"Knives Out" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released as the second single from their fifth album, Amnesiac (2001). It features lyrics about cannibalism and guitars influenced by the Smiths.

Critics described "Knives Out" as one of the more conventional tracks on Amnesiac. It received positive reviews and reached number 13 on the UK singles chart and number one on the Canadian singles chart. The music video was directed by Michel Gondry. "Knives Out" has been covered by the Flaming Lips, Christopher O'Riley and Brad Mehldau.

Recording

Radiohead recorded "Knives Out" during the sessions for their albums Kid A and Amnesiac, which were recorded simultaneously in 1999 and 2000. Although the albums moved away from Radiohead's earlier guitar-led sound, the singer, Thom Yorke, said "Knives Out" was "no departure at all" and "survived because it was too good to miss".

According to a studio diary kept by the guitarist Ed O'Brien, "Knives Out" took 373 days to complete. He wrote that it was "probably the most straight-ahead thing we've done in years ... and that might explain why we took so long on it".

"Knives Out" was influenced by the British rock band the Smiths. Before its release, O'Brien played it for the Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr, who said: "I was beyond flattered and quite speechless – which takes some doing. He explained to me that with that song they'd tried to take a snapshot of the way I'd done things in the Smiths – and I guess you can hear that in it."

Composition

According to Drowned in Sound, "Knives Out" is the most conventional song on Amnesiac. It features "drifting" guitar lines, "driving" percussion, a "wandering" bassline, "haunting" vocals and "eerie" lyrics. Pitchfork likened it to Radiohead's 1997 album OK Computer, with strummed acoustic guitar, "chiming" electric guitar and reverb.

Release

In the UK, "Knives Out" was released on 6 August 2001 as the second Amnesiac single in three formats: two CD singles and a 12-inch vinyl single. It reached number 13 on the UK singles chart. "Knives Out" was covered by the Flaming Lips on their 2003 EP Fight Test, the pianist Christopher O'Riley on his 2003 album True Love Waits, and the jazz pianist Brad Mehldau on his 2005 album Day is Done. The 2019 film Knives Out takes its name from the song. The director, Rian Johnson, a Radiohead fan, said the film was unrelated but that "Knives Out" was a good title for a murder mystery.

Reception

David Merryweather of Drowned in Sound gave the "Knives Out" single nine out of ten, saying Jonny Greenwood's "chiming" guitar captured the "romantic disappointment" and "wistful ache" of the Smiths.

In 2010, Consequence of Sound praised "Knives Out" as one of Radiohead's "creepiest" songs: "It's one of many tracks from the English quintet that tickles the bones rather than warms them. But that's what makes Radiohead so unique."

Track listings

  • All tracks written by Radiohead.

UK CD1 and 12-inch single <small>(CDFHEIS 45103; 12FHEIT 45103)</small>

  1. "Knives Out" – 4:17
  2. "Cuttooth" – 5:24
  3. "Life in a Glasshouse" (full length version) – 5:06

UK CD2 <small>(CDFHEIT 45103)</small>

  1. "Knives Out" – 4:17
  2. "Worrywort" – 4:37
  3. "Fog" – 4:05

European maxi-CD and Australasian CD single <small>(7243 8 79760 2 3)</small>

  1. "Knives Out" – 4:17
  2. "Worrywort" – 4:37
  3. "Fog" – 4:04
  4. "Life in a Glasshouse" (full length version) – 5:06

US enhanced maxi-CD single <small>(C2 7243 8 77668 0 8)</small>

  1. "Knives Out" – 4:17
  2. "Cuttooth" – 5:24
  3. "Life in a Glasshouse" (full length version) – 5:06
  4. "Pyramid Song" (enhanced video) – 5:05

Japanese CD single <small>(TOCP-65871)</small>

  1. "Knives Out" – 4:17
  2. "Cuttooth" – 5:25
  3. "Worrywort" – 4:37
  4. "Fog" – 4:05
  5. "Life in a Glasshouse" (full length version) – 5:06

Charts

Weekly charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+

!scope="col"|Chart (2001)

!scope="col"|Peak<br/>position

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

|1

|-

!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)

|38

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|}

Year-end charts

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+

!scope="col"|Chart (2001)

!scope="col"|Position

|-

! scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

|11

|}

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+

!scope="col"|Chart (2002)

!scope="col"|Position

|-

!scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

|58

|}

Release history

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|

|-

!scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States

|2 July 2001

|Triple A radio

|rowspan="2"|Capitol

|

|-

|3 July 2001

|Alternative radio

|

|-

!scope="row"|Japan

|7 September 2001

|

|

|}

References

  • "Knives Out" video at YouTube
  • Article about the video