There There

"There, There (The Boney King of Nowhere)" is a song by English rock band Radiohead, released on 21 May 2003 as the lead single from their sixth album, Hail to the Thief. Influenced by Can, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Pixies, the track features layered percussion that builds to a loud climax. Thom Yorke described the lyrics as intended to be comforting, noting they were "supposed to be comforting — 'It's alright, you're just imagining it.'" The subtitle refers to a song from the animated series Bagpuss, which Yorke watched with his young son.

Quick Facts

Artist: Radiohead
Album: Hail to the Thief
B-side: "Paperbag Writer"; "Where Bluebirds Fly"
Released: 21 May 2003
Genre: Alternative rock
Length: 5:23
Label: Parlophone
Producer: Nigel Godrich; Radiohead

Lore & Background

The composition centers on a driving rhythm where layered percussion builds relentlessly to a loud climax. Musically, the song draws direct influence from Can, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Pixies. The lyrical content was crafted by Yorke with a specific intent: to offer reassurance in the face of anxiety, encapsulated in the line "It's alright, you're just imagining it." A unique narrative layer exists in the subtitle "The Boney King of Nowhere," which originates from a song in Bagpuss. This childhood reference connects directly to the band's visual direction; Yorke originally asked creator Oliver Postgate to make the music video but was declined due to retirement. Instead, animator Chris Hopewell created a stop-motion piece instructed to resemble Brothers Grimm folk tales and Czech animator Jan Švankmajer, resulting in a "fifties East European genre animation" style that debuted on the Times Square Jumbotron.

Reader's Guide

To experience the song as intended, listen for the layered percussion that defines its structure and drives it toward a loud climax. The track reached number four on the UK singles chart, number one in Canada and Portugal, and number 14 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, while its music video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction at the 2003 awards. In 2025, Rolling Stone ranked it the 196th-greatest song of the 21st century so far, with editor Rob Sheffield calling it "the definitive Radiohead classic." Guitarist Jonny Greenwood stated in 2020 that this music video was Radiohead's best. The standard CD and 12-inch single includes the track alongside "Paperbag Writer" (3:58) and "Where Bluebirds Fly" (4:31), whereas the 7-inch version features only the title track and "Paperbag Writer."

Did You Know?

Thom Yorke cried with relief upon hearing Nigel Godrich's final mix of the song.
A demo version of the track was released as the B-side to the single '2 + 2 = 5'.