All I Need (Radiohead song)

Radiohead debuted "All I Need" at their 20 June 2006 performance at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.{{cite journal|author=Mirabile, Vanessa|date=12 July 2006|title=Chicagoans get 'Lucky'|url=http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/174/4|location=Chicago|access-date=25 July 2014|journal=Lumino|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811080624/http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/174/4|archive-date=11 August 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} The singer, Thom Yorke, told the audience that they had just "sketched [the song] out earlier and might get it wrong".

Radiohead recorded "All I Need" for their seventh studio album, In Rainbows (2007). They used a fan recording of the debut performance, uploaded to YouTube, as a reference when working in the studio; Yorke said: "It's all crunchy, it's all from mobile phone but... that's sort of an element of it I really find incredibly exciting."XFM X-Posure, 3 January 2008

The guitarist Jonny Greenwood wanted to capture the sensation of white noise generated by "a band playing loudly in a room, when all this chaos kicks up".{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/arts/music/09pare.html?pagewanted=all |title=Pay What You Want for This Article |work=The New York Times |date=9 December 2007 |access-date=25 July 2014 |author=Pareles, Jon}} Unable to produce the sound in a recording studio, Greenwood instead had a string section, the Millennia Ensemble, play every note of the scale, blanketing the audio frequencies. He also overdubbed his own viola playing.

The guitarist Ed O'Brien used a guitar strung with four bottom E strings, creating a thicker sound, combined with a sustain unit (allowing notes to be sustained indefinitely) and delay pedal.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/radioheads-ed-obrien-i-was-always-drawn-to-sounds-that-didnt-sound-like-the-guitar|title=Radiohead's Ed O'Brien: "I was always drawn to sounds that didn't sound like the guitar|author=Michael Astley-Brown, Rob Laing|date=14 November 2017|publisher=MusicRadar|access-date=19 November 2017}} Yorke said that the final version of "All I Need" was a combination of four different recordings.{{cite journal |title=Rainbow Warriors |journal=NME |location=London |date=8 December 2007 |author=Marshall, Julian}}

"All I Need" is a sombre song with lyrics detailing obsession and love.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-rainbows-mw0000496930 |title=In Rainbows – Radiohead |work=AllMusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=25 July 2014 |author=Kellman, Andy}} It incorporates strings,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/hfvr|title=Radiohead In Rainbows Review|author=Jones, Chris|publisher=BBC Music. BBC|access-date=25 July 2014}} synthesisers,{{cite magazine|author=Sheffield, Rob|date=1 November 2007|title=In Rainbows|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/in-rainbows-20071101|location=New York|access-date=25 July 2014|magazine=Rolling Stone}} glockenspiel and piano.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10785-in-rainbows/|title=Radiohead: In Rainbows|author=Pytlik, Mark|date=15 October 2007|publisher=Pitchfork Media|access-date=25 July 2014}} Brian Howe of Paste wrote that it "contrasts baggy bass bleats with tiny, concise glockenspiel".{{cite journal|author=Howe, Brian|date=24 October 2007|title=Radiohead: In Rainbows|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2007/10/in-rainbows.html|access-date=26 July 2014|journal=Paste|archive-date=28 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728180120/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2007/10/in-rainbows.html|url-status=dead}} Robert Sandall of The Telegraph described it as Yorke's most "direct love song",{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3668428/Radioheads-In-Rainbows-first-review.html |title=Radiohead's In Rainbows: first review |work=The Telegraph |location=London |date=9 October 2007 |access-date=25 July 2014 |author=Sandall, Robert}} and Rolling Stone cited it as among "the most intense love songs [he] has ever sung".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-albums-of-the-2000s-20110718/radiohead-in-rainbows-20110715 |title=100 Best Albums of the 2000s: Radiohead, 'In Rainbows' |magazine=Rolling Stone |location=New York |date=18 June 2011 |access-date=25 July 2014}}

Yorke's lyrics incorporate metaphors describing unrequited love, describing himself as "an animal trapped in your hot car". In the final crescendo,{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2007/oct/10/radioheadsinrainbowsisita |title=Radiohead's In Rainbows – a five-star review |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=10 October 2007 |access-date=25 July 2014 |author=Pedris, Alexis}} the album's "most cathartic release", Yorke sings "it's all right, it's all wrong" as Philip Selway's crash cymbals enter.{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/6753-top-50-albums-of-2007/5/ |title=Top 50 Albums of 2007 |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=18 December 2007 |access-date=25 July 2014 |archive-date=29 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229080442/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/6753-top-50-albums-of-2007/5/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://www.stereogum.com/9453/new_radiohead_video_all_i_need/video/ |title=New Radiohead Video – 'All I Need' |work=Stereogum |publisher=Spin Media |date=30 April 2008 |access-date=25 July 2014 |author=Singh, Amrit}}

"All I Need" concludes the first half of In Rainbows. On 5 January 2009, TBD Records and ATO Records released "All I Need" to United States adult album alternative radio, marking the fifth and final single from In Rainbows.{{cite journal|url=http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=01/05/2009&Format=7 |title=Triple A (Week Of: January 5, 2009) |journal=Radio & Records |location=Los Angeles |access-date=25 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308050941/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=01%2F05%2F2009&Format=7 |archive-date=8 March 2014 }} CD copies of the single were distributed by TBD Records for promotional purposes to coincide with the radio release, which included labels detailing Radiohead's nominations at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.{{cite AV media notes |type=single |year=2009 |title="All I Need" |others=Radiohead |publisher=TBD Records}} A performance of "All I Need" was included on the 2008 live video In Rainbows – From the Basement.{{Cite web |date=2019-06-26 |title=Revisiting Radiohead's In Rainbows: From the Basement |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/radiohead-in-rainbows-from-the-basement-session/ |access-date=2021-09-20 |website=Far Out Magazine |language=en-US}} Yorke remixed "All I Need" as a new song, "Honey Pot", which he played during a guest appearance on the radio station KCRW in June 2013.{{Cite news|url=https://consequence.net/2013/06/listen-to-new-thom-yorke-song-honey-pot/|title=Listen to new Thom Yorke song: "Honey Pot"|date=2013-06-07|work=Consequence of Sound|access-date=2018-08-19|language=en-US}}

The "All I Need" music video was directed by Steve Rogers and filmed in Australia by John Seale. It premiered on MTV on May 1, 2008.{{cite journal |date=30 April 2008 |title=Radiohead support campaign against human trafficking |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/radiohead-538-1330618 |journal=NME |location=London |access-date=25 July 2014}} In split screen, it depicts a day in the lives of two children: a boy in the west from an affluent area, and a boy in the east forced to work in a sweatshop which produces shoes worn by the western boy. The video won 16 awards, including the UNICEF–CASBAA Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award,{{cite web |date=11 November 2009 |title=Award-Winning Radiohead-MTV Exit Music Video Raises Awareness about Human Trafficking |url=http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2009/11/11/award-winning-radiohead-mtv-exit-music-video-raises-awareness-about-human-trafficking/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023320/http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2009/11/11/award-winning-radiohead-mtv-exit-music-video-raises-awareness-about-human-trafficking/ |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=25 July 2014 |publisher=The Asia Foundation}} the Bronze ANDY for Film at the International Andy Awards, the In Book for Music Video at the 2009 D&AD Awards, and the Bronze Lion for Film at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.{{cite web |date=4 November 2009 |title=Radiohead, MTV EXIT and USAID Music Video Collaboration to Raise Awareness About Human Trafficking Wins Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2009/11/04/idUS157067+04-Nov-2009+PRN20091104 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728054630/http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/11/04/idUS157067+04-Nov-2009+PRN20091104 |archive-date=28 July 2014 |access-date=25 July 2014 |publisher=Reuters}}

Radiohead produced the music video for "All I Need" in support of the MTV EXIT campaign, which promotes awareness and increase prevention of human trafficking and modern slavery.{{cite web |author=Montgomery |first=James |date=30 April 2008 |title=Radiohead Join Forces With MTV's Campaign Against Human Trafficking For 'All I Need' Video |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1586579/radiohead-join-forces-with-mtvs-campaign-against-human-trafficking-for-all-i-need-video/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212123827/http://www.mtv.com/news/1586579/radiohead-join-forces-with-mtvs-campaign-against-human-trafficking-for-all-i-need-video/ |archive-date=12 February 2015 |access-date=25 July 2014 |work=MTV |publisher=Viacom Media Networks}} Yorke said of the project:

{{Blockquote|text=It's cool that MTV is taking this up ... It's good it's hitting the mainstream, because I don’t consider it a left-wing issue; I consider it a political-stability issue ... If [the campaign] does one good thing, it's to make this concept of slavery — which is what it is — less taboo. If they can make it something that is OK for us to talk about, and for politicians in the west to actually accept that this is an issue, well, then we're doing a good thing.|sign=|source=}}

Credits adapted from the In Rainbows liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |year=2007 |title=In Rainbows |others=Radiohead |type=liner notes |publisher=XL Recordings |id=XLCD 324}}

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;Radiohead

• Thom Yorke
• Jonny Greenwood
• Colin Greenwood
• Ed O'Brien
• Philip Selway

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;Additional personnel

• Nigel Godrich – production, mixing, engineering
• Dan Grech-Marguerat – engineering
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• The Millennia Ensemble – strings
• Hugo Nicolson – engineering
• Graeme Stewart – preproduction
• Richard Woodcraft – engineering

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Radiohead|title=All I Need|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2009|certyear=2023|accessdate=March 27, 2023}}

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{{Radiohead}}

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Category:2009 singles

Category:2007 songs

Category:Radiohead songs

Category:Songs written by Thom Yorke

Category:Songs written by Colin Greenwood

Category:Songs written by Jonny Greenwood

Category:Songs written by Philip Selway

Category:Songs written by Ed O'Brien