“Creep” Lyrics & Meaning (Radiohead)

Radiohead themselves may not especially like Creep.

Or at least they didn’t for a long time.

But just about everyone else does.

It is the one song of theirs that really appealed to the masses.

But not many really understood the Creep lyrics meaning.

That’s what we’re going to change today. Keep reading to learn what Radiohead was singing about in their monster hit Creep.

 

Creep Lyrics And Meaning

Creep was released as Radiohead’s debut single in 1992 and later featured on their first album, Pablo Honey. When it first came out, the song wasn’t very popular.

It was first written and released in 1987. When it started to gain attention, it was re-released.

The song reached number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on this chart for a long period of 20 weeks. The song became more popular when it was re-released in the UK and became a significant hit.

Even though the song had an initial lukewarm reception, it still became a defining song of the ‘90s and really helped to put Radiohead in the limelight. However, the band didn’t really like this.

Radiohead didn’t want to be defined by just one song and they felt Creep overshadowed their other work and, at times, put them in a creative corner.

It is common knowledge that Radiohead had a bumpy relationship with Creep. Sometimes, they wouldn’t even sing it during live performances, much to the dismay of fans.

However, the song’s popularity didn’t die down and the band ended up performing it during their 2017 set at Glastonbury Festival as a result of that.

Even though there are so many mixed feelings about the song, Creep made Radiohead who they are today, but it also nearly broke the band. Especially since guitarist Jonny Greenwood hated the song.

The recording of Creep was considered a fluke, since Radiohead were focusing on other songs that they preferred, such as Inside My Head and Lurgee.

They had high hopes that one of these songs would be their debut single. They were using Creep as a song to warm up and didn’t realize the tapes were rolling.

Because of its lasting appeal, Thom Yorke, the main vocalist of Radiohead, released a stripped back version in 2021 called Creep (Very 2021 Rmx).

The success of Creep is apparent through its Spotify streams, which have gone past the one billion mark. The song has also been covered by a variety of artists, such as Moby, Kelly Clarkson, Robbie Williams, and Prince.

There’s even a video online of Kevin Bacon singing it to his goats. In 2021, Rolling Stone named it the 118th greatest song of all time, showing just how big an impact it has had on the world.

 

Creep Lyrics

 

Verse 1

When you were here before
Couldn’t look you in the eye
You’re just like an angel
Your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather
In a beautiful world

Pre-Chorus

I wish I was special
You’re so fuckin’ special

Chorus

But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here?
I don’t belong here

Verse 2

I don’t care if it hurts
I wanna have control
I want a perfect body
I want a perfect soul
I want you to notice
When I’m not around

Pre-Chorus

You’re so fuckin’ special
I wish I was special

Chorus

But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here?
I don’t belong here
Oh-oh, oh-oh

Bridge

She’s running out the door
She’s running out
She run, run, run, run
Run

Outro

Whatever makes you happy
Whatever you want
You’re so fuckin’ special
I wish I was special
But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here?
I don’t belong here
I don’t belong here

 

Creep” Meaning

The song was written about a real-life experience that Yorke had. The band’s guitarist, Jonny Greenwood, said Yorke wrote the song about a woman he had followed when he was in college.

The identity of the woman remains unknown, but according to Greenwood, it was a case of unrequited affection and many intense feelings of not fitting in that became the inspiration for the song.

At its most basic, the song Creep is about insecurity and self-loathing. This is apparent through the lyrics:

I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here
I don’t belong here.

It shows that Yorke was feeling alone and out of place in the world. It was this vulnerability that really helped listeners connect with the song. It is the reason Creep become an anthem for those who often felt misunderstood.

Another way Radiohead reflects the feelings of alienation and feeling like you don’t belong in the song is through the chorus. During this part, Greenwood becomes particularly aggressive on the chords to the song, which is a stark contrast to Yorke’s moody vocals. This musical contrast helps to illustrate the turmoil and the emotions that an outsider feels.

 

Creep Lyrics Meaning: Final Thoughts

The Creep lyrics meaning has to do with feelings of alienation and not fitting in. That message spoke to a lot of people.

But more than the meaning of the lyrics, it is the song itself that people loved. It is a beautiful tune and much more accessible than the vast majority of Radiohead’s work.

It makes perfect sense that this was the song that brought Radiohead into the mainstream. It also led to a bunch of Radiohead-clone bands popping up.

If you liked this lyric breakdown, we have many other article slike this one on our site. For one on another song about isolation, check out our examination of the lyrics and meaning of In My Room by Insane Clown Posse.