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"Just" is a single by English alternative rock band Radiohead, released in 1995. It is the seventh track on their 1995 album The Bends. Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke wrote the song about a narcissistic friend of his, which on closer inspection is showcased by the imagery in the lyrics - a parallel to earlier My Iron Lung EP track "Lewis [Mistreated]". He also says that it was something of a competition between him and Jonny Greenwood to see who could fit the most chords into a song. The chorus section contains a clear use of the octatonic scale—Jonny Greenwood's favourite scale[1]—on an ever-ascending path which harmonises against a four-chord progression.
In the UK, this single was available as two CDs: the first one featured different tracks, and the colour of the cover art on the second single was inverted. In 2007, NME placed "Just" at number 34 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever. In 2008 it entered the Radiohead: The Best Of collection.
Music video
The single's video was directed by Jamie Thraves, who was hand-picked by the band after they saw several of his experimental short films. It was shot near Liverpool Street Station in London, and intersperses footage of Radiohead playing the song inside an apartment with scenes of a middle-aged man (played by Dorian Lough) who lies down in the middle of the pavement just outside the apartment building. People start to gather, thinking that something must be wrong with the man, and the band are shown looking out the window at the events below. A heated (subtitled) conversation between the man and the crowd develops, as the people start demanding to know what the man is doing and why he is lying there. In subtitles, the man finally gives in and says, "Yes I'll tell you, I'll tell why I'm lying here... but God forgive me... and God help us all... because you don't know what you ask of me." The camera zooms in on his mouth as the man finally gives the answer, but the subtitles have now stopped, leaving what he said open to the viewer's interpretation. As the camera zooms back out, it shows the pavement covered with the crowd of people, all lying down just like the man.
EnglishDJ and producerMark Ronson released a cover version of the song in February 2008, the fourth single from his second album Version. The song had been released earlier under the compilation Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads (a Radiohead album tribute) but was never given much promotion by the label. The song quickly gained airplay, being featured in BBC Radio 1's "A-List". The version on Exit Music featured Alex Greenwald on vocals and Sam Farrar on bass, both of the band Phantom Planet, however, the single release credits the entire band.
The song played as the follow-up to "Valerie", which was still inside the UK top 20 upon the "Just" release. "Just" reached #31 after its release and fell to #36 a week later. A music video was made for the song. Directed by Jim Canty, it acted as a sequel to and paid homage to the earlier Radiohead video.
Other uses
Shortly after its release, MTV used the guitar melody as background music in commercials that listed specific show's sponsors.
