Douglas Adams undertones to Radiohead's 'OK Computer'

[Screaming Lord Byron]

Now, bear with me on this one, but to these ears 'Lucky' by Radiohead is eerily close to the theme tune to The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy (aka Journey of the Sorceror by the Eagles). Given as it was released on the same album as Paranoid Android (another Douglas Adams reference), I get the idea it's intentional. Furthermore, I may be a crazed fool, but does anyone else hear something that sounds suspiciously like the voice of Marvin the Paranoid Android deep in the mix on that particular song?

I haven't smoked pot in ages, honest!

[XNASA]

1. At which point in Paranoid Android do you hear Marvin?

I've never noticed, but I'm not a fan of HGG, so I wouldn't recognize it anyway. But I know OK Computer inside and out.

If any song on OK Computer sounds like 'Journey of the Sorceror' it's 'Airbag'. At least the chord pattern is closer. 'Lucky' has a similar feel, but the chords are all wrong.

Is Yorke a big Douglas Adams fan?? Dunno.

"When I am King, you will be first against the wall."

Cheers.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

2. I'll have to listen to it again. There are digitized voices in the mix.

At least, I think there are.

[XNASA]

3. Maybe it's this part...

I could never make it out, but perhaps it's the part that goes..

"I may be paranoid, but not an android"


Please could you stop the noise, I'm trying to get some rest
From all the unborn chicken voices in my head
What's there...? (I may be paranoid, but not an android)
What's there...? (I may be paranoid, but not an android)

When I am king, you will be first against the wall
(with) your opinion which is of no consequence at all
What's there...? (I may be paranoid, but no android)
What's there...? (I may be paranoid, but no android)

[Screaming Lord Byron]

4. I think that's it. Of course I could just be imagining the whole thing

It's very low in the mix.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

5. I just learned something new.......

I had NO idea that the HHG theme was the Eagles. I thought it was just canned BBC music. This is why I like this place!

[Beware the Beast Man]

6. I think it's the same vocoder they use in "Fitter, Happier"

in the background of Paranoid Android.

[BigMcLargehuge]

7. It's the Mac OS "speakable items" vocoder

I read that Yorke had a long e-mail thread with some girl, and that thread, when read by his iMac's speech program, became the vocal track for Fitter Happier. So it makes sense that he'd have used the same program to capture the Paranoid Android bit for "Paranoid Android".

I used to have my Mac set up to read all my instant messages and mail in that voice.