Daydreaming (Radiohead song)

"Daydreaming"
Single by Radiohead
from the album A Moon Shaped Pool
Released 6 May 2016
Format Download
Genre
Length 6:24
Label XL
Songwriter(s) Radiohead
Producer(s)
Radiohead singles chronology
"Burn the Witch"
(2016)		 "Daydreaming"
(2016)		 "I Promise"
(2017)

"Burn the Witch"
(2016)		 "Daydreaming"
(2016)		 "I Promise"
(2017)
Music video
"Daydreaming" on YouTube

"Daydreaming" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, produced by longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich. A piano ballad with strings arranged by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, it was released as a download on 6 May 2016 as the second single from Radiohead's ninth studio album A Moon Shaped Pool, accompanied by a music video directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Recording

"Daydreaming" was written by singer Thom Yorke; the rest of the band created the final arrangement.[1] For the song's introduction, the band slowed the tape, creating a pitch-warping effect.[1] The strings, recorded at RAK Studios in London,[2] were arranged by guitarist Jonny Greenwood and performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra, conducted by Hugh Brunt. The orchestra had previously worked with Greenwood on his score for the 2012 film The Master.[3][4] Cellist Oliver Coates said: "Nigel, Jonny and Thom all have this awesome relationship, and were so animated during the recording. I remember we were laying down the cello part at the end of 'Daydreaming' and Thom said, 'That's it – that is the sound of the record.'"[5] Greenwood had the cellists tune their cellos unusually low for the song, creating a "growling" sound.[6]

Music and lyrics

"Daydreaming" is a ballad[7][8] with a "simple, sad" piano motif, "spooky" backmasked vocals, and ambient,[9][10] electronic and orchestral elements.[11] It ends with reversed, manipulated vocals; when reversed, Yorke seems to be singing "Half of my life", "I've found my love", or "Every minute, half of my love".[12][13] Several critics felt the lyrics were coloured by Radiohead singer Thom Yorke's separation from his partner of 23 years Rachel Owen.[14][15][16][17] Pitchfork noted that this period was "about as long as Radiohead have been releasing music" and saw the song as a "reckoning with those years, and, in one way or another, an elegy to them".[18]

Music video

The "Daydreaming" music video was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, for whom Greenwood has composed several film scores.[19] In the video, Yorke walks through a series of doors and passageways leading to various disconnected locations, including a hotel, a hospital, a laundry, and a convenience store. He eventually climbs a snowy hill, enters a cave, and mouths the song's closing words as he lies down next to a fire.[19][20][21]

Promotion and release

"Daydreaming" was released as a download on 6 May 2016 on Radiohead's site and on streaming and digital media services.[22][23] Anderson and the band sent 35 mm prints of the music video to select theatres inviting them to screen it.[24] On 16 July 2016, Radiohead announced a fan competition to create a music video vignette for an alternative version of "Daydreaming" with additional strings.[25]

Reception

Pitchfork ranked "Daydreaming" the 24th best song of 2016, behind another Moon Shaped Pool track, "True Love Waits", at 9th.[18]

Track listing

Download[22]
No.TitleLength
1."Daydreaming"6:24

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[26] 73
France (SNEP)[27] 28
Ireland (IRMA)[28] 84
Italy (FIMI)[29] 88
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[30] 74
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[31] 12

References

  1. 1 2 "All Songs +1: A Conversation With Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood". Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  2. ↑ "Hear Radiohead's New Album "A Moon Shaped Pool" at 11pm tonight on the FTW New Music Show". 91X FM. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  3. ↑ Gibsone, Harriet (7 May 2016). "Radiohead's new album to be released on Sunday". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  4. ↑ Larson, Jeremy D. "Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool: The 5 Most Important Things To Know". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Radiohead's secret weapon Oliver Coates brings the spirit of Arthur Russell back to the dancefloor". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. Retrieved 2016-05-28.
  6. ↑ "Radiohead interview: 'It's a very happy time' - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  7. ↑ "Radiohead - Daydreaming (Singles Going Steady)". PopMatters. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
  8. ↑ "Radiohead Search For Respite From Life's Harsh Realities On Fragile, Beautiful New Track 'Daydreaming'". NME. 2016-05-06. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
  9. ↑ "Radiohead release new song. Album to drop tomorrow". Triple J. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  10. ↑ Day, Laurence (6 May 2016). "Radiohead announce new album, drop new single "Daydreaming"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  11. ↑ Sodomsky, Sam (2015-05-06). "Radiohead: "Daydreaming"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  12. ↑ Blake, Emily (2016-05-06). "What's Thom Yorke mumbling about at the end of 'Daydreaming'?". Mashable. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  13. ↑ Phillips, Amy; Monroe, Jazz (2016-05-06). "Radiohead Announce New Album Release Date, Share "Daydreaming" Video". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  14. ↑ Larson, Jeremy D. "Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool: The 5 Most Important Things To Know". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  15. ↑ Pareles, Jon (8 May 2016). "In Radiohead's 'A Moon Shaped Pool', Patient Perfectionism". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  16. ↑ Joffe, Justin (9 May 2016). "Radiohead Swims in Gorgeous Despondency on 'A Moon Shaped Pool'". New York Observer. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  17. ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (10 May 2016). "Dancing in the Moonlight with Radiohead". MTV. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  18. 1 2 "The 100 Best Songs of 2016 - Page 8 | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
  19. 1 2 Bradley, Laura. "Radiohead Drops Video from Paul Thomas Anderson, Announces Release Date for New Album". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  20. ↑ Young, Alex / Geslani, Michelle (6 May 2016). "Radiohead to release new album on Sunday, premiere "Daydreaming" video". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  21. ↑ Kreps, Daniel / Reed, Ryan (6 May 2016). "Radiohead Release Stunning 'Daydreaming' Video Ahead of New Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  22. 1 2 "Daydreaming – Single by Radiohead". iTunes US. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  23. ↑ "Radiohead – Daydreaming – XL". Bleep. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  24. ↑ Yoo, Noah (7 May 2016). "Radiohead's "Daydreaming" Video is Being Played in Select Movie Theaters". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "Radiohead reveal alternate version of "Daydreaming" for vignette contest". 2016-07-15. Retrieved 2016-07-16.
  26. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (14 May 2016). "ARIA Singles: Drake 'One Dance' Still No 1". Noise11. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  27. ↑ "France Top Singles Charts(Week 19,2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  28. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 19, 2016". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  29. ↑ "Top Digital - Classifica settimanale WK 19 (dal 2016-05-06 al 2016-05-12)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  31. ↑ "Radiohead Chart History (Hot Rock Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
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