Pop Is Dead was Radiohead’s first non-album single, released in 1993, and was the only non-album single until ‘Harry Patch (In Memory Of)’ in 2009. It was not a big success, reaching only 42 on the UK Charts.
The song is a satirical look at the way the media try to repackage everything as the new r...
[Verse 1]
Oh no, pop is dead, long live pop
It died an ugly death by back-catalogue
And now you know it gets you nowhere
And now you know, you realize
Oh no, pop is dead, it just gave up
We raised the dead, but they won't stand up
And radio has salmonella
And now you know you're gonna die
[Chorus]
He left this message for us
[Verse 2]
So what? Pop is dead, it's no great loss
So many facelifts, his face flew off
The emperor really has no clothes on
And his skin is peeling off
Oh no, pop is dead, long live pop
One final line of coke to jack him off
Jack him off
[Chorus]
He left this message for us
He left this message for us
He left this message for us
Pop Is Dead was written by Philip Selway & Ed O’Brien & Colin Greenwood & Jonny Greenwood & Thom Yorke.
Pop Is Dead was produced by Radiohead & Jim Warren.
Radiohead released Pop Is Dead on Mon May 10 1993.
Interviewer:
What would the Radiohead of 2001 say to the Radiohead of 1991?
Phil Selway:
There’s gonna be a dark moment in about one and a half years when you write a song called “Pop is Dead”. Don’t do that.