Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1997
Let Down (Radiohead song)
Buy Let Down (Radiohead song) now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Let Down
| cover =
| alt =
| caption = Promo CD issued in the US
| type = promotional single
| artist = Radiohead
| album = OK Computer
| released = 6 September 1997
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:59
| label =
| writer = Radiohead
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
"'Let Down'" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, from their third studio album 'OK Computer' (1997). It was released as a promotional single in September 1997, and reached number 29 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was included on 'Radiohead: The Best Of' (2008).
Background and recording
"Let Down" was intended to be the first single from 'OK Computer', but "Paranoid Android" was chosen instead, which, along with "Karma Police", solidified the band's popularity. The track was ultimately not released as a single because the band was unsatisfied with the video they had produced, and ended up losing money. The song reached #29 in the US Hot Modern Rock tracks chart.
The song was recorded at St Catherine's Court mansion ballroom. Thom Yorke apparently was inspired to write the song while sitting in a pub, noting the customers "clinging on to bottles" and sensing in them the "emptiest of feelings," a sense of disappointment.
Live performances
The band has rarely performed "Let Down" live. After a 2006 performance, the song was not featured on any of the band's concert setlists for ten years until it was revived on the tour supporting 'A Moon Shaped Pool'. The multi-track recording used in the studio version makes the song difficult to recreate live, especially with respect to the layering of multiple simultaneous vocal parts sung by Yorke. When it has been played live, Yorke has typically opted to skip the final verse and sing the accompanying background vocal part instead.
Influence and cover versions
In 2006 the song was covered by reggae musicians Toots & the Maytals for the Easy Star All Stars compilation album 'Radiodread', a complete makeover of 'OK Computer' in ska, dub and reggae musical styles. An equally melancholy cover of the song is performed by Pedro the Lion on their 2005 live release 'Tour E.P.' The electronic artist Let Down Loser got his name from this song.
Track listing
'CD promo single'
# "Let Down" 4:59
# "Let Down (Edit)" 4:27
# "Karma Police" 4:21
Personnel
'Radiohead'
* Colin Greenwood
* Jonny Greenwood
* Ed O'Brien
* Philip Selway
* Thom Yorke
'Additional personnel'
* Stanley Donwood illustrations
* Nigel Godrich production, engineering
Charts
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
Category:1997 songs
Category:1997 singles
Category:Radiohead songs
Category:Songs written by Thom Yorke
Category:Songs written by Jonny Greenwood
Category:Songs written by Ed O'Brien
Category:Songs written by Colin Greenwood
Category:Songs written by Philip Selway
Category:Song recordings produced by Nigel Godrich
Category:Parlophone singles
Category:Capitol Records singles
Buy Let Down (Radiohead song) now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1997