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1995 single by Radiohead From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Just" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, included on their second album, The Bends (1995). It features an angular guitar riff played by Jonny Greenwood, inspired by the band Magazine. It was released as a single on 21 August 1995 and reached number 19 on the UK singles chart.
"Just" | ||||
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Single by Radiohead | ||||
from the album The Bends | ||||
Released | 21 August 1995[1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:55 | |||
Label | Parlophone | |||
Songwriter(s) | Radiohead | |||
Producer(s) | John Leckie | |||
Radiohead singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Just" on YouTube |
In 2008, "Just" was included in Radiohead: The Best Of. The English producer Mark Ronson released a cover version on his 2008 album Version.
Much of "Just" was written by Radiohead's lead guitarist, Jonny Greenwood. According to the singer, Thom Yorke, Greenwood "was trying to get as many chords as he could into a song".[5] Greenwood's angular guitar riff was influenced by John McGeoch's playing on the 1978 Magazine song "Shot by Both Sides"; Greenwood said that it was "pretty much the same kind of idea".[6] "Just" was produced by John Leckie, who had also produced "Shot by Both Sides".[7]
"Just" was the first song Radiohead finished while working on their second album, The Bends (1995), at RAK Studios.[8] According to the guitarist Ed O'Brien, earlier versions were about seven minutes long.[7] At the time of recording, Yorke said it was the most exciting thing Radiohead had recorded.[7]
"Just" begins with a strummed guitar, which the critic Mac Randall likened to the 1991 Nirvana song "Smells Like Teen Spirit".[7] Greenwood plays octatonic scales that extend over four octaves.[9] In the solo, he uses a DigiTech Whammy pedal to pitch-shift his guitar into a high, piercing frequency.[7][8] The lyrics describe someone in a bad relationship, with a "malicious" vocal vibrato from Yorke.[7] The Guardian placed the song between grunge and Britpop.[10]
The "Just" music video was directed by Jamie Thraves, who adapted it from an idea he had for a short film. It took two days to shoot. The street scenes were filmed on Liverpool Street, London; the scenes of the band were filmed on a set.[11]
In the video, a man lies in the middle of the pavement, attracting attention from passersby. The members of Radiohead watch from an apartment above. The man's conversation with passersby is displayed in subtitles; they ask why he is lying down, but he refuses to explain. Eventually, the man explains, but his explanation is not subtitled. The bystanders lie down next to him.[11]
In 2007, NME named "Just" the 34th-greatest "indie anthem".[12] In 2017, NME named the guitar solo one of the greatest of all time.[13] In 2020, the Guardian named it the 32nd-greatest Radiohead song, writing: "Hailstorm distortion meets perky hooks, wily vocals and ... an absurd pageant of guitar chords. The chorus flips the grunge ethos on its head, swapping self-loathing for theatrical vitriol."[10]
UK CD1 and cassette single[14][15]
UK CD2[16]
Australian CD single[17]
Chart (1995) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[18] | 7 |
Scotland (OCC)[19] | 18 |
UK singles (OCC)[20] | 19 |
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[21] | 37 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[22] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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United Kingdom | 21 August 1995 |
|
Parlophone | [1] |
28 August 1995 | CD2 | [24] |
"Just" | ||||
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Single by Mark Ronson featuring Alex Greenwald | ||||
from the album Exit Music | ||||
Released | 13 March 2006[25] | |||
Length |
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Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Mark Ronson | |||
Mark Ronson singles chronology | ||||
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Alex Greenwald singles chronology | ||||
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Mark Ronson and Alex Greenwald covered "Just" for the Radiohead tribute album Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads. It was released digitally on 13 March 2006 as the lead single.[25]
It reached number 48 on the UK Singles Chart[26] and at number 36 on the Scottish Singles Chart in 2006.[27]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Just" | 5:21 |
2. | "Just" (radio edit) | 3:51 |
7" vinyl 166167422433[28]
Chart (2006) | Peak position |
---|---|
Scotland (OCC)[27] | 36 |
UK Singles (OCC)[26] | 48 |
"Just" | ||||
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Single by Mark Ronson featuring Phantom Planet | ||||
from the album Version | ||||
Released | 15 February 2008[29] | |||
Genre | Funk rock[30] | |||
Length |
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Label |
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Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Mark Ronson | |||
Mark Ronson singles chronology | ||||
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Phantom Planet singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Just" on YouTube |
Ronson re-released the cover in February 2008 as the fourth single from his second album, Version, now credited as featuring Alex Greenwald's band Phantom Planet.[29]
The music video was directed by Jim Canty, it acted as a sequel to and paid homage to the earlier Radiohead video. The video features a city sweeper finding the group people lying around on ground.[31][citation needed]
The song played as the follow-up to "Valerie", which was still in the UK top 20 upon the release of "Just". "Just" reached No. 31 after its release.[32]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Just" (Radio edit) | 3:13 |
2. | "Just" (DJ Premier's justremixitmix) (featuring Blaq Poet) | 3:56 |
3. | "Just" (The Go! Team Remix) | 2:29 |
4. | "Just" (The Loving Hand Remix) | 6:11 |
5. | "Just" (DJ Premier's justremixitmix) (featuring Blaq Poet Instrumental) | 3:55 |
6. | "Just" (The Loving Hand Remix Instrumental) | 6:13 |
CD single
CD 1 88697271202 / download
CD 2 88697272032 / download
10" vinyl 88697271211
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