The everyone LOVES radiohead thread!

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

I've never heard any early/live versions of Videotape so I can't speak to how the song changed. Having only heard the album version, I'll say that I can't imagine how the song's been ruined. It's one of my all-time favorite Radiohead songs.

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

And here's another masterpiece they destroyed completely in the studio...

[tragabigzanda]

[tree_]

the hidden super complicated rhythm is the best part of the song

[epilogue]

I've never heard any early/live versions of Videotape so I can't speak to how the song changed. Having only heard the album version, I'll say that I can't imagine how the song's been ruined. It's one of my all-time favorite Radiohead songs.

This is certainly cool. I wonder how I'd feel about it if I'd heard this first and then the album version came out.

[liebzz]

In Rainbows

Okay, so this album is pretty damn incredible. I really didn’t have much in the way of expectations, and really, I bought this album when it came out, and put the CD on the shelf for the day I wanted to hear it. I knew that day would come but I wasn’t sure when...13 years later and here we are.

So while there may be a song or two I might take a little exception to, this album truly balanced the building atmospheres and songwriting on the nose. 15 Step, Bodysnatchers, All I Need, Reckoner, Jigsaw Falling Into Place and Videotape are all delivered perfectly...but the song that ended up blowing my mind was House of Cards. It just does that thing where you take something simple and build on it in a way that draws you in and takes over. Bravo. A couple more listens on this one and I can pretty much guarantee it will be my favorite...or at least Damn close to it when it comes to Radiohead.

[tree_]

House of Cards is probably my least favorite In Rainbows song. I don't like the sound of the drums and it never really goes anywhere.

[epilogue]

Reckoner
Videotape
Nude
Jigsaw Falling Into Place
15 Step
Bodysnatchers
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
House of Cards
All I Need
Faust Arp

[liebzz]

I loved House of Cards and All I Need. Two favorites. But I thought nearly everything in this was really top notch. Add to that I am just finishing Disk 2 - which almost all excellent also. Down Is the New Up, Last Flowers, and Up On the Ladder stuck out for me. Bangers + Mash is a lot of fun. But the main album really shocked me in how much it took me away. Really the perfect balance.

[tree_]

Reckoner
15 Step
Nude
Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Videotape
Bodysnatchers
All I Need
House of Cards
Faust Arp

[digster]

I much prefer the stasis of the studio Videotape over the ramped up live version

Agreed...it's a live version based off the studio take, but the performance of Videotape from the From The Basement show is one of my favorite things the band's ever done.

[epilogue]

Videotape is such a gorgeous song.

[Chris_H_2]

I've never heard any early/live versions of Videotape so I can't speak to how the song changed. Having only heard the album version, I'll say that I can't imagine how the song's been ruined. It's one of my all-time favorite Radiohead songs.

I remember hearing this live in Chicago during that 2006 tour and being blown away, and then looking forward to it so much when I saw it was going to be on In Rainbows. And then ...

[tragabigzanda]

[Chris_H_2]

You think that first iteration of Videotape is anthemic?

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[Chris_H_2]

Maybe not the right word, but the way thom’s energy picked up in the old version for the back half of the song created a release from the tension that I find distasteful for the song

I could be wrong, but I think Thom’s cadence and pacing are virtually the same in both versions. It only seems picked up with the addition of Jonny’s more pronounced guitar.

[tragabigzanda]

[VinylGuy]

In Rainbows felt like they cared again about making melodies. I was blown away and made me go back into RH so much back in the day. Its my second favorite from them, behind OK Computer.

[digster]

I can’t actually listen right now, I’ll check it later to make sure we’re talking about the same version. But in any event, increased energy from anyone in the band doesn’t work for me. That song should be static, with no forward momentum. The studio cut nailed it.

The drums in the earlier version definitely give it more of a "rock" feel and always felt like the biggest difference; the way Phil comes in midway through ("you're my center when I spin away"), and in the last verse, where he plays a far more straight-ahead beat in the last verse than what shows up in the finished product, always gave it that feel to me. It's still great, and I've loved the song since I first heard it (I remember downloading the first version of it where I think they opened their show with it). But over time, the final version just cuts deeper to me.