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Exit Music (For a Film)

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"Exit Music"
Song

"Exit Music (For a Film)" is a song by Radiohead, written specifically for the closing credits of the 1996 film William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Although not included on either of the two soundtrack albums at the request of Thom Yorke, the song appears on the band's highly acclaimed third album, OK Computer (1997). It was heavily inspired by Frédéric Chopin's Prelude No. 4 in E Minor although, ELO's 1983 B side, "After All" seems a more likely influence as it strays from the Chopin Prelude in many ways found in Radiohead's melody.[citation needed]

Music and lyrics

The moment in the film when Claire Danes (as Juliet) holds a gun to her head was the actual inspiration for "Exit Music". Thom Yorke also had the 1968 adaptation of the play (Romeo and Juliet) in his head: "I saw the Zeffirelli version when I was 13 and I cried my eyes out, because I couldn't understand why, the morning after they shagged, they didn't just run away. The song is written for two people who should run away before all the bad stuff starts. A personal song." The director of the movie, Baz Luhrmann, revealed in the DVD commentary that he believes it is one of the greatest film exit songs ever written.

The song is mostly very sombre and quiet, but builds to a climax at the end as the heavily compressed bass and drums enter. In live performances, Jonny Greenwood slides a coin up and down the strings of his guitar, using a Roland Space Echo to create the eerie sounds heard throughout the song. In the studio version, the ambient sound is actually a recording of children playing played backwards. The studio version also features the eerie sound of a Mellotron choir.[1] The distinctive fuzzy bass guitar featured in the climax is courtesy of the Shin-ei Companion FY-2 fuzz pedal.

The lyrics of the song depict a scene of "a lover addressing his beloved, as they prepare for some daring and a secret escape."[2] The lyrical themes of the song has been associated with the topic of "loner against the world" of 1970s.[3] The song also shares the same motif and thematic concept of "breathing" with the Pink Floyd song, "Breathe." The third verse of the song also alludes to the first three lines of The Dark Side of the Moon.[4]

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic stated that the song has a "gothic crawl."[5] Greg Cot of Chicago Tribune wrote: "The crushingly lovely folk-pop of "Exit Music (For A Film)" ends with a disturbing wish, repeated over and over: "We hope that you choke."[6]

Cover versions

The song has become a popular modern jazz standard after jazz pianist Brad Mehldau recorded the song on Songs: The Art of the Trio Volume Three (1998) and on the live albums Art of the Trio 4: Back at the Vanguard (1999) and Live in Marciac (2011). His studio recording was featured in the movie Unfaithful in 2002. Other cover versions have been made by Miranda Sex Garden in 2001, Scala & Kolacny Brothers, Vampire Weekend, Easy Star All-Stars, Christopher O'Riley in 2003, performer Amanda Palmer covered the song on her 2010 EP Amanda Palmer Performs the Popular Hits of Radiohead on Her Magical Ukulele. The song is also featured on Strung Out on OK Computer: The String Quartet Tribute to Radiohead.

In other media

The song is featured in the final episode of Father Ted, "Going to America". Father Kevin (Tommy Tiernan) is brought out his depression by Father Ted playing "Theme from Shaft" by Isaac Hayes; however, he then boards a bus, where he hears "Exit Music", and becomes depressed again.

The song is also used during the ending credits of the film After.Life (2009) directed by Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo and in the Brazilian film 2 Coelhos directed by Afonso Poyart.

The last book of the Rebus-series by Ian Rankin is named Exit Music after this song.[citation needed]

Personnel

Radiohead
Additional personnel

References

  1. ^ "Radiohead review". Planet Mellotron. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  2. ^ Everett, Walter. Expression in Pop-rock Music: A Collection of Critical and Analytical Essays. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  3. ^ Tate, Joseph (2005). The Music and Art of Radiohead. Ashgate. p. 144. ISBN 0754639800.
  4. ^ Reising, Russell (2005). Speak to Me: The Legacy of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon. Ashgate Publishing. p. 211. ISBN 0754640191.
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Radiohead - OK Computer". Allmusic. Retrieved April 4, 2014.
  6. ^ Kot, Greg (July 4, 1997). "Radiohead - OK Computer (Capitol)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 4, 2014.

External links

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