Radiohead's High and Dry Rescue
Radiohead's "High and Dry" was nearly scrapped during recording because the band thought it sounded "too Rod Stewart." The track was ultimately rescued and became one of their notable singles, according to music history throwback posts gaining traction on social media.
The version of "High and Dry" that appears on *The Bends* was originally a demo recorded during the sessions for their debut album, *Pablo Honey*, in 1993. The band, however, dismissed the recording at the time. When it came time to record their sophomore album, the demo was rediscovered and remastered for inclusion. The recording sessions for *The Bends* at RAK Studios in London were fraught with tension. The band faced immense pressure from their label, Parlophone, to replicate the success of their hit single "Creep". Bassist Colin Greenwood described the period as "eight weeks of hell and torture," with the band even contemplating splitting up. Frontman Thom Yorke, in particular, has expressed his disdain for "High and Dry," once stating in an interview, "It's not bad, it's very bad." He felt the song was too soft and has claimed that the record label, EMI, pressured him into releasing it for its commercial appeal. The track was written by Yorke years earlier while he was a student at the University of Exeter. Released as a double A-side single with "Planet Telex" on February 27, 1995, "High and Dry" reached number 17 in the UK charts. In the United States, it peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for eight weeks, helping to grow the band's American fanbase. Due to the band's dissatisfaction with the song, two separate music videos were created. The original, directed by David Mould, was shot at Vasquez Rocks in California. However, Radiohead's American label, Capitol Records, commissioned a second video inspired by the film *Pulp Fiction*, which was set in a roadside diner. Despite its popularity among fans, Radiohead has rarely performed "High and Dry" live since the tour for *The Bends*. This avoidance mirrors their complicated relationship with their other early hit, "Creep," which they also famously shunned for many years.
