An Analysis of Hail to The Thief

[@Stemp]

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the support on this video! I have a few more Radiohead Analysis's on this channel in this playlist if you wanna check em out! kzbin.info/aero/PLmZ9dR2Nm9wszaDJ4aVL4pYz0G-ezR9Yp

[@clarkfishbak134]

ayyyyy thanks for makin it i remember asking if u could do it a long time ago and you said som like "it'll be hard cause its very political" but hey its here now and its lookin good yo keep it up

[@sharifhassan4817]

Za we@

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

Favorite album during high school. I used to write 2+2=5 on all my math homework. My geometry teacher was a fan of Radiohead, so he appreciated the reference.

[@sa_exploder]

Lmao, I had a similar experience. My chemistry teacher was a big Radiohead fan, and at that point, I had only really heard Creep, High and Dry, and maybe Karma Police on the radio. A combination of him playing this album during lab and watching the There, There video on MTV/Fuse really sparked my love for this band. HTTT will always hold a special place for me for being the first Radiohead album I bought and played ad nauseum. For being the “middle child” of their discography, it really kicks ass.

[@limalu144]

Hail To the Thief is SUCH an underrated album. I'm so happy it's finally getting the attention it deserves!!

[@michaelbebie7273]

Same take. It's a nice combination of raw and polished

[@eduardozepol2000]

it's technically my 3rd least favorite Radiohead album but even then I agree

[@jacel987]

Wake up babe new Stemp Radiohead analysis just dropped

[@RaphaelTimothy]

Thank you!

[@smartavocado8319]

Wake me up, will you wake me up??

[@ayushyadav6348]

Thanks dude 🫂

[@RaphaelTimothy]

@@smartavocado8319 wake me up, when septem-

[@mishanyabot]

@@smartavocado8319 TKOL MENTIONED 🗣️🗣️

[@pancaketia]

this is my favourite radiohead album, and its a shame that most people rate it lowly.

[@matthewwalter5432]

This is your favorite how

[@pancaketia]

omg tysm lol kinda sad a punch up at a wedding isnt there tho.. I like that song a lot@@slb5247

[@thisdeath]

I LOVE THIS ALBUM SOO SOO MUCH (not my fav by radiohead but still omgosh)

[@looselytelling]

Why is 'I blubbed my eyes out' so adorable? Wtf Thom, you're not allowed to be that cute

[@Subaru76757]

There, There is a top 10 radiohead song

[@maroooon09]

34:00 myxomatosis jumpscare 😨

[@planeguy95]

Funny thing though is ‘In Rainbows’ is actually much happier sounding than ‘Hail To The Thief’

[@word9484]

This has always been my personal favorite Radiohead album, I’m so glad it’s finally getting recognition 😊

[@georgexqcL]

HELL YESSSS MY FAVOURITE ALBUM

[@Misthiosis]

5:06 CHICKEN LICKIN' GOOSEY LOOSEY

[@wtz_under]

where your flying googles!

[@Toasdio]

This album is, really, sentimental-driven. Such anger and such sadness and anxiety and... Not knowing what to do If you listen to it, like i did, where all of these were present, you reeeally get into the album great video bruv, gonna watch the others now

[@Undersans]

I just clicked on the "A Tribute To Amnesiac" video, saw a comment saying they would love to see a HTTT video. I looked over & saw this. Insane timing. I have some watching to do, & I'm very excited to see both of these analysis videos

[@patriciarios8443]

i'm so happy to see hail to the thief getting some attention (in comparison to OK Computer and Kid A) finally! one of my faves from them

[@_rkrd]

Thank you to the reviewer who made "Punch up at a wedding" possible. One of my favorites from the album.

[@millymints]

It’s such an underrated track, I never see anyone talk about it!

[@wtz_under]

it didnt hit even after a few plays for me. but i decided to play shuffled httt today on the bus, and that song actually punched me and hooked me up

[@ceoofpacifism]

man sometimes i forget how relatively small the channel is cause of the sheer quality god bless

[@doovid_]

I'm so glad you made a video on this, HTTT is definitely my favorite Radiohead album, so it's great to hear about all of the details and background I didn't know about!

[@Stemp]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@exkaliburdraws4271]

The fact that thw lyrics were made in a rush and have such power still amazes me. As I grow older, I find myself going from one album to another and analysing my experiences along with Radiohead's tracks, and they've been a big inspiration in my life. Radiohead is and will be the greatest band of all time

[@markhartfield8186]

I love singing along to this album. I've no idea what it's about but... Who gives a do da.

[@sp00can]

i will forever hold that hail to the thief would be the best radiohead album if thom had his way with the tracklist. funnily enough, i feel similarly about pavement’s terror twilight (where i prefer nigel godrich’s suggested tracklist over spiral stairs’). as it is, it’s only my favorite radiohead album. edit: the

[@LEMOnBRaINn]

What’s funny about myxomatosis is the disease effects rabbits but he’s talking about cats getting laid lmao

[@stovepop]

I love the album it's definitely of a era like Blur's Think Tank album I don't think In Rainbows would of existed without the heavy lifting on Hail to the thief

[@avory8517]

new stemp video is more important than new years or christmas LETS GOOOO

[@millenium_bug]

Astonished by the relatively low view count of this. Just insanely incredible work, I look forward for more to come of these Radiohead album analysis videos!

[@connorm1817]

lol the video has only been out for 1 day

[@ecg8510]

Finally a video about my favorite Radiohead record

[@robbiepeterh]

This was peak-paranoia Thom and 19 year old me swallowed it all and really took his ideas seriously…

[@christophervanasse9911]

I played this in my car and the stereo ejected a British custard desert that promptly smashed into my face whilst driving

[@anabell7184]

the album cover art is ace! and i like the song scatterbrain

[@Drrwbie]

Not to rush you or anything, bit are you planning on making an analysis on in rainbows. Love the content btw

[@Stemp]

Eventually yes!

[@Drrwbie]

@@Stemp nice

[@crispybaboy]

THE GOAT IS BACK

[@AnnQuebecPolska]

I listen to Hail To The Thief regularly and some songs daily ! ❤

[@SovereignSpectre]

Another interesting thing to note, this album was the last album Radiohead had a deal with their major record label EMI as they had a 6 album deal once they got signed. Once they finished this album, their contract was up and free from that major record label which showcases in how they presented In Rainbows. So that is another interesting aspect to add to the them of Hail To The Theif.

[@yaakovgrunsfeld]

Love veckatimest in the background

[@lewisbaitup6352]

This was a pleasent suprise to cap off the year, HTTT is one of my favourite radiohead albums so it's nice to have this analysis and learn about the reasoning of the lyrics during the making of this album and also hear thom's explanation of the lyrics, its defo an underrated radiohead album.

[@CakedZer0]

thank you so much for this this will entertain me for 45 whole minutes

[@Pebbleton]

Hail to The Thief was the album that really got me into Radiohead.

[@orbinsolem]

Finally, love these videos!!! httt is such an underrated album

[@vanilla_milkshake]

I love Radiohead mainly for their music writing and song production, but I never really looked that deeply into the lyrics. This video will definitely make me look at this album a lot differently!

[@adwitatherealadwita]

Finally, someone makes a video about my favorite album.

[@AmoneyM]

I’ve been waiting for another one in this series, they’re always great work. Excited to watch it!

[@sakura_pompadour]

great analysis! i like how httt stands out among other albums due to its political nature and length, and it's interesting to learn why that is. It's an awesome album and it really helps me personally to get through the pain in the ass that is modern day Russia. That raw, angry political energy is very relatable and represents those frustrations well.

[@Mitisz48]

This is amazing, thank you! Please do the remaining Radiohead albums too!

[@GIBKEL]

You are a man after my own heart. I had gotten the my vinyl out just last week and damn if it doesn’t sound great. Then threw on OK….. absolutely capturing each time it existed yet perfectly still reflect real life, true stories, and warnings of more times to come. I finally watched the whole of that Amnesiac French Canal TV….not sure I had seen it and man they are great, even in their despair. Maybe especially despair. Then being on a theme(hint….it’s often Radiohead-it’s some kind of musical euphoria) and watched the live in Montreux The Smile. It may have been the first time I’ve ever seen Johnny really show himself on guitar. He shys away from any guitar hero but it sure was nice to see. I’ve always enjoyed your videos. I’ve never read much about them but I really enjoy it in context of the songs. Damn if we haven’t even backslid further than I ever thought possible. I was naive to think we hand gotten past many issues. Cheers and happy New Years!

[@EPMTUNES]

In terms of all radiohead albums, I never preferred this one for its more ambiguous lyrics, but this video has changed my mind. What I know realize is that the lyrics vagueness acts to allow the listener to put their own interpretation on them, one that they may subconsciously feel. For example, in We Suck Young Blood, I always thought it was about the desire of the elite to have what they can't have, namely youth. Now I realize it means (can also be interpreted as?) exploitation of the young for stardom. In There, there, I always saw the song as the public are just one piece of information away from tragedy (like a revolution when finding out about corruption. Your interpretation of it being instead about love I agree is much more fitting once you know about it. I feel like this way to describe a relationship that shouldn't happen is really unique and done in a way i've never seen before. As for Where I End and You Begin, I always thought it was about people who disagree on such a fundamental level that they could never see eye to eye, which leads one of the people (the speaker in the song) to want to destroy the other. I thought it was a commentary on the extremism due to the news media that made it easy to see issues as black and white and without a desire to compromise. The interpretation of it being about de-personalization was one that I was not likely to get as I haven't really experienced anything like that. Overall, amazing video. This album has always been one of my least favorite of theirs, but this video puts it into a whole different perspective and has made me appreciate its content so much more.

[@superdave9159]

Hail to the Thief gets overlooked due to OKC Kid A Mnesia and In Rainbows being its siblings but I find myself listening to it more than their other albums over time. It’s got the widest variety that gets pulled together perfectly by 2+2=5 and A Wolf at the Door. Best openers and closers on Radiohead albums imo.

[@GIBKEL]

This album just has a burning quality that threw me after Amnesiac. Every time I listen, it simmers and burns and I always have a amnesia about it . After the two previous efforts, I guess I bought into the veer but it sounds completely cohesive these days. And as a side note, it was the last great lp pressing they did at 45 rpm. Punch up at a wedding is a favorite but what isn’t if I’m in it….and I’m always in it to some degree. Thom’s turn of phrases have a way of describing the internal battles of a conscious life, of pain in illness, the frustration of an uncomfortable conformity of performance. A release valve of everything I fear and dare speak. It is vicarious relief that someone is saying it and I’m not alone, having lived it right along the way. There there.

[@javzgalindo]

I always interpret the haunting "maybe in the flood you'll build an ark" line in Sail to the Moon as a reference to climate change and rising sea levels. I always thought it was such a melancholy song for his son,

[@Radiohead3762]

Oh my goodness ive been waiting for this ever since i saw the ok computer and kid a and Amnesiac and asmp analysis. Wow this is a great analysis! Good job keep up the goodwork!

[@elliottfalt]

I’ve always wanted to know more about this underrated album, great analysis

[@ecokola]

I can't say whats my favourite radiohead album is, because art for me its not about grades ou first positions, but HTTT is amazing! I love each music of it and the sequence is so good! Man, thanks for the great content. You did and amazing job!

[@influx5821]

The beautiful thing about httt is that it's so vague and ambiguous that someone can listen to the whole album or just one song and have a totally different interpretation or feeling than someone else. You said it felt warm and being in california helped that, I feel the exact opposite. It feels cold and dark, like a British autumn day. That might be because I discovered a lot of the songs from this album in autumn, and listened to them on my commute to work/college. In my opinion it's radioheads second best album. Even the lyrics can have several different interpretations and convey different ideas depending on how you look at them. One day I'd like to make a review of httt and talk about my ideas and what ideas the songs conveyed to me, but we'll see

[@killiangrant3526]

I love punch-up at a wedding but it's meaning doesn't work with me cos it comes after I will which is about senseless war and it transitions to punch up perfectly. Personally I feel it's about senseless war and ruining any chance at peace. I just feel it's more in theme with the rest of the album from that view but I'd definitely be angry if someone wrote at horrible review of my best performance enough to write a masterpiece about it

[@nepesilva2284]

@@killiangrant3526 I think that’s part of the beauty of Thom Yorke’s writing. The song may have been inspired by a specific event in his life, but the way it’s written can be applied to many other things, and of course it can apply to the listener in a personal way.

[@boyreporter]

really enjoyed this, looking forward to checking out others

[@thuskranger3735]

Thank you for the analysis, Stemp. What next álbum are you going to research on the future? It would be cool if you research In The Court of The Crimson King by King Crimson which had a lot of lore.👍

[@Stemp]

Thanks for watching! Nothin specific picked yet, but I will keep that one in mind!

[@thuskranger3735]

@Stemp Just want to let you know is that this album contains jazz, medieval classics, and prog rock fused together to make a complex yet fantastic songs. Thank you for reading my comment and Happy New Years.

[@balloonxm]

legendary vid! one of their best albums, always thought i'd die on this hill alone

[@lambda1863]

Punch up at a wedding is my favorite song on the album. The whole thing about the album being mostly improvised kind of makes sense because when i listen to the album i really liked it because it was a nive collection of really solid songs. Also ive always said that the only reason hail to the thief is underrated is because its a radiohead album if most bands made hail to the thief it would be considered one of their best

[@NarrowShouldersOpenMind]

The album was not “improvised.” Jeez

[@wtz_under]

i love the expression in thom's vocals on that song

[@BomChickyBowWow]

I have a clear memory of sitting at the dining table with a portable cd player listening to this album with headphones while my dad watched footage of Iraq on the nightly news and for some reason I always remember that

[@nomorefielders]

This is genuinely an amazing analysis of an underrated album. Love the footage you use as accompaniment. Looking forward to seeing your analysis on In Rainbows

[@IvanFlavin]

Great stuff as always. Didnt have the "someone's on your shoulder" text on screen, heads up :)

[@KelInSomWer]

FINALLY, a video for radiohead's best album

[@infectedgoat7775]

Thank you Stemp! If you find time or inspired can you analyze the “Street Spirit” video? It’s so creepy and the last song on the Bends which is a dark transition into what was to come! Thanks again!

[@thisdeath]

yea HTTT just one of BEST ALBUM IN THIS WORLD (i love this so much)

[@DISKollection]

really enjoyed the video, watched the whole thing

[@bluecandyart8596]

I think the meaning of there there it less complicated, he is talking about when you don´t have your glasses and you can´t see something... and you are like there there.

[@knife-chase]

Great video! I love in depth alvum rubdowns i hope you keep ut up!

[@EPMTUNES]

Excellent video. I appreciate how you don't look too far into some lyrics, ie., if Thom said it means nothing, it means nothing. I always interpreted the Go To Sleep "over my dead body" lyrics as a traditional/conservative character responding to change. Through your analysis, though, I can tell that each time its used its in a different context and with a different meaning, which is pretty cool. Its both literal and figurative, hopeless and agressive.

[@Android480]

This album is almost theatrical, but I find it devastating. Really meaningful album to me, I spent my senior year summer driving around with just a single CD in my car, it became the soundtrack to that period of my life.

[@pukzel]

love these vids so much :D

[@FellaMakingVideos]

Babe wake up, new Stemp upload

[@waterboatmanfan]

Grrrr the 1998 meeting people is easy footage while talking about httt *my eyes turn red

[@amccaddon1]

This was a brilliant watch, well done. While I do think HTTT is one of their weaker albums, I find that the Thom Yorke alt tracklist elevates this album to be one of their best. (Although losing 'I will' was pretty brutal)

[@zayd3340]

Just found your channel, what a threat. Nice work mate.

[@0nearmedbandit]

HTTT was my first Radiohead album. It helped me escape the music box I was stuck in as a kid. I still see the appeal of OK Computer and Kid A, and why they are objectively better albums. But HTTT is still my favorite because it feels like a marriage of the elements of the two, and that marriage was appealing to me, and caused me to want to seek out the rest. Also, to this day I can't pick between Airbag and 2+2=5 as 'the best album opener of all time', they're both so gripping.

[@wtz_under]

airbag, planet telex, you (controversial), and 2+2=5 are terribly great album openers

[@tensefragile5242]

amazing video

[@AndrewRiviera-vx5ix]

Thanks for making these videos Stemp 👍

[@Chi_The_Cat_0]

I always thought he'd said "I sought the moon. I spoke too soon."

[@callumiscool576]

You make every album sound like a cohesive story i like it can you do in rainbows next pls ❤❤❤

[@thmyrk]

RADIOHEAD RAHHHH 🗣️🔥🔥🔥‼️

[@pociug1325]

Mann, Good job, i love this album, one of my favorite albums ever, and this video made me like httt even more, exploring the world of the songs I love so much. Thank You for posting this video, the editing makes it even better and aahh I love it so much.

[@iysil]

Enjoyed. Thanks❤

[@matees3660]

its my favourite

[@jadesword4103]

WOOOO awesome video. You should do in rainbows next.

[@waterboatmanfan]

This is an awesome video

[@smartavocado8319]

King of limbs analysis when?

[@radioheadpodcast]

A great album. Their third best IMO.

[@OdPlomp89]

Amazing 😍😍

[@chairsmissing]

The most underappreciated Radiohead album imho, the b-sided exemplify the depth of its creative output. Its biggest downfall is it feels a bit bloated, but to me, it's perfect because of its imperfections.

[@ireallydontcareabouthandles]

HTTT is my personal favorite. A lot of people think this one's scattershot and overlong but to me it has a very consistent, forlorn, even autumnal tone to it. I see it this way - if OK Computer, Kid A and Amnesiac all successively delve deeper into socio-political anxieties, HTTT represents a breaking point where you just...can't care anymore. You see how bad it all is but there's a detachment, like "what the hell can I do to change any of this?", and I especially see it in songs like 2+2=5, Backdrifts, There There, Scatterbrain and Wolf on the Door, but I think this sense of detachment and powerlessness pervades the near entirety of the album, with Sail to the Moon perhaps being the one spot of hope in that future generations might have a chance of not being so fucked up.

[@jadesword4103]

radiohead when videofeet walks in 😱

[@flosad8985]

Thank you.

[@aydenjenkins8760]

As of lately I've listened to the album as tracks 1-9 and 14. I think it works quite well that way. More consistent and less bloated. There, There is such a high point that I think contiuing the album much further past that leads to it dragging, even if you lose some good songs such as Myxomatosis and Scatterbrain. But overall, I love this album. Definitely in my top 5 of Radiohead albums.

[@TheChasedanger]

Nahhhhh

[@theorangeoof926]

40:00 Fun Fact: “A Wolf At The Door” sampled its opening from “She’s So Heavy/I Want You” from the Beatles. They sound stupidly similar.

[@kaymx7156]

Loved the analysis, is there any sources where i can check all the info? it's for a project!

[@yayayaokoksure]

My analysis: incredible and heavy. Drugs required.

[@cringe4173]

Lets goooooo

[@cf06]

YESSSSSS

[@belivery7104]

Stemp I love you

[@fallenangelcrimson]

let’s sing all hail to the thief let’s sing all hail to the thief

[@queenmiller13]

LETS GOOOOOOOOO