Harrowdown Hill
Encyclopedia
"Harrowdown Hill" is a song by Radiohead
frontman Thom Yorke
and is the eighth track on his 2006 album
The Eraser
. The song was also released as a limited edition
single
in the United Kingdom
on 21 August 2006, peaking at #23 in the UK Singles Chart
(see 2006 in British music
). "Harrowdown Hill" was Yorke's first official solo single, and one of two to be released from The Eraser; however, the track "Black Swan" had already been issued as a radio-only single in some areas. The song was written about biological warfare
expert David Kelly who, as a matter of some contention, committed suicide in 2003. However, there is speculation that he was murdered, as demonstrated in the song. Thom Yorke himself confirmed the song's meaning in several interviews.
A video for the song was released 31 July 2006 and had its first play on Channel 4
.
is notable for being the place where the body of Dr David Kelly was found in 2003. His evidence had raised questions about Saddam Hussein
's possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction
— the official justification for the UK government's decision to invade Iraq
. In an interview with The Globe and Mail
, Yorke said, "The government and the Ministry of Defence
... were directly responsible for outing him and that put him in a position of unbearable pressure that he couldn't deal with, and they knew they were doing it and what it would do to him... I've been feeling really uncomfortable about that song lately, because it was a personal tragedy, and Dr Kelly has a family who are still grieving. But I also felt that not to write it would perhaps have been worse." In another interview, Yorke said that "Harrowdown Hill" is "the most angry song I've ever written in my life. I'm not gonna get into the background to it, the way I see it... And it's not for me or for any of us to dig any of this up. So it's a bit of an uncomfortable thing." Yorke also notes that "'Harrowdown Hill' was kicking around during Hail to the Thief
, but there was no way that was going to work with the band.".
of BENT Image Lab in 2006. It features stop-motion eagle animation from a 2003 film by David Russo titled Pan with Us, time-lapse
footage by Mark Eiffert, and a technique, known as Smallgantics
.
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
frontman Thom Yorke
Thom Yorke
Thomas "Thom" Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
and is the eighth track on his 2006 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
The Eraser
The Eraser
The Eraser is the debut solo album by Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke, released on 10 July 2006. The album debuted at #3 on the UK Albums Chart and at #2 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, selling over 90,000 copies in its first week. Critical reception to the album was generally positive...
. The song was also released as a limited edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 21 August 2006, peaking at #23 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
(see 2006 in British music
2006 in British music
This is a summary of 2006 in music in the United Kingdom including the official single and album charts.-Summary:*At both ends of the year, the chart was dominated by acts from series 2 and series 3 of the television show The X Factor...
). "Harrowdown Hill" was Yorke's first official solo single, and one of two to be released from The Eraser; however, the track "Black Swan" had already been issued as a radio-only single in some areas. The song was written about biological warfare
Biological warfare
Biological warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war...
expert David Kelly who, as a matter of some contention, committed suicide in 2003. However, there is speculation that he was murdered, as demonstrated in the song. Thom Yorke himself confirmed the song's meaning in several interviews.
A video for the song was released 31 July 2006 and had its first play on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
Track listings
- Promo CD
- "Harrowdown Hill" (Early Fade)
- "Harrowdown Hill" (Full Length)
- 7" XLS238, limited to 5,000 copies
- "Harrowdown Hill" - 4:38
- "Jetstream" - 3:44
- CD XLS238CD, limited to 10,000 copies
- "Harrowdown Hill" - 4:38
- "The Drunkk Machine" - 4:07
- "Harrowdown Hill" (extended mix) - 7:01
- 12" XLT238, limited to 3,000 copies
- "Harrowdown Hill" (extended mix) - 7:01
- "The Drunkk Machine" - 4:07
- 12" XLT238US
- "Harrowdown Hill" (extended mix) - 7:01
- "The Drunkk Machine" - 4:07
- "Jetstream" - 3:44
Song information
Harrowdown Hill in Longworth, OxfordshireLongworth
Longworth is a village and civil parish about west of Abingdon and a similar distance east of Faringdon and south of Witney. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire...
is notable for being the place where the body of Dr David Kelly was found in 2003. His evidence had raised questions about Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
— the official justification for the UK government's decision to invade Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. In an interview with The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
, Yorke said, "The government and the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
... were directly responsible for outing him and that put him in a position of unbearable pressure that he couldn't deal with, and they knew they were doing it and what it would do to him... I've been feeling really uncomfortable about that song lately, because it was a personal tragedy, and Dr Kelly has a family who are still grieving. But I also felt that not to write it would perhaps have been worse." In another interview, Yorke said that "Harrowdown Hill" is "the most angry song I've ever written in my life. I'm not gonna get into the background to it, the way I see it... And it's not for me or for any of us to dig any of this up. So it's a bit of an uncomfortable thing." Yorke also notes that "'Harrowdown Hill' was kicking around during Hail to the Thief
Hail to the Thief
Hail to the Thief is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released in June 2003 through Parlophone Records. After two Radiohead albums that featured heavily processed vocals, less guitar, and strong influence from experimental electronica and jazz, Hail to the Thief was seen...
, but there was no way that was going to work with the band.".
Music video
The music video for "Harrowdown Hill" was directed by Chel WhiteChel White
Chel White is an American film director, commercial and music video director, animator, actor, screenwriter, and visual effects supervisor on feature films....
of BENT Image Lab in 2006. It features stop-motion eagle animation from a 2003 film by David Russo titled Pan with Us, time-lapse
Time-lapse
Time-lapse photography is a cinematography technique whereby the frequency at which film frames are captured is much lower than that which will be used to play the sequence back. When replayed at normal speed, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing...
footage by Mark Eiffert, and a technique, known as Smallgantics
Smallgantics
Smallgantics is a digital post production technique used for miniature faking – simulating miniature cinematography on full scale filmed sequences – created and developed by Bent Image Lab...
.
External links
- theeraser.net
- Thom Yorke page at the XL Recordings website.
- "Harrowdown Hill" music video at the XL recordings website.
- Radiohead Articles Archive: compiled reviews of "Harrowdown Hill"