Myxomatosis.

Radiohead · Hail to the Thief [2003]

the mongrel cat came home

holding half a head

Proceeded to show it off

to all his new found friends

he said "i been where i liked

i slept with who i liked

she ate me up for breakfast

and screwed me in a vice

and now i don't know why

i feel so tongue-tied"

i sat in the cupboard

and wrote it down in neat

they were cheering and waving

cheering and waving

twitching and salivating like with myxomatosis

but it got edited fucked up

strangled, beaten up

used as a photo in Time magazine

buried in a burning black hole in Devon

"i don't know why

i feel so tongue-tied

don't know why

i feel so skinned alive."

My thoughts are misguided and a little naive

I twitch and i salivate like with myxomatosis

you should put me in a home or you should put me down

I got myxomatosis

I got myxomatosis

"now no one likes a smart arse but we all like stars"

that wasn't my intention, I did it for a reason

it must have got mixed up

strangled, beaten up

i got myxomatosis

i got myxomatosis

"i don't know why

i feel so tongue-tied"

Myxomatosis

Myxomatosis stands as a frenetic song in Radiohead's discography, appearing on their 2003 album Hail to the Thief. The track captures the band's shift toward a more aggressive, politically charged sound during this era, blending elements of alternative rock with subtle electronic textures. Musically, the song is driven by a propulsive rhythm section and Thom Yorke's distinctive, urgent vocal delivery, creating an atmosphere of anxiety and rapid movement. It reflects the group's willingness to experiment with tempo and structure, moving away from the slower, more melancholic tones of their previous work. As part of a celebrated catalogue that includes landmark records like OK Computer and Kid A, this recording demonstrates the band's continued evolution and their ability to craft complex, emotionally resonant compositions that define the early twenty-first century soundscape.