by Radiohead · 2024
The song ‘The National Anthem’ by Radiohead is about the pervasive sense of anxiety and alienation experienced within society, where despite being surrounded by others, individuals feel isolated and consumed by fear.
This song has been Shazamed over 151,701 times. As of this writing, The National Anthem is ranked 96
The National Anthem’ by Radiohead is a haunting song from their album “Kid A” that explores what it feels like to be surrounded by people, yet still alone and anxious. We’re about to break down what makes this song so strange, powerful, and unforgettable. ⬇️
️ The music itself feels like a fog rolling in over a city at dawn—there’s a sense of chaos under the surface, an unsettling hum that never quite settles. The lyrics paint a picture of crowded spaces where tension lingers like static in the air.
When the chorus repeats “Everyone, everyone around here / Everyone is so near / It’s holding on,” we get pulled into the anxiety of proximity without connection. The words echo as if bouncing off subway tiles, drawing us into a swirl of voices, but none of them really speak to us. We feel the pressure—almost claustrophobic—as if the crowd itself is squeezing tighter, hearts pounding, no one daring to let go.
️ In the verses, lines like “Everyone has got the fear” leap out, slicing through the noise with a blade of cold honesty. It’s not just about being surrounded; it’s about how that closeness amplifies our worries, our secrets, our need to pretend everything’s fine. The repetition—”It’s holding on, it’s holding on”—turns simple words into a mantra of survival, as if clinging to a ledge while the world spins faster and faster.
At its core, the song’s relentless groove and minimal lyrics create a feedback loop between paranoia and longing, the horns blaring like the inner alarms we try to silence. Radiohead doesn’t give us answers, just a mirror reflecting our own nervous glances and silent hopes in crowded rooms.
In the end, ‘The National Anthem’ whispers the uncomfortable truth that sometimes, the closer we stand to others, the lonelier we feel.
Writer(s) of The National Anthem: Philip James Selway, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O’brien, Thomas Edward Yorke
