The National Anthem
Encyclopedia
"The National Anthem" is the third track from the rock band Radiohead
's 2000 album Kid A
. The song is moored to a repetitive bassline, has a processed electronic
production, and develops in a direction influenced by jazz
. It has been played at nearly every Radiohead concert since 2000.
member Colin Greenwood
, the band decided it was "too good to use it as a b-side for OK Computer
singles".
In the album recording, the bass is played by lead singer Thom Yorke
, who wrote the riff at age 16.
In the recording sessions, band members Thom Yorke
and Jonny Greenwood
conducted the session musicians, though Yorke lacks formal musical training. Yorke stated in an interview, "The running joke when we were in the studios was, 'Just blow. Just blow, just blow, just blow'", referring to the chaotic brass section sound. Although the recording sounds chaotic, each instrument is playing a solo to the riff.
-style brass section featured in the song, influenced by Charles Mingus
, creates a soundscape of chaos, and has been described as "a brass band marching into a brick wall" by one reviewer.
The song also features an Ondes Martenot
, played by Jonny Greenwood
, an early electronic instrument which was picked up by Greenwood for several songs on Kid A and subsequent albums. Greenwood's usage of it was inspired by the music of Olivier Messiaen
.
The song begins on stage with the band tuning to various radio stations, then mixing the transmissions and static with the bassline
. When the song is played live, normal Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood
plays the riff, which uses a Lovetone Big Cheese effects pedal to create a more distorted sound.
The Ondes Martenot
is also more audible in live versions, thanks to the addition of guitarist Ed O'Brien
, who both doubles and expands on Greenwood's parts. Thom Yorke also adds scat singing
during some performances. Unlike the studio recorded version on Kid A
, the live version of the song is often not performed with a brass section and is replaced with guitar played by Thom in a stop-start rhythm.
Radiohead has performed with a brass section in their 2000 performances in New York City (one of which was at Radiohead's taping for Saturday Night Live
using the house band), a 2001 performance in London for the BBC's
Later with Jools Holland
, during a 2001 concert in Paris, and on The Colbert Report in 2011 .
ese shamisen
duo Yoshida Brothers
on their album Prism
.
Meshell Ndegeocello covered it for the tribute album Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads
. Mr Russia
covered it for the tribute album Every Machine Makes A Mistake : A Tribute To Radiohead (FTC Records).
Lupe Fiasco
has used a sample of the song on the mixtape Enemy Of The State: A Love Story in the song "The National Anthem". Ayurveda
has also covered the song on a live performance.
Umphrey's McGee
covered the song live on New Year's Eve 2010.
the Jazz Passengers covered the song on their latest album ReunitedItalic text'--117.200.198.251 (talk) 09:30, 11 October 2011 (UTC)
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...
's 2000 album Kid A
Kid A
Kid A is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released in October 2000 by the Parlophone label. A commercial success worldwide, Kid A went platinum in its first week of release in the United Kingdom. Despite the lack of an official single or music video as publicity, Kid A...
. The song is moored to a repetitive bassline, has a processed electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
production, and develops in a direction influenced by jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. It has been played at nearly every Radiohead concert since 2000.
Background and recording
"The National Anthem" is thought to have been previously attempted at recording sessions in 1994 and 1997, but according to RadioheadRadiohead
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...
member Colin Greenwood
Colin Greenwood
Colin Charles Greenwood , is an English musician and composer, best known as the bassist of the rock band Radiohead. Apart from bass, Colin plays keyboards, synthesizers and works on sampling on the electronic side of Radiohead...
, the band decided it was "too good to use it as a b-side for OK Computer
OK Computer
OK Computer is the third studio album by the English alternative rock band Radiohead, released on 16 June 1997 on Parlophone in the UK and 1 July 1997 by Capitol Records in the US. It marks a deliberate attempt by the band to move away from the introspective guitar-oriented sound of their previous...
singles".
In the album recording, the bass is played by lead singer 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...
, who wrote the riff at age 16.
In the recording sessions, band members 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 Jonny Greenwood
Jonny Greenwood
Jonathan Richard Guy "Jonny" Greenwood is an English musician and composer, best known as a member of the English rock band Radiohead. Greenwood is a multi-instrumentalist, but serves mainly as lead guitarist and keyboard player. In addition to guitar and keyboard, he plays viola, harmonica,...
conducted the session musicians, though Yorke lacks formal musical training. Yorke stated in an interview, "The running joke when we were in the studios was, 'Just blow. Just blow, just blow, just blow'", referring to the chaotic brass section sound. Although the recording sounds chaotic, each instrument is playing a solo to the riff.
Style
The free jazzFree jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
-style brass section featured in the song, influenced by Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist.Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third stream, free jazz, and classical music...
, creates a soundscape of chaos, and has been described as "a brass band marching into a brick wall" by one reviewer.
The song also features an Ondes Martenot
Ondes Martenot
The ondes Martenot , also known as the ondium Martenot, Martenot and ondes musicales, is an early electronic musical instrument invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot. The original design was similar in sound to the theremin...
, played by Jonny Greenwood
Jonny Greenwood
Jonathan Richard Guy "Jonny" Greenwood is an English musician and composer, best known as a member of the English rock band Radiohead. Greenwood is a multi-instrumentalist, but serves mainly as lead guitarist and keyboard player. In addition to guitar and keyboard, he plays viola, harmonica,...
, an early electronic instrument which was picked up by Greenwood for several songs on Kid A and subsequent albums. Greenwood's usage of it was inspired by the music of Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
.
Live performances
"The National Anthem" was the opening song for most Radiohead concerts in 2000–2001, and is the first track on the band's 2001 album I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings.The song begins on stage with the band tuning to various radio stations, then mixing the transmissions and static with the bassline
Bassline
A bassline is the term used in many styles of popular music, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and electronic music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played by a rhythm section instrument such as the electric bass, double bass, tuba or keyboard...
. When the song is played live, normal Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood
Colin Greenwood
Colin Charles Greenwood , is an English musician and composer, best known as the bassist of the rock band Radiohead. Apart from bass, Colin plays keyboards, synthesizers and works on sampling on the electronic side of Radiohead...
plays the riff, which uses a Lovetone Big Cheese effects pedal to create a more distorted sound.
The Ondes Martenot
Ondes Martenot
The ondes Martenot , also known as the ondium Martenot, Martenot and ondes musicales, is an early electronic musical instrument invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot. The original design was similar in sound to the theremin...
is also more audible in live versions, thanks to the addition of guitarist Ed O'Brien
Ed O'Brien
Edward John O'Brien is an English musician, songwriter and guitarist for the rock band Radiohead. He is also responsible for harmony vocals during live concerts and on many tracks from the band's albums...
, who both doubles and expands on Greenwood's parts. Thom Yorke also adds scat singing
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
during some performances. Unlike the studio recorded version on Kid A
Kid A
Kid A is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released in October 2000 by the Parlophone label. A commercial success worldwide, Kid A went platinum in its first week of release in the United Kingdom. Despite the lack of an official single or music video as publicity, Kid A...
, the live version of the song is often not performed with a brass section and is replaced with guitar played by Thom in a stop-start rhythm.
Radiohead has performed with a brass section in their 2000 performances in New York City (one of which was at Radiohead's taping for Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
using the house band), a 2001 performance in London for the BBC's
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Later with Jools Holland
Later with Jools Holland
Later... with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running in short series since 1992 and is a part of BBC Two's late-night line-up, usually at around 11pm to 12 midnight...
, during a 2001 concert in Paris, and on The Colbert Report in 2011 .
Cover versions
The National Anthem has been covered by JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese shamisen
Shamisen
The , also called is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually "shamisen" but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix . -Construction:The shamisen is a plucked stringed instrument...
duo Yoshida Brothers
Yoshida Brothers
The Yoshida Kyōdai are Japanese musicians and have released several albums under the Domo Records internationally as the Yoshida Brothers....
on their album Prism
Prism (Yoshida Brothers album)
-Track listing:* Titles in brackets are as they appear on the Japanese release track list.# The National Anthem# Seven# One Long River# Red Bird # Mr. Nagano's Foolish Proposal# Hujin # Akita Obako # Summer Day...
.
Meshell Ndegeocello covered it for the tribute album Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads
Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads
Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads is a tribute album to British band Radiohead released in 2006 on Rapster Records and Barely Breaking Even Records...
. Mr Russia
Mr Russia
Mr Russia is a garage rock band from Chicago, Illinois on Lens Records. The band is made up of Ivan , R.L , Lindi , and Rob . Excluding guitar from the bands instrumentation, Mr Russia has a unique sound notably drawing inspiration from Bob Haggart's Big Noise From Winnetka...
covered it for the tribute album Every Machine Makes A Mistake : A Tribute To Radiohead (FTC Records).
Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco , better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco , is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, Lupe is the CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food...
has used a sample of the song on the mixtape Enemy Of The State: A Love Story in the song "The National Anthem". Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
has also covered the song on a live performance.
Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....
covered the song live on New Year's Eve 2010.
the Jazz Passengers covered the song on their latest album ReunitedItalic text'--117.200.198.251 (talk) 09:30, 11 October 2011 (UTC)
Session Musicians
- Andy Bush - TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Steve Hamilton - Alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
- Martin Hathaway - Alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
- Andy Hamilton - Tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
- Mark LockheartMark LockheartMark Lockheart is a British jazz tenor saxophonist who came to prominence as a member of the Loose Tubes big band during the 1980s....
- Tenor saxophone - Stan HarrisonStan HarrisonStan Harrison is an American saxophonist who is also accomplished in playing other woodwind instruments, namely the horn, flute and clarinet. He has also written music for television. Harrison released his first solo album The Ties That Blind in 2000 on his own record label...
- Baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece... - Liam Kerkman - TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Mike Kersey - Bass trombone
- Henry Binns - Rhythm sampling