Morning Bell by Radiohead

Album: Kid A (2000)

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Songfacts®:

At a show in Israel on July 9, 2000, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke said: "This is a song about forgetting who you are, em, or anything about yourself, and then waking you up, one day, and looking yourself in the mirror, and remembering... and freaking out." >>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France
Thom Yorke recorded this song into a mini-disc player, but lost the song and forgot about it when the mini-disc got zapped in a lightning storm. Five months later, he woke up after a long flight and remembered the song.
Two different versions were recorded. One version appears on Kid A, the other ("Morning Bell/Amnesiac") appears on Amnesiac. Both albums were recorded simultaneously, but Kid A was released first.

Comments: 10

Michael from Wallington, NjIt's obvious to me (but apparently not to others) that the line. "Cut the kids in half" is not meant literally, it is rather meant as cutting the time spent with one's kids in half, due to the joint custody as a result of divorce.
Tom from A, BelgiumHi, ED DEAL, indeed its a song about divorcing. More so, a song about the fear of divorcing, as thom always "had" fears. If you visit radiohead boards like greenplastic or ateaseweb it becomes a conclusion. And to Ian from NYC: this was in the OKC period, mostly talking about exit music, beautiful acoustics... greets
Ed from Deal, EnglandDoes anyone think this song could be about divorce? "you can have the furniture" and "cloths on the lawn" "cut the kids in half" sounds like what alot of people suffer who divorce?
Jonathan from San Jose, CaMy interpretation for "Cut the kids in half": There's a story in the Bible about King Solomon of the Israelites where two mothers both claim that a baby is theirs. So wise King Solomon says to cut the child in half and give one half to each woman. The fake mother agrees and the real mother says to give the baby to the other woman because she doesn't want her baby hurt. Thus King Solomon found out who the real mother was and gave it back to the real mother. This story is my interpretation of the lyrics for "Cut the kids in half".
Max from Sydney, AustraliaTim, kilkenny,ireland. i agree the first bit on the amnesiac version it like" .....MORNING BELL MORNING BELL..."
Pete from Wheaton, MdThat Guitar break on Kid A at "round and round," etc... is FANTASTIC
Tim from Kilkenny, IrelandThe first few seconds on the "Amnesiac" version scare the s#!t out of me.
Ian from New York, NyI just came up with an interesting idea about this song. If it is about finding a parking space then the "Cut the Kids in Half" part makes sense. Since finding a parking space is a long process it can be very hair-spliting. Or maybe it's heir-splitting, hense the mentioned quote. Anyway this might not lead to anything but I just wanted to get that thought out.
Michael from Kearny, NjThom also said that this song was in part influenced by his house, which he believed to be haunted.
Colin from Silver Spring, MdHaHaHa, at a live performance in... Oxford I believe, Thom says this song is about trying to find a place to park.

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