, it is a looped clip of the lyric 'And the children first, and the children'. It loops in a way that part of it is cut out and it sounds like 'ren first, and the children' and it just repeats. Other sites think it says 'The first of the children'. Form your own opinion. I think live, Thom might sing 'The first of the children', but I'm virtually certain the studio version is just a cut up loop of the previously mentioned lyric.

Who's in a bunker?
Who's in a bunker?
Women and children first
And the children first
And the children
I'll laugh until my head comes off
Swallow till I burst
Until I burst
Until I

Who's in a bunker?
Who's in a bunker?
I've seen too much
I haven't seen enough
You haven't seen
And I'll laugh until my head comes off
Women and children first
And their children first
And their children

Here I'm alive
Everything all of the time
Here I'm alive
Everything all of the time

Ice age coming
Ice age coming
Let me hear both sides
Let me hear both sides
Let me hear both
Ice age coming
Ice age coming
Throw them in that fire
Throw them in that fire
Throw them in that

We're not scaremongering
This is really happening
Happening
We're not scaremongering
This is really happening
Happening
Mobiles skwrking
Mobiles chirping
Take the money, run
Take the money and run
Take the money

Here I'm alive
Everything all of the time
('ren first and the children, 'ren first and the children)
Here I'm alive
Everything all of the time
('ren first and the children, 'ren first and the children)
Here I'm alive
Everything all of the time
('ren first and the children, 'ren first and the children)
Here I'm alive
Everything all of the time

'ren first and the children, 'ren first and the children
'ren first and the children, 'ren first and the chil-
'ren first - 'ren first and the children, 'ren first and the children
'ren first and the children, 'ren first and the child-
'ren first - 'ren first and the children, 'ren first and the children
'ren first and the children, 'ren first and the children
'ren first and the children, 'ren first and the children
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