Song · OK Computer era (1996–98)
Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2)
Of the two nearly finished songs that missed OK Computer, the one about plastic.
1996–97
parts one and two
It was recorded in the OK Computer sessions and left off the album; Colin Greenwood's history of the sessions, written for Capitol's press kit, names it and “A Reminder” as the two of the 14 nearly finished songs that missed. Its shape copies “Paranoid Android”, the single it ended up behind. A quiet acoustic first part gives way to a loud electric second half of organ and distortion in shifting time signatures.
The subject is plastic, Thom Yorke's irritation with packaging and the life that comes wrapped in it, the same thread that leads to the landfill at the start of “No Surprises”.
It came out on the first CD of the “Paranoid Android” single on 26 May 1997, then on the Airbag / How Am I Driving? EP, and later on OKNOTOK. Scott Plagenhoef, reviewing the 2009 reissues for Pitchfork, rated it good enough for the album itself.
1997–98
the second half
On stage only the second part was ever played. At the Caird Hall in Dundee in September 1997 it was one of three B-sides in the set, and at Radio City Music Hall in New York on 18 April 1998, the last night of the OK Computer tour, it came in the first encore.
the video
The B-side, as released.· ExoArchivewatch on youtube →
the record(2)
explained
The harmony of the acoustic first part, then each section of the second.· The Pop Descriptivistwatch on youtube →
Live history
| Times played | 13 shows |
|---|---|
| Live debut | Wednesday 20 August 1997 · Ottawa |
| Last played | Saturday 18 April 1998 · New York |
Nights played include broadcasts; opened and closed count gigs only. A cancelled night has no setlist. All setlist stats →
Tabs (1)
sources4
- Wikipedia, “Paranoid Android”, for the single's B-sides and their description.
- The site's own catalogue note, based on Treble and fan archives, for the plastic.
- This site's news archive: “Colin Greenwood tells the story of the OK Computer sessions for Capitol” (July 1997), for the two songs that missed; “Radiohead's ‘Paranoid Android’ goes in at number three, behind Hanson” (1 June 1997), for the release date; “Pitchfork gives The Bends and OK Computer reissues perfect 10s” (16 April 2009), for Plagenhoef; “Thom Yorke dedicates a song to Lundin Links in Dundee” (8 September 1997) and “Radiohead end the OK Computer tour at Radio City with a new song” (18 April 1998), for the performances.
- Performance dates from this site's own setlist archive.