� Airbag 4:46

 
Originally released: June 1997

Available on: OK Computer (album), Airbag/How Am I Driving? (EP)

Alternative version: Live From Berlin, No Surprises (single)

 
In the next world war
In a jackknifed juggernaut
I am born again

In the neon sign
Scrolling up and down
I am born again

In an interstellar burst
I am back to save the universe

In a deep deep sleep of the innocent
I am born again

In a fast german car
I'm amazed that I survived
An airbag saved my life

In an interstellar burst
I am back to save the universe

In an interstellar burst
I am back to save the universe

 

Originally titled An Airbag Saved My Life, a headline that Thom read in an Automobile Association manual that came in the mail, the song is about the wonderful, positive emotion you feel when you've just failed to have an accident; when you just miss someone and realize how close it was and stop the car and just feel this incredible emotion. The title is also a play on the 1983 Indeep song Last night a DJ Saved My Life.

The song reflects the influence DJ Shadow has had on Radiohead, as the band made the track with a drum loop based on a three-second sample of Phil's drumming.

Thom in Select: Has an airbag saved my life? Nah...but I tell you something, every time you have a near accident, instead of just sighing and carrying on, you should pull over, get out of the car and run down the street screaming, 'I'm BACK! I'm ALIVE! My life has started again today!'. In fact, you should do that every time you get out of a car. We're just riding on those things - we're not really in control of them.