There are few moments when a song is pure enough to deliver unfiltered, personal intimacy to its listener; Radiohead’s “True Love Waits (Live in Oslo)” is one of these cherished tracks. This song is found on their live album I Might Be Wrong.
Radiohead is thought by many to be the best band of all time. There are a plethora of reasons for this thought, but one of which is that Radiohead is able to place its finger on the pulse of their listeners. Their wide range of sounds are capable of perfectly catering to an array of acute emotions that the audience experiences. For me, I have found that Radiohead’s “True Love Waits (Live in Oslo)” is their purest recorded song.
Thom Yorke’s vocals
Through his vocals, Thom Yorke, the lead singer of Radiohead, is able to unlock feelings within his listeners that could only be felt through an emotional experience: a deep discussion, a traumatic event, sincere introspection, etc. Yorke’s voice, paired with the plush strums of the acoustic guitar, lofts through the air and hugs the audience. The notes aren’t rushed; no, Yorke takes his time with each lyric as he adds emotional emphasis to each word.
The original recording of “True Love Waits”, released on Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool is beautiful, but it delivers a different message through its sound. The studio recording bounces around with sporadic notes and calms the listener, pulling them into a deep sleep. Yet, the “Live In Oslo” version doesn’t try to push or pull the listener into anything. It sits with them at the edge of a soft bed, mentally meeting them where they are. The song places an arm around their shoulders and holds them. Its hand rubs the shivering arm of the listener, affirms them of their strength, and cries with them.
It is like the song is acknowledging the hurt that the listener has been carrying for so long. The track doesn’t try to downplay their emotions, rather, it lets the audience experience their raw feelings. The music slowly unscrews the canned Mason jar of hurt that the listener has been holding onto for so long. “True Love Waits (Live in Oslo)” carefully releases that pain out for them, or at least, assists in that process.
Intimate Lyrics
Yorke’s voice is filled with intense emotion the entire song. His tone pleads with the listener that they are enough. That no matter the gross and disgusting things they’ve had to deal with, it doesn’t define them. These feelings are also reflected in the track’s lyrics. At the close of the song, Yorke sings,
“And true love waits in haunted attics, and true love lives on lollipops and crisps. Just don’t leave, don’t leave, don’t leave, don’t leave.”
Here, Yorke is telling the listener that love is found in non-perfect places (haunted attics) and that love lives during small, sweet moments (lollipops and crisps). Yorke knows that life is hard, and that everyone is broken in some aspect, but asks them to not give in to their momentary despair. For even if it is a small joy, like a lollipop or a bag of crisps, love lives. Don’t give up— don’t leave.
Consistent Comfort
“True Love Waits (Live in Oslo)” taps into these feelings more than any other Radiohead song. From its simple instrumental backed with the genuine lyrics and vocals, listeners are able to feel consoled, or at least listened to, through this song. This sort of therapy is not something to take lightly. With its familiar ear, “True Love Waits (Live in Oslo)” is there for you when seemingly nothing else is.
What are some of your most personal songs that you listen to?
