First played acoustically in 1995, this track was originally titled "An Airbag Saved My Life," a headline that Thom read in an AA (Automobile Association) manual that came in the mail. The song is "about the wonderful, positive emotion you feel when you've just failed to have an accident; when you just miss someone and realize how close it was and stop the car and just feel this incredible emotion." The title is also a play on the 1983 Indeep song "Last night a DJ Saved My Life."

The song reflects the influence DJ Shadow has had on Radiohead, as the band made the track with a drum loop based on a three-second sample of Phil's drumming.

As soon as this track begins, it explodes with the guitar riffs of Jonny's. Possibly one of the greatest guitar openings ever, this song, like Planet Telex on The Bends, is a different style to the rest of the album. The ending is probably the best the band have ever done. With slow beats morphing into fast beats... Thom's moaning getting louder and louder, and finally, Jonny's opening guitar riff returns to finish the track off. Amazing.