Released: |
June
1997 |
|
Found
on: |
OK Computer.
Zero 7 & Fila Brazilla mixes
are found on Karma Police CD2. |
This is the first track in the band's repertoire to be
described as "scary." It relies heavily on strings, but not in the conventional way.
The string section, covered by Jonny alone, features 16 different violins playing
quarter tones apart from each other.
The audience's cue that the band is about to play this song live comes when Jonny
pulls out a small radio and begins tuning it to different stations. During the band's
sound checks, Jonny locates classical-music or news-oriented local radio stations,
and uses these -never rock stations- to execute "Climbing Up the Walls."
Thom : "This is about the unspeakable. Literally skull-crushing. I used to work in
a mental hospital around the time that Care In The Community started, and we all just
knew what was going to happen. And it's one of the scariest things to happen in this
country, because a lot of them weren't just harmless... It was hailing violently when
we recorded this. It seemed to add to the mood."
"Some
people can't sleep with the curtains
open in case they see the eyes
they imagine in their heads every
night burning through the glass.
Lots of people have panic buttons
fitted in their bedrooms so they
can reach over and set the alarm
off without disturbing the intruder.
This song is about the cupboard
monster." |
|
