Reckoner

"Reckoner" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released on their seventh album, '' In Rainbows'' (2007). It was produced by Nigel Godrich and developed while Radiohead were working on another song, " Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses".

Remixes were released by James Holden, Flying Lotus and Diplo. Radiohead also released the stems for fans to remix, as they had for the previous ''In Rainbows'' single, "Nude". Boosted by sales of the stems, "Reckoner" reached number 74 on the UK singles chart. In 2011, ''NME'' named it one of the greatest songs of the preceding 15 years, and ''Pitchfork'' named it one of the greatest songs of the decade.

Recording

"Reckoner" developed from a different song with the same title, which later became known as " Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses". Radiohead wrote a coda that developed into the final song, but kept the title. They were excited about the song and finished it quickly after recording a demo. The producer, Nigel Godrich, recalled of the recording sessions: "People ereall over the house, shaking things and getting this groove going, then chopping it up into little pieces and putting it back together. It was a lot of fun."

Composition

"Reckoner" features Yorke's falsetto, "frosty, clanging" percussion, a "meandering" guitar line, piano, and strings arranged by the guitarist Jonny Greenwood. Yorke said the guitar riff was a homage to the Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, "in my sort of clunky 'can't-really-pick' kind of way".

According to the bassist, Colin Greenwood, " reckoner" is a Biblical word referring to Saint Peter, who judges people at the gates of heaven. Yorke said he was unaware of this, and had tried to let the melody drive the lyrics without overthinking them. He described the song as "kind of a love song ... Sort of." Yorke said the lyric "because we separate like ripples on a blank shore" was the centre of ''In Rainbows'', and that "everything's leading to that point and then going away from that point".

Release

"Reckoner" was released on Radiohead's 2007 album ''In Rainbows''. As they had done for their single "Nude", on September 28, 2008, Radiohead released the separate "Reckoner" stems for fans to purchase and remix. Fans could upload their remixes to the Radiohead website and vote for their favourites. The electronic musicians James Holden, Flying Lotus and Diplo also created remixes.

After the stems went on sale, "Reckoner" reached number 74 on the UK singles chart. It did not enter the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, but reached number 21 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, a 25-song extension of the Hot 100. A performance of "Reckoner" was included on the 2008 live video ''In Rainbows – From the Basement''. "Reckoner" was used in the credits of the 2008 film '' Choke'', based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. The singer-songwriter Lorde used the "Reckoner" drum track while developing her 2025 song " What Was That".

Music video

The "Reckoner" music video was created by Clement Picon, who won a competition held by Radiohead and the animation studio Aniboom to create an animation for an ''In Rainbows'' song. Yorke described it as one of his favourite Radiohead videos.

Reception

Reviewing ''In Rainbows'', ''Pitchfork'' wrote that "Reckoner" was not the "most immediate track", but that after several listens "it reveals itself to be among the most woozily beautiful things the band has ever recorded". In 2011, ''Rolling Stone'' readers voted "Reckoner" the ninth-best Radiohead song, and ''NME'' ranked it the 93rd-best track of the preceding 15 years. ''Pitchfork'' named it the 254th-greatest song of the decade. In 2020, the ''Guardian'' named it the third-best Radiohead song, writing: "At first innocuous, 'Reckoner' unspools a full house of virtuoso performances engulfed by Godrich’s winter-blanket production. It soothes then soars."

Charts

Certifications

References

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2007 songs
Radiohead songs
Rock ballads
Song recordings produced by Nigel Godrich
Songs written by Thom Yorke
Songs written by Colin Greenwood
Songs written by Jonny Greenwood
Songs written by Philip Selway
Songs written by Ed O'Brien