black star

By Suzanne Rosenberg

I really think this song may be about a boy singing about a woman he has always loved and then when they finally get together, they lose each other to lack of confidence and trust in each other. The girl may not be hit too hard (she is probably the one who breaks up with him : "I try to understand what is eating you"), but the boy (the narrator, Thom) must be crushed. He shows that he can't get over they way she looks, and feels. The train line (I get on the train and I just stay in the back now that I don't think of you) is probably the boy wanting not to see or be seen by the girl he loves for fear he will lose control over his emotion. He tries to blame it on something thay couldn't stop, or control, or see, the "black star."

By .Fade

To me black star is about a relationship that broke apart and how he has to watch the girl go on with relationships with other people. He wants her back and can't quit thinking about her. He knows things can never work out because she hurt him so much when she left him.

The "black star" is someone else. He doesnt want to except the fact that it was his fault for the break up.

By FlimFlam

I get a strong feeling that Black Star is yet another Radiohead song about modern transit and how it has affected our lives. It involves the way that travel affects a love relationship, and I'm going to use heterosexual terms here just for the sake of simplicity, but it could apply to any love relationship.

The fact that we can get on planes and trains and go many miles away to do things affects us in this way, mainly: that our employers expect us to use these modes of transit to do our jobs. For me, it means getting in my car every day to get on the highway to work, about 20 miles away. For someone in a touring rock band, it means an endless series of buses, trains, planes, cars, etc., probably thousands of miles away from home.

When Thom sings "I get home from work and you're still standing in your dressing gown, well, what am I to do? I know all the things around your head and what they do to you," then he sings "the troubled words of a troubled mind, I try to understand what is eating you," he sounds like the story of being in love with someone who is depressed. If you've ever been depressed, or known somebody who was depressed, you know what he's talking about.

But the rest of the song seems to touch on the idea that while he would love to help her sort out whatever it is that is bothering her, he is kept apart from her by distance and travel. The comment about being 58 hours since sleeping withe her and the comment "this is killing me" indicate that the physical distance between the two lovers is causing a lot of frustration, and the chorus "Blame it on the black star, blame it on the falling sky, blame it on the satellite that beams me home" seems to say that as a result, some harm was done to their relationship and some love or trust has been lost (why else would he be looking to place blame?)

In summary, what I think this song is about is that normally, when people have trouble with their relationships, they work at it and try to sort it out. However, time and distance can separate people and prevent them from doing so. It's nobody's "fault," there's no one that can be held accountable really; it's just that circumstances can pull people apart.
By Michelle

I can never get away from the thought that Thom's really singing about how if one person in a relationship goes through some sort of depression or mental trauma ("I get home from work and you're still standing in you dressing gown") can effect the other person.

I think he's taking the stance of a boyfriend/husband who has to deal with his girlfriends/wifes problems as well, and the things it does to her, even if he doesn't really understand it. ("I know all the things around your head, and what they do to you"...."The troubled words of a troubled mind I try to understand what is eating you") He sees how far apart they're getting and how he can't seem to find enough energy to help her and be with her. ("I try to stay awake, but it's fifty-eight hours since that i last slept with you") He's upset and confused about whatever it is that's ailing his lover and he realizes that he has to get away or else it'll tear him down too. He finally decides to let go, and then has to deal withnot being around that person any more. ("I get on the train and I just stand about, now that I don't think of you") But what is giving him so much grieve is that he loved her so much ("I keep falling over I keep passing out when I see a face like you") but her mysterious sickness caused her to completely change. Even though he's not with her anymore, he still has to deal with it.

It's the alternate perspective of being on the outside watching someone you care about get torn down and having the strength to walk away. Personally it hit a little too close to home.
By John Ward

This song is quite possibly the most meaningfull song I will ever encounter. It describes the last year of my life beyond belief. I can't elaborate, as it is a story to sad and tragic to be told or heard. Immerse your soul in love? Sure! Get soaked to the skin in the stuff. Just so you can be left in the perpetuating heat of the desset of hate to dry up, die , and get f**cked over by the one person you would give your heart & soul for. Luv u holly.
By 2 Can Sam

I think that Black Star is about the breakdown of a relationship from lack of communication and lack of understanding. I feel that the woman in the song is pushing away the man and he feels impotent that he can't understand her when she opens up to him and somehow make things better. I think that at the end of the song the relationship has died and that he is trying to convince himself that he doesn't miss her ("I get on the train and I just stand about now that I don't think of you.") when he really does miss her (I keep falling over, I keep passing out, when I see a face like you.) It is one of the saddest songs I have ever heard and it makes me cry when I hear it. I think the Black Star is whatever was eating the woman up and sucking whatever love they had for each other out of them and destroying them...basically a black hole that nothing could escape from. I love you Kim. XO Love, Blue
By Danielle

I don't think this is a boyfriend/girlfriend thing.
Rather the relationship being talked about is a marriage of several years.

They started out, as people do, very much in love, but every day he goes
to work and something in the relationship is dead. His wife is suffering
clinical depression. The couple know that all their dreams and
aspirations have been sucked out of them by their suburban worker ants
lifestyle. They're in the rat race adn they have to keep running as the
technology that surrounds them, and that they demand as consumers, takes
over.

There is no joy in the marriage except for the memory of joy past.
By Chris Starr

Well, besides Black Star being my favourite track, I will try to be unbiased. This song is Thom's portrayal of what happens when love breaks down and trust begins to fail. The songs fade-in guitars implements an atmospheric tiring in a strained relationship and as the track develops guitars become less frequent - indicating imminant death of a marriage or relationship. However, the person (whom we all pre-suppose to be a man) does show his heart when admitting "I keep falling over, I keep passing out when I see a face like you" (I love that line!!) This shows a potential future of friendship however we can assume that the relationship is over. Cheers