Sail To The Moon

About this song

The song is a lullaby-like piano ballad with shifting time signatures, written in five minutes for Yorke's infant son Noah. Its subtitle was taken from a song on the British children's television programme Bagpuss. Jonny Greenwood was initially unimpressed with Yorke's demo, but felt the band's restructuring turned it into one of the best songs on the record.

What it's about

The song alludes to the Biblical story of Noah's Ark and is addressed to a child, with the parent hoping they will know right from wrong. Read biographically, it is addressed to a next generation, much as a warning would be.

Fun facts

• Samples “Not Yet Remembered by Brian Eno & Harold Budd”.
• Sampled in 2 other songs, like “Grand whispers empty by The Caretakers”.
• Covered once, including “Sail To The Moon by Christopher O'Riley”.
• Written by Philip Selway, Ed O’Brien, Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke.
• Produced by Radiohead and Nigel Godrich.