# Radiohead's ONE best track **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 13, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016 "2005-10-13T03:25:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/1 "2005-10-13T03:25:06Z")
I’ll apologize in advance for this thread. I know it is usually impossible to list the ‘one best’ of any collection, let alone a group’s creative output. I’ll apologize also for being so narrow (discussing just one group) and possibly also for being hopelessly out-of-date in terms of knowing what’s still popular, or even topical. I am no spring chicken. I cut my musical teeth listening to (and going to the concerts of) groups like Pinkfloyd, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Mothers of Invention, and Jimi Hendrix. So, I am thrilled, delighted, positively floating to have discovered now, at this fairly late time of my life: RADIOHEAD. Wow! If I were 35 years younger (ouch!), I’m certain they’d be my favourite group. I can just see myself listening to their stuff, hour after hour, in my bedroom … but I digress. OK, my question is this. What do you consider Radiohead’s **ONE** best track to be? I’ve gotten pretty familiar with their music in the last while and am pretty confident in saying that their one best is _The Tourist_ off OK Computer. And you? ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/2 "2005-10-13T03:38:04Z")
Probably _Fake Plastic Trees_ - it’s the one song of theirs that shows real, true, uncontrived emotion and executes it with such a classy and unpretentious arrangement wrapped around a truly gorgeous melody. It’s the song in their catalogue. ---
**Author:** ![joew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@joew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joew)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/3 "2005-10-13T03:49:21Z")
> [@VCO3](#): > > Probably _Fake Plastic Trees_ - it’s the one song of theirs that shows real, true, uncontrived emotion and executes it with such a classy and unpretentious arrangement wrapped around a truly gorgeous melody. It’s the song in their catalogue. Fake Plastic Trees is 1a for me and I think this is a fine reason. 1b (If I may cheat) would be Polyethylene. Just a great example of what Radiohead can be when they act like a “regular” band. It’s on the Airbag/How am I Driving Single. Might be hard to find but well worth it. joew ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/4 "2005-10-13T03:50:01Z")
I’m quite partial to _Idioteque_ and _Everything in it’s Right Place_, both off of _Kid A_. But they’re one of those bands whose best song happens to be the one I’m listening to at the time I consider the question. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/5 "2005-10-13T03:52:37Z")
I’ve gotta go with _Paranoid Android_, with _Fake Plastic Trees_ a close second. Whoops I’m a cheater too. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/6 "2005-10-13T04:00:20Z")
Wow, this would be changing daily for me. But right now, I’d have to go with Talk Show Host (Street Spirit [Fade Out] CD 1) or Like Spinning Plates (I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings EP) ---
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/7 "2005-10-13T04:05:12Z")
I’m going with _Paranoid Android_. Probably not my favourite – like everyone else here I can’t choose a favourite – but I feel it’s Radiohead’s most “representative” song. ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/8 "2005-10-13T04:14:13Z")
_Let Down_ is my favorite, for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/9 "2005-10-13T04:18:05Z")
Creep, with Idioteque and Just tied for a very close second. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/10 "2005-10-13T04:49:21Z")
I’ve been staring at this thread for a VERY long time, trying to decide. I think about it occasionally, and I’ve decided that just making a _Best of Radiohead_ mix CD would take me forever. I’ve never liked _Idioteque_ (or _Kid A_ - I just don’t get into their really electronic tracks), but other than that I’d have trouble arguing with any of these choices. I’m leaning toward _The Bends_. It has this honest, yearning quality that makes it kind of unique among their songs and it’s got enormous guitar power. Cheat picks: _How to Disappear Completely_, _Life in a Glasshouse_, _Talk Show Host_, _Big Boots_. ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/11 "2005-10-13T04:52:43Z")
_My Iron Lung_. Remember that the album version of it is a live version, IIRC, with only the vocals re-done in the studio. Although _Paranoid Android_ is perhaps as much a work of musicianship as _Bohemian Rhapsody_. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/12 "2005-10-13T04:53:24Z")
_Idioteque_ or _Let Down_. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/13 "2005-10-13T05:18:25Z")
Interesting choices, all of which are excellent. A bit surprised, though, that nobody seems to feel for _The Tourist_ as much as me. **Marley23** ’s point is well taken - there’s so many great (not just good) tracks, that even choosing a top 10 or so would be more than tough. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/14 "2005-10-13T05:35:06Z")
If forced to chose, I’d pick _Lucky_ over _Let Down_, but I’d really rather not have to chose. _How to Disappear Completely_ ain’t bad either… ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/15 "2005-10-13T06:02:39Z")
How do you answer a question like this? Well here’s what I did, I opened up my itunes and pulled up all of their albums and went through the tracks picking favorites from each album. From **Pablo Honey** I picked: \*\*Creep \*\*and **Anyone can play guitar** From **The Bends** I picked: **The Bends** and **My Iron Lung** (with Planet Telex, High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees only just barely not making the list) From **Ok Computer** I picked: **Paranoid Android** and **Karma Police** (and I really wanted to include Electioneering but just couldn’t get it to make the cut) From **Kid A** : I had a clear favorite with **National Anthem** but a very large tie for second favorite consisting of the rest of the album From **Amnisiac** : \*\*Knives Out \*\* and \*\*Life in a Glass House \*\* but no real strong contenders for second. (I sadly just haven’t spent enough time with this album) From **Hail to the Theif** : **2+2=5** , **Backdrifts** , and **A Punch up at a Wedding** (with Sit down, stand up and There there in second) Then I started to cross eliminate. Sadly this method proved flawed. The tracks from the different albums are miles apart form one another. Is it really fair to compair The Bends with National Anthem? No. So I am picking one song from this list at random and deciding that\*\* Paranoid Android\*\* is the best Radiohead song of all time. Hell of a system aint it? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/16 "2005-10-13T08:52:12Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Then I started to cross eliminate. Sadly this method proved flawed. The tracks from the different albums are miles apart form one another. Is it really fair to compair The Bends with National Anthem? No. So I am picking one song from this list at random and deciding that\*\* Paranoid Android\*\* is the best Radiohead song of all time. > > Hell of a system aint it? :smack: Pretty much the same thing I did. I don’t have _Pablo_, but I picked my favorites from each one and figured I could narrow it down from there. I ended up with _The Bends_, _Fake Plastic Trees_, _Black Star_, _Electioneering_, _Karma Police_, _The National Anthem_, _Optimistic_, _I Might Be Wrong_, _Like Spinning Plates_, _Life in a Glasshouse_, _There There_, plus a B-side in _Talk Show Host_ and the it’s-killing-me-that-they’ll-never-release-it _Man-O-War_, the title of which I screwed up before. And that’s leaving off a few as it is. They’ve just done too many different things for a straightup comparison. As far as songcraft, I have to agree that if it’s not _The Bends_, it should probably be _Fake Plastic Trees_, which is pretty perfect. ---
**Author:** ![rorty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@rorty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rorty)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/17 "2005-10-13T10:06:34Z")
It’s impossible for me to say what **Radiohead** ’s best track is. However, _The National Anthem_ makes a strong case. When those horns start blaring and the whole song feels like it’s fighting with itself only to fall into uncomfortable unison? Wow. Just wow. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/18 "2005-10-13T12:51:17Z")
My top 3 would be : 1. **Exit Music (for a film)** from OK Computer 2. **Fake Plastic Trees** from The Bends 3. \*\* Karma Police \*\* from OK Computer I didn’t really like their later work. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/19 "2005-10-13T13:09:20Z")
Man, this is harder than I thought it would be, and I’m one of those people who hates people who can’t give you a straight answer to questions like this. Although I’m going to go along with the sensible choice of **Paranoid Android** , here are the others I strongly considered: \*\*Pyramid Song Subterranean Homesick Alien Exit Music (for a film) Let Down My Iron Lung 2+2 = 5 A Punch up at a Wedding \*\* They truly have a shitload of GREAT songs. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016/20 "2005-10-14T14:09:45Z")
> [@soulmurk](#): > > I’m quite partial to _Idioteque_ and _Everything in it’s Right Place_, both off of _Kid A_. But they’re one of those bands whose best song happens to be the one I’m listening to at the time I consider the question. Huh. I definitely listen to those two more than any of their other songs, I have an odd attachment to them I can’t identify, but I wouldn’t classify them as their best work or anything. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioheads-one-best-track/326016.md?page=2)