JUST

Released:
March 1995
Length: 3:53
Disc: The Bends | Just single | Just For College EP
Tablature: Guitar
Just Video

Other Versions:
Live @ The Forum - Live Au Forum EP | Just For College EP | High And Dry US single
Live @ The Astoria - Live At The Astoria

Here Thom tells the story of how he once had a narcissistic friend he was compelled to elude. This song is about trying to get rid of someone who just won't go away. A note about the song written by Thom says the following:

"Just (You do it to yourself)
... went to a party on the 15th floor of a block of flats, passed out at 3am, and woke up an hour later - there was a guy hanging - off his head - out the window saying "i'm gonna do it" took us half an hour to get him back.."

Incase that's German to you, 'block of flats' means block of apartments and 'off his head' means drunk, or stoned.

Musically, "Just" is considered the most complex track on The Bends album, and it proves beyond a doubt that Jonny's guitar playing is original and superb.

A live version of this track is available on the Live Au Forum EP, while it captures the intensity of the song live, the original remains the best.

The video to the song is one of the most frustrating ever written - but nobody knows what the man says at the end, and there is no use asking as the band have said that they are never going to reveal the answer. Jamie Thraves, the producer had said "to tell you would deaden the impact, and would probably make you want to lie down in the road too". You can find out more about the video here.

This is probably the most heavy guitar track on the album. Throughout the back end of the song, they demand greater focus than the vocals. Jonny's riffs are simply ace. This is one of Radiohead's most recognised songs.

Can't get the stink off
He's been hanging round for days
Comes like a comet
Suckered you but not your friends
One day he'll get to you
And teach you how to be a holy cow

You do it to yourself, you do
And that's what really hurts
Is that you do it to yourself
Just you, you and no-one else
You do it to yourself
You do it to yourself

Don't get my sympathy
Hanging out the 15th floor
You've changed the locks three times
He still comes reeling through the door
One day I'll get you
And teach you how to get to purest hell

You do it to yourself, you do
And that's what really hurts
Is that you do it to yourself
Just you, you and no-one else
You do it to yourself
Do it to yourself

You do it to yourself, you do
And that's what really hurts
Is that you do it to yourself
Just you, you and no-one else
You do it to yourself
You do it to yourself, yourself

You do it to yourself
You do it to yourself, just you
You do it to yourself, just you
You do it to yourself
Thom Yorke "A competition between me and Jonny to get as many chords as possible into a song." - Thom
Phil Selway
"My favourite drum take on the album. Combination of sound rock and sassy grooves...well, I can dream, anyway." - Phil
Ed O'Brien
"This could have been about seven minutes long, as it was in rehearsal before the album. That whole rehearsal period stuck on a fruit farm in the middle of winter was amazing, just the five of us playing new songs. I think Phil's drumming on this is exquisite." - Ed
Jonny Greenwood
"Am G# Eflat F Am G# Eflat Bflat Am G# G F# F C F# F C F# F F." - Jonny
Colin Greenwood
"First track we put down properly at RAK" - Colin
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