Stwo Sings – Videotape by Radiohead (and a brief history of my love for music)
I’ve been playing the guitar since I was 13 years old. My love for music started even earlier. I remember being no older than 5 and standing on the fireplace ledge in the living room of my parents’ house singing “I Can’t Smile Without You” by Barry Manilow. My folks would ask me to perform for their friends and my family all of the time. At about 13 years old, my friends were all picking up instruments and starting a band. Naturally, I became the singer of that band. At the time, my favorite bands were Rush, Pink Floyd, Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and others. One thing all of these bands had in common was that the singers all played an instrument as well. I can remember exactly what made me want to play the guitar. The song “Plush” by Stone Temple Pilots. It wasn’t even the melody that got me going. It was that muted strum during the pre chorus. “Where you going till tomorrow” WAKKA WAKKA. I though that was so badass. Over the years, my musical tastes have changed and evolved. I heard “Karma Police” on the radio, and I knew something inside me changed. The song was enigmatic and dramatic at the same time. I had to hear more. I bought OK Computer and listened to it cover to cover for a week straight. I then bought The Bends. Same thing… completely enraptured. Next up Pablo Honey and again the same reaction. I guess you can tell I love Radiohead. I will talk more about my love for them and why I think they are the greatest band on the face of the planet at a later time.
Onto the song Videotape. I first heard this song performed at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in June 2006. The band was trying out new material while playing smaller venues. All I can say is that it is one of the most moving songs ever written. In my opinion, it is about someone who knows their own mortality, and is not necessarily proud of their life. They want to record their true feelings for a loved one to leave for them when they die. This speaks to me on a level too deep to express with words. One thing the song makes me think of is the quote “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. I hope you enjoy my version. The album version can be found in the player just beneath the youtube video and lyrics.
“When I’m at the pearly gates this’ll be on my videotape
When Mephistopheles is just beneath and he’s reaching up to grab me
This is one for the good days and I have it all here in red, blue, green
You are my center when I spin away out of control on videotape
This is my way of saying goodbye because I con’t do it face to face
So I’m talking to you before its too late
No matter what happens now you shouldn’t be afraid
because I know today has been the most perfect day I have ever seen”
