Anyone Can Play Guitar by Radiohead

Album: Pablo Honey (1993)

Charted: 32

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Songfacts®:

In this song Yorke heaps scorn on desperate wannabes who seek validation via rock stardom.
According to Q magazine April 2008 everyone in the studio, from band to catering staff was roped in to play guitar. The track was then cut up and added to the arrangement.
This was released as a single prior to "Creep" becoming a hit and failed to chart.
Thom Yorke got the idea for the famous line "I wanna be Jim Morrison" after seeing Oliver Stone's movie The Doors. The line is meant to convey Yorke's dissatisfaction with the mythical status Morrison is given. This was made clear in the band's appearance at the MTV Beach House, where they played this song, and Yorke sang, "Maybe if I grow my hair I can become Jim Morrison," before shouting "Fat! Ugly! Dead!" >>>
Suggestion credit:
Andrew - St. John's, Canada
Jonny Greenwood played guitar with a paintbrush on this song.
Jonny Greenwood: "I never listened to guitar playing in any band, ever, I still don't, really. Worshiping guitarists is all buying guitar magazines. Anybody can play guitar, but writing songs is a far harder challenge. I'd rather idolize someone like Elvis Costello than I would Steve Vai." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 2

Comments: 7

A Paranoid Android from Vancouver, CanadaFAT. UGLY. DEAD.
Deethewriter from Saint Petersburg, Russia Federation'Which is why Jim Morrison is given a tough time in the new single and video? - Thom Yorke: "Jim Morrison was a bimbo. He was great looking and stuff and took loads of drugs and girls loved him, but his poetry just f--king sucked. The day they brought out a book of his poetry, it was all over. It's not art, it's pop music."' [NME, February 13, 1993]
Deethewriter from Saint Petersburg, Russia Federation'Which is why Jim Morrison is given a tough time in the new single and video? - "Jim Morrison was a bimbo. He was great looking and stuff and took loads of drugs and girls loved him, but his poetry just f--king sucked. The day they brought out a book of his poetry, it was all over. It's not art, it's pop music."' [NME, February 13, 1993]
Deethewriter from Saint Petersburg, Russia FederationThom discusses the band's single 'Anyone Can Play Guitar' (and Melody Maker 'Single Of The Week') - "The song is an attack on people who think that growing their hair long and wearing tight leather trousers constitutes being a rock star - and God, it doesn't. It's such an easy way to market yourself." [NME, February 13, 1993]
Ellie from Melbourne, AustraliaRadiohead just lost a fan no one messes with jim morrison!
Bee from Malibu, CaAnyone can "Play" guitar,
but can anyone really "Play" guitar?
Jordan from Toronto, OnI love this song. The message it gives is amazing a so true. Anyone can PLAY guitar, what matters is what you do with it.

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