Creep

About this song

Radiohead grew to hate the song despite, or perhaps because of, its popularity, and have rarely played it live since the OK Computer tour. Notable covers include versions by The Pretenders, Macy Gray, Lea Michele and Dean Geyer as part of Glee, Prince, and Billie Eilish, whose 2025 cover had been anticipated since 2019. Thom Yorke said in 1993 that he had a real problem being a man in the '90s, and Jonny Greenwood described the song as a happy one about recognizing what you are. "My Iron Lung", written in 1994 and later released on The Bends, is also about the song.

What it's about

The song follows an intoxicated man who tries to attract the attention of a woman he is drawn to by following her around. In the end he lacks the confidence to face her and feels he is subconsciously her.

Fun facts

• Sampled in 28 other songs, like “Creep by John Põ & Yung Nick”.
• Covered 168 times, including “Creep by The Funeral Portrait”.
• Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Colin Greenwood, Philip Selway and Albert Hammond.
• Produced by Chris Hufford.
• Recorded at Chipping Norton Recording Studios.