Fitter Happier
Radiohead · OK Computer [1997]
comfortable,
not drinking too much,
regular exercise at the gym
(3 days a week),
getting on better with your associate employee contemporaries,
at ease,
eating well
(no more microwave dinners and saturated fats),
a patient better driver,
a safer car
(baby smiling in back seat),
sleeping well
(no bad dreams),
no paranoia,
careful to all animals
(never washing spiders down the plughole),
keep in contact with old friends
(enjoy a drink now and then),
will frequently check credit at (moral) bank (hole in the wall),
favors for favors,
fond but not in love,
charity standing orders,
on Sundays ring road supermarket
(no killing moths or putting boiling water on the ants),
car wash
(also on Sundays),
no longer afraid of the dark or midday shadows
nothing so ridiculously teenage and desperate,
nothing so childish - at a better pace,
slower and more calculated,
no chance of escape,
now self-employed,
concerned (but powerless),
an empowered and informed member of society
(pragmatism not idealism),
will not cry in public,
less chance of illness,
tires that grip in the wet
(shot of baby strapped in back seat),
a good memory,
still cries at a good film,
still kisses with saliva,
no longer empty and frantic like a cat tied to a stick,
that's driven into frozen winter shit
(the ability to laugh at weakness),
calm,
fitter,
healthier and more productive
a pig in a cage on antibiotics.
Fitter Happier
Released in 1997 on the landmark album OK Computer, "Fitter Happier" stands as a defining track of Radiohead's evolution into electronic experimentation. The song features a distinctive, looping synthesizer melody that drives a song structure characterized by repetitive vocals and a hypnotic rhythm. It captures the band's shift away from traditional rock instrumentation toward a more atmospheric and digital sound, reflecting the anxiety and alienation prevalent in late 1990s culture. As a key component of the OK Computer era, the recording exemplifies the group's ability to blend organic elements with electronic textures, creating a unique sonic landscape that influenced countless artists in the alternative and indie genres. The track remains a staple of their discography, recognized for its innovative production and its role in cementing Radiohead's status as pioneers of modern alternative music.