Chords for The Dark Meaning Behind Radiohead’s "15 Step"

Tempo:
70.775 bpm
Chords used:

G

C

Db

Abm

A

Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
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The Dark Meaning Behind Radiohead’s "15 Step" chords
Start Jamming...
It's over to the supreme god of music Tom York
Hello, Jimmy
We released our new album in rainbows
Can you tell me?
Can you tell me?
Can the panel tell me?
What was special [C] about that?
[G] [C] on October 10th
[Cm] 2007 in rainbows was released online with surprisingly no leaks because this time
[Gm] Radiohead had released it themselves with [C] no record label behind them
They still created an amazing project with the [Em] freedom of their own [G] rollout
So what did they [C] do?
They let you pay however much you wanted including?
$0
[Gm] the band ended up making [C] more profit than they had made on their previous record by cutting out the third [G] party label that would take
A big sum of the money in the end [C] by allowing anyone to listen to it free of charge
They had basically brought back the spirit [G] and moral of music while [C] simultaneously
Attracting a whole new audience.
It [Em] shouldn't be about money.
It should be [G] about how good the album sounds
[Ab] Then they had this thing this target market thing where they tried to establish who could who they could target
Okay computer at next and we became obsessed about it managed to get hold of the of the marketing research and used it as artwork for something
Number one [Db] now Tom York acts much more personal here the lyrics [Gb] speak about things
We all feel at times including the good and the bad
I think it's usually glossed over that this album can not only be their most [Db] positive
But also their most raw and blatant at times
It's as if you cracked open Tom's head and his emotions are just flooding into each and every [Abm] track
15 [Eb] step is almost unanimously known as the happiest Radiohead song because of its major key
It might be a shock but at its core this song features extremely [Bbm] dark and gut-wrenching
Lyrics similar to songs like hey, yeah by outcast [F] the band misleads you easily if you [Bb] don't grab and hold on to [Db] everything that Tom
Says the [B] song sets the tone for what's to come as an interesting blend [Am] of okay computers airbag
[A]
[Eb] today's idiotic
[Gm] 15 step is an explosive and groovy opener and the time signature 5-4
This isn't common in majority of mainstream music although this isn't Radiohead's first [Gb] time experimenting with it in tracks like morning bell
He uses 5-4 to put a sense of uneasiness and unpredictability in the song
[G] [D] [G]
[D] Here they use it the same way
the extra beat added into each measure paves the way for some bizarre drum patterns laying the groundwork for the [A] melodies that just glide over
the top of them in the first words of the album Tom is already frustrated with how he
Repeatedly makes [Gb] mistakes and can't leave the cycle of a disappointing companion.
How come I end up where I started?
How come I end up where I went wrong won't take my eyes off the ball again
[G] You reel me out
Then you cut the string
The narrator [Bb] uses a fishing metaphor to say that [A] he constantly falls in love only to be toyed with and rejected
It goes by the metaphor saying there's plenty of fish in the sea
He's just one of the many people that are stuck looking for someone [Abm] and then the chorus comes in inviting a warm guitar line
into the mix and Tom sings
[Ebm] [Db]
[Abm] This leads to the alternate and much darker meaning behind the track one by one one by one it comes to us all
It's as soft as your pillow.
The narrator looks to death
This is only solution and he won't be satisfied until he doesn't have to deal with things anymore
15 is a reoccurring number in Tom York's lyrics and it stands as a cipher for death on climbing up the walls
He sings 15 blows to the back of your head 15 blows to your mind and on just don't get my sympathy
Hanging out the 15th floor.
The last piece of the puzzle here is in the last words of the second verse
[B] [Db]
[Abm] 15 is the approximate height of a long drop gallows and provides a meaning behind the song title
This line changes the demeanor of all the [E] lyrics before it
He increases the intensity and the impact of his crisis with just one line
Cutting the string now means well, you know what?
He's been so drained by the repetition that he decides to end it all
It looks like the only escape for his lack of inspiration and love
This was the happiest radio Hudson.
Thank you for watching
[G]
[Am]
Key:  
G
2131
C
3211
Db
12341114
Abm
123111114
A
1231
G
2131
C
3211
Db
12341114
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It's over to the supreme god of music Tom York
Hello, Jimmy _ _
We released our new album in rainbows
Can you tell me?
_ Can you tell me?
Can the panel tell me?
What was special [C] about that? _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _ [C] on October 10th
[Cm] 2007 in rainbows was released online with surprisingly no leaks because this time
[Gm] Radiohead had released it themselves with [C] no record label behind them
They still created an amazing project with the [Em] freedom of their own [G] rollout
So what did they [C] do?
They let you pay however much you wanted including?
$0
[Gm] the band ended up making [C] more profit than they had made on their previous record by cutting out the third [G] party label that would take
A big sum of the money in the end [C] by allowing anyone to listen to it free of charge
They had basically brought back the spirit [G] and moral of music while [C] simultaneously
Attracting a whole new audience.
It [Em] shouldn't be about money.
It should be [G] about how good the album sounds
[Ab] Then they had this thing this target market thing where they tried to establish who could who they could target
Okay computer at next and we became obsessed about it managed to get hold of the of the marketing research and used it as artwork for something
Number one [Db] now Tom York acts much more personal here the lyrics [Gb] speak about things
We all feel at times including the good and the bad
I think it's usually glossed over that this album can not only be their most [Db] positive
But also their most raw and blatant at times
It's as if you cracked open Tom's head and his emotions are just flooding into each and every [Abm] track
15 [Eb] step is almost unanimously known as the happiest Radiohead song because of its major key
It might be a shock but at its core this song features extremely [Bbm] dark and gut-wrenching
Lyrics similar to songs like hey, yeah by outcast [F] the band misleads you easily if you [Bb] don't grab and hold on to [Db] everything that Tom
Says the [B] song sets the tone for what's to come as an interesting blend [Am] of okay computers airbag
_ [A] _ _ _ _
[Eb] today's idiotic
_ _ [Gm] _ _ 15 step is an explosive and groovy opener and the time signature 5-4
This isn't common in majority of mainstream music although this isn't Radiohead's first [Gb] time experimenting with it in tracks like morning bell
He uses 5-4 to put a sense of uneasiness and unpredictability in the song
[G] _ _ [D] _ _ _ [G] _ _
[D] _ _ Here they use it the same way
the extra beat added into each measure paves the way for some bizarre drum patterns laying the groundwork for the [A] melodies that just glide over
the top of them in the first words of the album Tom is already frustrated with how he
Repeatedly makes [Gb] mistakes and can't leave the cycle of a disappointing companion.
How come I end up where I started?
How come I end up where I went wrong won't take my eyes off the ball again
[G] You reel me out
Then you cut the string
The narrator [Bb] uses a fishing metaphor to say that [A] he constantly falls in love only to be toyed with and rejected
It goes by the metaphor saying there's plenty of fish in the sea
He's just one of the many people that are stuck looking for someone [Abm] and then the chorus comes in inviting a warm guitar line
into the mix and Tom sings
_ _ _ [Ebm] _ _ [Db] _ _
[Abm] This leads to the alternate and much darker meaning behind the track one by one one by one it comes to us all
It's as soft as your pillow.
The narrator looks to death
This is only solution and he won't be satisfied until he doesn't have to deal with things anymore
15 is a reoccurring number in Tom York's lyrics and it stands as a cipher for death on climbing up the walls
He sings 15 blows to the back of your head 15 blows to your mind and on just don't get my sympathy
Hanging out the 15th floor.
The last piece of the puzzle here is in the last words of the second verse
_ _ [B] _ _ [Db] _ _
[Abm] 15 is the approximate height of a long drop gallows and provides a meaning behind the song title
This line changes the demeanor of all the [E] lyrics before it
He increases the intensity and the impact of his crisis with just one line
Cutting the string now means well, you know what?
He's been so drained by the repetition that he decides to end it all
It looks like the only escape for his lack of inspiration and love
This was the happiest radio Hudson.
Thank you for watching _ _ _ _
[G] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[Am] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _