Creep by Radiohead

Submitted by Twiztid_Angel_ t3_11bp697 in Music

Don’t flame me for asking this but what is so special about this song? I do enjoy it and I relate to it a decent bit but talking to anybody over the age of 30 about the song, they make it seem like it’s song from God himself. Like I said, I do enjoy a decent bit of Radiohead’s catalogue, but this just seems like a bit much.

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loztriforce t1_j9yzqur wrote

I mean, it’s a great song, but the Hollies are seemingly to credit.
I do feel special having seen Creep live though.

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Caterwaul_Curio t1_j9yzx5b wrote

It's a well written song that spoke to a lot of weirdos out there in an influential time in their young lives.

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stringhead t1_j9z0caz wrote

Long story short, it's a generational thing. Some songs just have an impact when they come out and you simply cannot replicate that feeling once time has passed. There's tons of more interesting stuff from Radiohead, sure. But for a lot of people Creep is the only song they know or it's one of the few or it's just the one that made them love the band. if you weren't there or it isn't your experience it just won't be the same.

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Twiztid_Angel_ OP t1_j9z11kp wrote

Replying to stringhead (#1,997,849)

This explanation makes the most sense to me. Being as I was born not long after 9/11, I obviously wasn’t around for the 90s but most of the music I enjoy comes from then. Songs like Creep or even Smells Like Teen Spirit though just seem overrated (I know Cobain hated SMTS too)

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real_horse_magic t1_j9z4wsw wrote

Huge Radiohead fan here, Creep is like mid-tier RH at BEST, they have so many better songs so I cant say I’m gonna defend Creep much. It’s hard to get away from as it was their biggest hit, but Fake Plastic Trees, Karma Police, Paranoid Android, hell even High and Dry are better songs IMO

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buddytheferret t1_j9z79ki wrote

I was 15 when this song came out and I never understood the appeal either. With some things it is a time and a place, but there is oftentimes no explanation for why you like or don't like something. I've tried to analyze my preferences my whole life and have never been able to quite figure out why my tastes are what they are.

I love Nirvana, but think In Utero is better than Nevermind. Like Blood Sugar Sex Magik but not really anything else from Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think Facelift is Alice in Chains best album and never play any of their others anymore. Love GNR but think Estranged and Coma are much better than November Rain or Don't Cry. I believe that Peace Sells, Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction are all better than anything Metallica has ever done.

A lot of it comes down to vocals and lyrics to me. Lemmy may not be able to sing, but his lyrics and his presentation make Motorhead head and shoulders above just about everyone else, to me and I think he was making music in the 90s and beyond with Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee that rivaled the classic lineup with Philthy and Fast Eddie Clark.

I'm sure very few people will think I'm anything but nuts, or a moron for these statements, but it's all opinion. Sometimes questions like yours can lead to a better appreciation of something you don't quite understand, but in my experience it usually doesn't, but it does help you understand your own tastes a little more.

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AgentFlatweed t1_j9z8f8b wrote

Context of the times. It came out when openly admitting to being a creep and a weirdo and being sad and outcasted in a rock song was still uncommon. This wasn’t very many years after the peak of hair metal where the most popular rock was about getting blowjobs and being a badass cool guy who parties all the time. Nowadays the biggest pop singer in the world can make her lead single off a new album about being a sad outcast and no one thinks twice but in the early 90s, it was revelatory.

That said, Radiohead made far more interesting music later on, and became a beloved and well respected band, so it boosted “Creep”’s profile.

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Fish-Weekly t1_j9z8z33 wrote

If you feel like you are one of the “so fuckin’ special” people, it may not resonate as much.

It’s a song (in my opinion) about imposter syndrome - the internal psychological experience of feeling like a phony in some area of your life, despite any success that you have achieved in that area. (thank you internet for this definition)

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attention21 t1_j9zasce wrote

Well it’s the only Radiohead song that I know they play on the radio. I feel like they’re a hit blunder because of it

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decentlyfair t1_j9zcw4z wrote

Funnily enough this came up on apple playlist for me today and I said to my husband that i just never got Radiohead and this is the only song of theirs that I like

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ryan_knight_art t1_j9zdrxa wrote

Creep was their first hit no? I love it tbh - it has that Nirvana/90s quiet then loud feel to it… it was probably because this was the sound that was popular at the time. I love Radiohead and I think this is from Pablo Honey? Their first album, you can see that they are working on their signature sound but not there yet… another good one from this album is High and Dry (If I’m getting the album right)

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MiffyCurtains t1_j9zewtn wrote

Not a fan of the song. Never was. When it came out, there were a load of twats that latched onto the song in the hope that it would make them appear like they were some sort of cool angst ridden outsiders, when they were in fact just...twats who were trying to get laid.

That turned me right off Radiohead at the time. I'm a huge fan of them now, but Creep made me cringe.

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Warm_Tap_2202 t1_j9zg5zb wrote

Its a fantastic song that the band itself does not care for

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Fragrant_Dig_6294 t1_j9zhw7o wrote

Radiohead the band is revered sure but Creep isn’t their best by far and only stands out as their first big hit

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IAmThePonch t1_j9zlrqz wrote

Gonna be honest I’ve always thought it was edge lord angsty crap. I don’t like it. And I am a certified edge lord creep

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danone25 t1_j9zmat9 wrote

I think it is a song that reflects a time period and a style of music pretty well.

It's like Take On Me from A-Ha. It isn't by far the best song of the 80s, but it has the vibes of that period.

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jonah379 t1_ja032ne wrote

You just admitted it’s a good song, what was the point of your question rofl

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ryan_knight_art t1_ja0fbcy wrote

Replying to Mission-Detail-4085 (#2,002,743)

Ah okay my mistake… yeah the Bends was a very similar album to Pablo Honey, now that I am remembering it… let me look it up… ah yes a lot of good ones her: Street Spirit, Just, Fake Plastic Trees… Here we see Radiohead becoming the Radiohead we know and love

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No_Particular_490 t1_ja0qq0y wrote

Honestly, I agree man. Never got it. I get that it would speak to a lot of awkward teens during the MSN messenger days which was my high-school generation. I guess it's kind of like radioheads version of a Weezer song. They were also big with the upper middle class kids at that time. I definately don't get how it stood the test of time. I guess it just speaks as "to each his own". I'm a musician and I've written and recorded in a variety of genres but this huge song has zero effect on me. Weird when you think about it...

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Motivationgonewrong t1_ja2ftvs wrote

How old are you? I guess you’ll get it when nostalgia slaps you in the face.

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