"Subterranean Homesick Alien"

Paper Summary:

In this article the writer discusses the alternative rock song "Subterranean Homesick Alien" by Radiohead. The writer looks at other music of the 1990s. In this essay the writer reflects on the disaffection and marginalization of Generation X. The writer also discusses how Radiohead's song mirrors Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues". Further, the writer explores the irony present within the song, especially "They're uptight!" versus "I'm uptight". The writer concludes that "Subterranean Homesick Alien" is a picture of an apathetic generation unsure of its direction and too nervous to find that direction on its own.

From the Paper:

"In the early 1990s, popular music began to abandon the bombastic heavy metal that had so dominated the 1980s. With the economies of Britain and the United States waning, the excess celebrated by '80s hair metal no longer seemed relevant or plausible for young rock fans. Bands such as Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins experienced unparalleled popularity despite their fascination with pessimistic themes of solitude and cynicism. "Subterranean Homesick Alien," the third song on Radiohead's 1997 album Ok Computer, deals very specifically with these themes as well. Though unmistakably alternative rock, the song combines a number of influences and ideas that make it wholly unique within the genre. The song is, however, representative lyrically and musically of the disaffected Generation X ethos that was so prominent during the early to 1990s."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Charlton, Katherine. Rock Music Styles: A History. 4th Edition. New York: McGraw Hill, 2003. 345.
• www.acclaimedmusic.net. With five albums ranking among the top 500 of all time, including three albums (The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A) rated as the best released in their respective years, this seems like an understatement.
• "OK Computer." Wikipedia. 15 April 2007. Quotation cited to: "The Making of Ok Computer." Melody Maker. 24 May 1997. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ok_Computer.
• All quoted Radiohead lyrics in this paper come from: "Subterranean Homesick Alien." Green Plastic Radiohead. http://www.greenplastic.com/lyrics/subterranean.php, 2006. Written 1997.
• All quoted Bob Dylan lyrics in this paper come from: "Subterranean Homesick Blues." http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/subterranean.html. Written 1965.

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