Black Star

"Black Star" is a poignant exploration of a romantic relationship crumbling under the pressure of mental health struggles, specifically depression. The song captures the specific exhaustion of the "well" partner who is trying to support a loved one while watching them slowly fade away. The lyrics depict the daily reality of this struggle—coming home to find a partner who hasn't dressed all day, the lack of intimacy, and the pervasive worry that follows the narrator even when they are away at work.

The central metaphor of the "Black Star" represents a scapegoat for these troubles. Rather than facing the painful reality that they might be incompatible or that the mental illness is insurmountable, the narrator chooses to blame external, cosmic forces—gravity, satellites, and dark stars. This suggests a sense of fatalism; the problems feel so huge and inevitable that they must be the result of the universe working against them, rather than simple human failure.

Thom Yorke has facetiously described the song as being about "sex in the morning," but this is widely interpreted as ironic or referring to the intimacy that is lost or disrupted by the heavy emotional atmosphere. Ultimately, the song is about the erosion of self that occurs when one is consumed by another person's darkness, leading to a "meltdown" where the boundary between the two individuals blurs.

The narrative begins with a scene of domestic stagnation and weariness. The protagonist returns home from work to find their partner still wearing a dressing gown, signaling a lack of motivation or a depressive state that has persisted throughout the day. This image immediately establishes a sense of helplessness and frustration, as the narrator admits they are at a loss for how to handle the situation, despite being acutely aware of the internal struggles plaguing their partner's mind.

As the song progresses, the lyrics delve into the physical and emotional toll this dynamic takes. The narrator speaks of trying to understand the source of their partner's distress—what is "eating" them—but is hampered by their own exhaustion, citing a specific deprivation of intimacy and sleep, noting it has been "58 hours" since they last slept together. This specific detail highlights the distance growing between them. In the chorus, the narrator shifts from personal responsibility to cosmic blame, attribute the unraveling of their life to larger, uncontrollable forces: a "black star," a "falling sky," or a "satellite" that guides them home.

The setting moves from the home to the daily commute, where the narrator stands on a train, dissociated and trying not to think of their partner. However, the obsession is inescapable; seeing strangers' faces that resemble their partner causes them to feel faint and on the verge of a physical and mental meltdown. The song concludes with a desperate admission that this cycle of worry, blame, and detachment is slowly destroying the narrator, repeating the sentiment that the situation is "killing" them.

Released on Radiohead's acclaimed 1995 album The Bends, "Black Star" marks a pivotal moment in the band's production history. While the album was primarily produced by John Leckie, this specific track was produced and engineered by Nigel Godrich, who was an assistant engineer at the time. The story goes that Leckie was away from the studio for a day (reportedly attending a wedding or social event), leaving the band at RAK Studios with Godrich.

Seizing the opportunity, the band and Godrich recorded "Black Star" with a more raw, live, and "slacker" feel than the polished production found on other tracks. The band loved the result, and this session is often cited as the spark that led to Nigel Godrich becoming the "sixth member" of Radiohead, eventually producing OK Computer and every subsequent album. Thom Yorke wrote the song, and it reflects the band's transition during this era from grunge-influenced rock to more textured, atmospheric soundscapes.

The song is primarily in 4/4 time, but it features a distinctive introduction that plays with meter, often transcribed as a measure of 6/4 (or a compound 4/4 + 2/4) before settling into the standard groove. This rhythmic stumble at the start mirrors the lyrical theme of instability and "falling over." The tempo is driving, around 158 BPM (double time feel), which creates a sense of urgency that contrasts with the weary lyrics.

The rhyme scheme in the verses is somewhat loose, often relying on assonance (e.g., "gown" / "around" / "down") rather than perfect rhymes, which contributes to the conversational and unpolished feel. The chorus uses a more repetitive structure to drive home the central motif.

Musical Techniques: The song is notable for its layered guitar work. It features a bright, strummed acoustic guitar (giving it a folk-rock foundation) overlaid with Jonny Greenwood's tremolo-heavy, distorted electric guitar, which adds a shimmering, space-age texture fitting the "star" theme. The production is intentionally slightly lo-fi compared to the rest of the album, preserving a "bedroom recording" intimacy. Thom Yorke's vocals switch between a weary lower register in the verses and his trademark falsetto in the chorus, emphasizing the emotional desperation.

Literary Techniques: The lyrics employ anaphora in the chorus ("Blame it on the black star / Blame it on the falling sky / Blame it on the satellite"), creating a rhythmic chant that sounds like a plea or a prayer. The use of hyperbole (or perhaps literal precision) in "58 hours" grounds the abstract emotion in a gritty, uncomfortable reality.

While not released as a single, "Black Star" has endured as a significant fan favorite and a critical darling for its emotional honesty. It is frequently cited as one of the best "deep cuts" on The Bends. Its legacy is strongly cemented by a famous cover version by the bluegrass duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Their acoustic rendition slows the song down and highlights the folk sensibilities hidden within Radiohead's composition, introducing the song to a completely different audience (Americana/Folk) and proving the strength of the songwriting independent of its original rock arrangement.

The lyrics rely heavily on cosmic imagery to express earthly despair:

• The Black Star: A symbol of a void, a bad omen, or a gravitational force that sucks the light and energy out of the relationship. It represents the depression that hangs over the couple, invisible but undeniable.
• The Dressing Gown: A symbol of stagnation and the incapacitating nature of depression. It represents the partner's inability to face the day or engage with the outside world.
• The Satellite: Represents technology and the routine guidance that "beams" the narrator home, suggesting they are on autopilot, controlled by forces outside their will.
• The Train: A classic symbol of the daily grind and the physical distance between the narrator's work life and their troubled home life. It serves as a setting for dissociation.
• 58 Hours: A hyper-specific number that emphasizes the narrator's obsessive counting of time and the acute awareness of their physical deprivation (insomnia or lack of intimacy).

The phrase "Blame it on..." is the central hook of the song. Its repetition underscores the theme of displacement—the narrator's need to find a cause for their suffering that is external to their partner. By blaming the "black star," "falling sky," and "satellite," they avoid blaming the person they love. Another recurring motif is the physical reaction to stress: "I keep falling over, I keep passing out," which physicalizes the emotional burden of the relationship.