"Follow Me Around" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 1 November 2021 as the second single from the compilation album Kid A Mnesia. It features the singer, Thom Yorke, on acoustic guitar, with lyrics expressing paranoia and dread.
Radiohead recorded "Follow Me Around" during the joint sessions for their fourth and fifth studio albums, Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001), but it went unreleased until 2021. It was accompanied by a music video starring Guy Pearce.
Music
"Follow Me Around" features a solo performance by Thom Yorke on acoustic guitar, with a "soaring" chorus. The lyrics express paranoia and dread, and reference Margaret Thatcher. Earlier versions instead referenced Tony Blair. Rolling Stone said it was one of Yorke's darkest songs.
History
"Follow Me Around" first appeared in the 1998 documentary Meeting People Is Easy, which includes a performance recorded during a soundcheck. Bootleg recordings circulated online and the song became a fan favourite. He and the Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood performed a rearranged version in 2017.
Release
Radiohead released "Follow Me Around" on the 2021 compilation album Kid A Mnesia. It was released as the second single on 1 November. It was directed by Us, a directing duo consisting of Chris Barrett<!--- Please verify if Chris Barrett (filmmaker) is the same person as the Chris Barrett listed here before adding a hyperlink ---> and Luke Taylor. Pearce said the video was recorded a few weeks before the release.
Reception
Several publications celebrated the release of a long-awaited fan favourite.