"Creep"
Single by Radiohead
from the album Pablo Honey
Released	1992, 1993
Format	Green 7", 5 CDs
Recorded	?
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3 min 59 s
Label	Parlophone/EMI
Producer(s)	Sean Slade, Paul Q. Kolderie
Chart positions
#7 (UK) #34 (US)
Radiohead singles chronology
"Pop Is Dead" (1993)	"Creep" (1993)	"Stop Whispering" (1993)

"Creep" was the third single from the British rock band Radiohead, although their first 'hit' and a track on their debut album Pablo Honey. When it was first released in September 1992, Radio 1 found it too depressing, and so after being aired only twice, it was taken off the station's playlist, but it subsequently became the band's biggest hit. Image File history File links Cover of Radioheads single, Creep. Licensing This image is of a music album or single cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the album or the artist(s) which produced the music in question. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short record, usually featuring one or two tracks as A-side, often accompanied by several B-sides, usually remixes or other songs. ... Radiohead are an English band from Oxfordshire, comprising five musicians. ... Pablo Honey is the first studio album by British rock band Radiohead, first released in early 1993. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... A gramophone record, (also phonograph record - often simply record) is an analog sound recording medium: a flat disc rotating at a constant angular velocity, with inscribed spiral grooves in which a stylus or needle rides. ... CD may stand for: Compact Disc Canadian Forces Decoration Cash Dispenser (at least used in Japan) CD LPMud Driver Centrum-Demokraterne (Centre Democrats of Denmark) Certificate of Deposit ÄŒeské Dráhy (Czech Railways) Chad (NATO country code) Chalmers Datorförening (computer club of the Chalmers University of Technology) a 1960s... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... The terms alternative rock and alternative music[1] were coined in the 1980s to describe punk rock-inspired bands which didnt fit into the mainstream genres of the time. ... A minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour and to 60 seconds. ... Look up second in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Parlophone Records Parlophone is a record label which was founded in Germany prior to World War I by the Carl Lindstrom Company. ... The EMI Group is a major record label, based in Kensington in London, in the United Kingdom. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A record chart, also known as a music chart, is a method of ranking music according to popularity during a given period of time. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Radiohead are an English band from Oxfordshire, comprising five musicians. ... The second hit single from Radiohead reached number 42 on the UK charts in May 1993 ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Stop Whispering was the third single released by the rock band, Radiohead. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short record, usually featuring one or two tracks as A-side, often accompanied by several B-sides, usually remixes or other songs. ... Rock is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars, and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles, however saxophones have been omitted from newer subgenres of rock music since the 90s. ... Radiohead are an English band from Oxfordshire, comprising five musicians. ... Pablo Honey is the first studio album by British rock band Radiohead, first released in early 1993. ...

Thom Yorke explains the song saying that he wrote it while studying at Exeter University. It tells the tale of an inebriated man who tries to get the attention of a woman he is attracted to, by following her around. In the end, he lacks the self-confidence to pull it off. Although he usually referred to the drunken student in the third person, with no little contempt, sometimes outright denying it was him, he sometimes admitted it was. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The University of Exeter is the principal University in the English city of Exeter, in Devon. ...

The song has been released in a few versions: the original contains the word "fucking (special)"; an instrumental radio edit, on which this is replaced by "very (special)", appears on several compilations and is a bonus track on the American version of Pablo Honey. Allegedly Thom said that the band isn't pleased about this edit, saying that the song had lost its anger as a result. Other versions of Creep release by Radiohead on B-sides include a performance from the Town & Country Club in London on 14 March 1993 (also on a Japanese reissue of Pablo Honey) and a version performed by Thom solo on acoustic guitar for KROQ in Los Angeles on 13 July 1993 with the clean version of the lyrics, which was also included on the EPs Itch and My Iron Lung in various territories. Look up fuck in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... KROQ is a commercial rock and roll music radio station in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting on 106. ... An extended play (or EP), is typically the name given to vinyl records or CDs which are too long to be called singles but too short to qualify as albums. ... Itch is an EP by Radiohead, released exclusively to Japan on June 1, 1994. ... My Iron Lung is also a song, the title track of an EP and a track on their album The Bends My Iron Lung is an EP by the band Radiohead, released in 1994 and including the single of the same name. ...

The single is generally credited with catapulting the band to world-wide renown. In late March 1993 they flew to Israel for their first taste of fame following its success there as a result of heavy airplay on Galei Tzahal, and late in May they flew to the USA for more success-- a San Francisco radio station had picked it up, and little by little "Creep" had permeated the nation's airwaves. It was not a hit at home in the UK until it was reissued in September that year, almost a year after the first release, and by this time the song's popularity had spread worldwide. Some attribute "Creep's" success to its capture of the loser/slacker zeitgeist of the early 1990s (which had a similar effect on Beck's Loser, and had previously catapulted Nirvana and the grunge idea into the mainstream.) If so, it was a double-edged success, quickly earning the band the reputation of 'complaint rockers' and leading to speculation that they were one-hit wonders. Israel Army Radio, or Galèi Tzáhal as it is called in Hebrew (גלי צהל, lit. ... Look up Zeitgeist in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Beck Beck Hansen (born Bek David Campbell, July 8, 1970) is an American musician, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. ... Loser is the name of a song by Beck, taken from his first major album, Mellow Gold. ... Nirvana was a popular American rock band from Seattle, Washington. ... Grunge music (sometimes also referred to as the Seattle Sound) is an independent-rooted music genre that became a commercially successful offshoot of hardcore punk, thrash metal, and alternative rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ...

The song is widely recognized for the two blasts of guitar noise that precede the chorus. The story goes that during initial runs of the song, guitarist Jonny Greenwood was fed up with the slow pace of the song and that this was his way of showing his displeasure. When they were first running through their songs for producers Sean Slade and Paul Q Kolderie one of the band described Creep as "our Scott Walker song" and they misunderstood and initially dismissed it, thinking it was a cover version. Scott Walker Scott Walker (born 9 January 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, born Noel Scott Engel (named after his father, who worked for Marathon Oil) in Hamilton, Ohio. ...

The first Radiohead gigs were attended primarily for the performance of "Creep"; anything else, the crowd didn't want to hear, and the band soon started to resent playing it. This led to the band's creation of "My Iron Lung", which featured as the title song of their next release, My Iron Lung EP (1994), and as track 8 on their second album The Bends (1995). This track deals with how Creep was the song they relied on, how it was their "life-support", their "iron lung". Thom explained in an interview that they didn't want to stop playing it as that would be making a big deal about it, however he often made comments before the song on stage which suggested he had little respect for anyone who wanted to hear it. (Ironically on the live version available which predates the song's success he can be heard bemoaning the fact that it wasn't a hit.) My Iron Lung is also a song, the title track of an EP and a track on their album The Bends My Iron Lung is an EP by the band Radiohead, released in 1994 and including the single of the same name. ... The Bends, released in 1995, is the second full length album by British rock band Radiohead. ... An iron lung. ...

After mid 1998 they did not play the song live at all until the final encore of their hometown concert at South Park in Headington in Oxford in 2001, when they played it in a seemingly impromptu decision after an equipment failure on the keyboard near the start of Motion Picture Soundtrack. Since then they have played it 15 more times (Including a performance of the song as they headlined V Festival 2006). It is rare to attend a Radiohead concert and hear Creep played. The Headington Shark Headington is a residential suburb of Oxford, England, lying on top of a hill of the same name overlooking the city of Oxford in the river valley below. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... For the North American spin-off of the rock festival, see Virgin Festival The V Festival is an annual rock festival in England, the first to be held simultaneously at two sites - currently Hylands Park in Chelmsford, Essex and Weston Park in Staffordshire. ...

The song is similar to the 1974 song "The Air That I Breathe" by The Hollies. The songs have an almost identical bass line, and the verses have the same chord structure and a similar melody. As a result the publishing credits also include Albert Hammond and Mike Hazelwood in addition to the five Radiohead members. The Air That I Breathe, a song written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazelwood, was initially recorded by Phil Everly. ... The Hollies The Hollies are a British rock and roll band formed in the early 1960s. ... Fingering for a C-major trichord on a guitar in standard tuning (assuming all six strings are played). ... Look up melody in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Albert Hammond (born on 18 May 1942) is a singer-songwriter, whose family came originally from Gibraltar. ...

In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Creep" at number 15 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. Q is a music and entertainment magazinepublished monthly in the United Kingdom. ...

Cover versions

• The Pretenders covered "Creep", a live version is included on their "Kid" EP.
• Japanese singer ACO has also covered this song on her single "heart wo moyashite."
• Japanese singer Shiina Ringo has also covered this song live at Club Asia in Shibuya and Ritsumei Kan in Kyoto, which have both since circulated the net.
• In 2004 Damien Rice recorded an acoustic version of "Creep" at an Irish radio station, which has since circulated the net.
• Sophie Koh has covered the song, and can be found on Triple J's cover compilation record "Like a Version"
• Moby has covered the song on various occasions, including a performance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and at the 2003 Glastonbury Festival, which Radiohead headlined.
• Grunge band Pearl Jam covered the song with modified lyrics.
• This song was also covered by Richard Cheese on his album Lounge Against the Machine
• Jessicka Fodera's new band Scarling. covered "Creep" and it can be found on their single "Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole"
• The song inspired this animation from Laith Bahrani.
• Jeff Buckley once did a cover of "Creep" in one of his live performances.
• The Filipino band Parokya ni Edgar, famous for their comic themes, recorded the song "Trip" (a tribute to the Chinese delicacy siopao) using "Creep"'s melody.
• A version 'sung' by Macintosh SimpleText voice 'Fred' (also heard in Radiohead's "Fitter Happier") was released on Me and This Army, an album of Radiohead remixes.
• Marty Casey of the Lovehammers performed "Creep" on the television show Rock Star: INXS in 2005. It was the first time anyone besides Radiohead had performed the song on television^{[citation needed]}.
• Lukas Rossi from the band Rise Electric performed "Creep" on the reality television show Rock Star: Supernova in 2006. He played it as an encore as well.
• Frank Bennett recorded an easy listening version on his album Five O'Clock Shadow.
• Dustin Kensrue played the song on one of his solo tours.
• The Arrogant Sons of Bitches played the song live on 8/13/05
• The Scottish singer Carol Laula recorded a cover for her 2002 album, First Disciple.
• Beck did a cover version at the Virgin V Festival
• Damien Rice occasionally performs the song live at his concerts.

Pretenders album cover, 1980. ... // Biography ACO ACO is a female Japanese singer. ... Shiina Ringo performing in concert with her band, Tokyo Jihen (2005) Shiina Ringo ) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist born on November 25, 1978. ... Categories: Wards of Tokyo | Japan geography stubs ... This page is about the city Kyoto. ... Damien Rice Damien Rice (born December 7, 1970) is an Irish musician, born in Celbridge, County Kildare, some 22 kilometres from Dublin, whose album O was an enormous success, quickly adding him to the roster of notable Irish musicians. ... Sophie Koh in Darwin, Northern Territory (2003) Sophie Koh is an Australian based musician. ... Triple J (JJJ) is a nationally-networked, government-funded Australian radio station (a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), mainly aimed at youth (defined as those between 12 and 25). ... Moby (born Richard Melville Hall on September 11, 1965 in Darien, Connecticut) is an American electronic musician and a name of his live band. ... Late Night with Conan OBrien is an American late night television talk show on NBC featuring varied comedic material and celebrity interviews. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury Festival or Glasto, is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. ... Radiohead are an English band from Oxfordshire, comprising five musicians. ... Grunge music (sometimes also referred to as the Seattle Sound) is an independent-rooted music genre that became a commercially successful offshoot of hardcore punk, thrash metal, and alternative rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... Pearl Jam (formed in 1990 in Seattle, Washington) is a rock band considered one of the most popular and influential artists of their decade. ... Categories: Music stubs | American musical groups ... Lounge Against the Machine is the first album from Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine, released October 17, 2000. ... Jessicka Jessicka (born Jessica Fodera October 23, 1975) is an American singer who is best known for her bands Jack Off Jill and Scarling. ... Scarling. ... Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole is the first single by Los Angeles, California rock band Scarling. ... Jeff Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), born Jeffrey Scott Buckley and raised as Scottie Jeffrey Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. ... Parokya ni Edgar is a Filipino band that was formed in 1993 by a group of Ateneo high school students. ... Chicken filled steamed bun. ... SimpleText is the native text editor for classic Macintosh Operating System. ... Marty Casey is a Chicago-based musician and the lead singer of the band The Lovehammers. ... The Lovehammers are a Chicago based rock band. ... Radiohead are an English band from Oxfordshire, comprising five musicians. ... Lukas Rossi, born December 21, 1976, is a Canadian musician and singer from Toronto, Ontario and currently a contestant on the CBS show Rock Star: Supernova. ... Reality television is a genre of television programming which presents unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and features ordinary people over professional actors. ... Frank Bennett is an Australian jazz singer whose name is allegedly formed from Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. ... Easy listening music is a style of popular music which emerged in the mid-20th century. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... The Arrogant Sons of Bitches (ASOB for short) are a 6 piece ska punk band originally from Long Island, NY and currently located in Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. ... Beck Beck Hansen (born Bek David Campbell, July 8, 1970) is an American musician, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. ... Damien Rice Damien Rice (born December 7, 1970) is an Irish musician, born in Celbridge, County Kildare, some 22 kilometres from Dublin, whose album O was an enormous success, quickly adding him to the roster of notable Irish musicians. ...

External link

• "Creep" lyrics