John Mayer "Kid A" Radiohead Cover (audio & slideshow) 2001

John Mayer covers Radiohead's hit "Kid A" in 2001.

" 'Kid A' is this little funny thing that happened while we were making [2001's] Room for Squares," Mayer explained of his Radiohead cover. "John Alagia, who was producing the record, had to go away for the weekend. So myself and Jeff Juliano, the engineer, just started messing around. I tooled up this version of 'Kid A' because I love the song, I really do. And within an hour and a half or two hours, it was all done."

Where Radiohead's version of the title track from their 2000 album is an amalgam of looped beats and electronic tones, Mayer rendered his take acoustically, demonstrating his versatility and dexterity as a guitar player. Another fundamental difference is that on Mayer's track, the lyrics can actually be understood.

"The thing about doing covers, for me, is that I don't really feel like I can cover just any song," he said. "I can't particularly sing somebody's notes clearer or higher or stronger, which is why it was such a cool thing to cover this song. There's a tune there, but it was almost purposefully obscured, like a robot was singing it. It was one of the few songs I could do something with — if you're gonna do a cover, leave the song somewhere different than where you picked it up." ~John Mayer

About 'Kid A'

Kid A was the first Radiohead album (since the band's debut, Pablo Honey (1993)) whose lyrics were not officially released or published in its liner notes. Thom Yorke, who wrote all the lyrics, explained this by saying the words could not be considered separately from the music. He said he used a vocal manipulation to distance himself from the title track's "brutal and horrible" subject matter, which he could not have sung otherwise. For at least some of the lyrics, Yorke cut up words and phrases and drew them from a hat.

Kid A is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock band Radiohead, released in October 2000. A commercial success worldwide, Kid A went platinum in its first week of release in the UK. Despite the lack of an official single or music video as publicity, Kid A became the first Radiohead release to debut at number one in the US. This success was credited variously to a unique marketing campaign, the early Internet leak of the album, or anticipation after the band's 1997 album, OK Computer.

The album's songwriting and recording were experimental for Radiohead, as the band replaced their earlier "anthemic" rock style with a more electronic sound.

Kid A contains more minimal and abstract lyrics than the band's previous work. Singer Thom Yorke has said the album was not intended as "art", but reflects the music they listened to at the time.

Kid A has been considered one of the most challenging pop records to have commercial success. The album won a Grammy for Best Alternative Album and was nominated for Album of the Year. It also received praise for introducing listeners to diverse forms of underground music.
Despite the band's new direction alienating some fans and critics, Kid A received generally positive reviews from notable music publications. It was subsequently listed by multiple publications as one of the best albums of recent years, and, more recently, one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

Category:

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• Kid A
• Radiohead
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• 2001
• studio version
• acoustic
• r&b
• ballad
• classic rock
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• Room For Squares
• Thom Yorke
• alternative

[MaghoxFr]

Dude the description of this video is shite. Disregarding Radiohead? There's a reason Mayer is covering them, and I don't think it's because he thought the original song was crap. That a song is acoustic doesn't mean it's better. In this case, the song is simpler.

[MikeysMisses2]

@MaghoxFr What part of the description was "shite"? In what way did I "disregard" RH? I never said that I thought the original was crap, neither did John Mayer in the quote I used. In fact, I believe he stated, " I tooled up this version of 'Kid A' because I love the song, I really do. " Whether something is "better" or "worse" is subjective, isn't it? John Mayer's version is different. Just because I don't care for the original, doesn't mean it's a bad song, it means I don't like it.

[MaghoxFr]

@MikeysMisses2 I didn't sy Mayer thought it was crap, in fact I wrote the exact opposite. If you don't enjoy the original electronic sounds, it's up to you, but saying "the lyrics can actually be understood" is a very stupid comment to say. And no, not everything is subjective, there is better music. The original is more creative, more complex and more innovative. This is a good version.

[MikeysMisses2]

@MaghoxFr The quote "the lyrics can actually be understood" came from Rolling Stone magazine, if you don't like it, take it up with them.

PS Do you even know what subjective means? Or should I say, ¿Sabes lo que significa subjetiva?

[dropbows90]

You seem to be looking down your nose at "looped beats and electronic tones," and at Radiohead's version of the song in general. There's something oddly passive aggressive about that paragraph in the description. Just sayin'...

[MikeysMisses2]

@dropbows90 No disrespect to the listener was intended. I just really like this version and really don't like the original song. True, I'm not a fan of Radiohead, but I don't see the description for "Kid A" as passive or agressive, just an observation.

[SooperCewell]

@MaghoxFr Radiohead is not for everyone, and even though I love them more than John Mayer (700x more), you can't argue with someone into liking them. You either like them or you don't. I personally think they're fucking incredible. ;)

[MikeysMisses2]

Yeah, I really like JM's spin on this song.. I much perfer it to the original. Thanks for commenting. :~)

[arsholegunner]

nice acoustic