Radiohead's "Idioteque" - A Timeline Breakdown
Radiohead's "Idioteque" can be found on the album Kid A as well as a live version on I Might be Wrong . This hub serves as a companion to the main article: Idioteque - A Musical Analysis of Radiohead's Great Departure .
Each version of the song is broken down into the smallest repeating pieces (measured in mm or metered measures), pieces such as verse and chorus, and blocks indicating the overall structure. Annotations accompany each division.
Kid A - "Idioteque"
138 BPM
I Introduction 4mm (6 beat measures) + 1mm (4 beat measure) (0:00.0)
▲ Drop out high offbeat "brush" sound (0:10.1)
i Instrumental Verse/Chorus Music (0:12.3)
5mm (4 beat measures) Drum groove change - only bass drum in first 2 measures (0:12.3)
5mm (4 beat measures) (0:21.0)
5mm (4 beat measures) (0:29.7)
A Pure Drum and Effects Groove (0:38.5)
4mm (6 beat measures) Resume introduction drum groove (0:38.5)
4mm (6 beat measures) (0:49.0)
S Statement (0:59.4)
V1 Verse 1 (0:59.4)
a 5mm (4 beat measures) Return to altered drum groove - bass drum only first 2 measures (0:59.4)
b 5mm (4 beat measures) (1:08.0)
▲ Echoing and harmonizing backup vocals (1:11.3)
a' 5mm (4 beat measures) Backup vocals indiscernible lyrics (1:16.8)
b' 5mm (4 beat measures) Indiscernible backup lyrics (1:25.5)
▲ Echoing and harmonizing vocals return (1:29.0)
C Chorus (1:34.2)
5mm (4 beat measures) Harmonizing backup vocals (1:34.2)
5mm (4 beat measures) (1:42.9)
R Restatement (1:51.7)
V2' Verse 2 Altered Chord progression drops out Readjusted lyrical ordering Extra 4mm group (1:51.7)
c 5mm (4 beat measures) (1:51.7)
c' 5mm (4 beat measures) (2:00.4)
d 5mm (4 beat measures) (2:09.1)
d' 5mm (4 beat measures) Backup vocals singing indiscernible lyrics (2:17.9)
e 5mm (4 beat measures) Backup vocals singing indiscernible lyrics (2:26.6)
C' Chorus Altered Twice the length Vocal counter-melody: "The First and the children" (2:35.3)
5mm (4 beat measures) (2:35.3)
5mm (4 beat measures) (2:44.0)
5mm (4 beat measures) (2:52.7)
5mm (4 beat measures) (3:01.5)
D Departure (3:10.2)
T Transition to departure 2mm (4 beat measures) (3:10.2)
A' Omnipresent ambient noises Much longer than first A (3:13.7)
3mm (6 beat measures) (3:13.7)
1mm (4 beat measure) 'Stutter' (3:21.6)
4mm (6 beat measures) (3:23.3)
4mm (6 beat measures) (3:33.8)
4mm (6 beat measures) (3:44.2)
▲ Crescendo in shaker activity (3:49.1)
▲ Drum kit (not electric) enters (3:53.9)
4mm (6 beat measures) Drum kit displaces some electronic drums on high hat (3:54.7)
C Conclusion (4:05.3)
5mm (4 beat measures) (4:05.3)
C'' C' Altered Only the vocal counter-melody. (4:13.8)
5mm (4 beat measures) (4:13.8)
▲ High hats offbeat. Intentional? (4:19.3)
5mm (4 beat measures) (4:22.5)
5mm (4 beat measures) (4:31.3)
5mm (4 beat measures) (4:40.0)
O Outro Only ambient sounds like in A' Full Stop (4:48.7)
- Idioteque - A Musical Analysis of Radiohead's Great Departure
Radiohead is a critically acclaimed alternative rock band known for their complex soundscape, layered instrumentation, and innovation. With each new album the band releases, their sound evolves. Their first...
I Might Be Wrong - "Idioteque (Live)"
146 BPM
I Introduction (0:00.0)
(0:00.0)
(0:04.6)
Piano (synth) part not present in studio version (0:19.6)
i Instrumental (0:27.1)
(0:27.1)
(0:35.2)
(0:43.4)
▲ No percussion break 'A' (0:51.7)
(0:51.7)
V1 Verse 1 (0:51.7)
(0:51.7)
▲ No percussion break 'A' (0:51.7)
(0:59.8)
(1:08.1)
(1:16.3)
C Chorus (1:24.5)
(1:24.5)
(1:32.7)
(1:40.9)
V2' Verse 2 Altered (1:40.9)
Drum break (drum kit not digital) (1:40.9)
(1:49.1)
(1:57.3)
(2:05.5)
(2:13.7)
C' Chorus Altered (2:22.0)
(2:22.0)
(2:30.2)
(2:38.3)
(2:46.6)
B Bridge (2:54.8)
(2:54.8)
(3:04.8)
(3:18.0)
(3:18.0)
O Outro Full Stop (3:26.2)
(3:26.2)
(3:34.5)
(3:42.7)
(3:51.0)
