Verse Chorus Verse: Radiohead – “15 Step”

How come I end up where I started?
How come I end up where I went wrong?

I know those questions aren't exactly original thoughts or ideas.  There is a lot of crossover in pop music and that's where the music comes in.  These questions have been asked in jazz, rock, country, R&B, hip hop, emo, metal, blues, zydeco, and probably Bulgarian polka.  The questions get asked in comedy, drama, mystery, and horror films.

I have no idea who asked them first or best, but I love the way Radiohead packaged them in "15 Step."  I love that the first time we hear Thom Yorke's voice on In Rainbows, the first thing he says is "How come I end up where I started?"  I love that the first song I listened to this morning begins with "How come I end up where I started?"  That's fun in any language.

So how does Thom answer the question?  He doesn't.  The next lines are:

Won't take my eyes off the ball again
First you reel me out and then you cut the string

Ah, yes, the old Lucy Van Pelt special.  I don't know if Thom is a fan of the ol' Peanuts gang, but I've seen that movie and I know what happens.  So what does any of this have to do with the title "15 Steps?"

"15 steps, then a shoe drops."

15, eh?  That's what we call a good day around here.  If I can get 15 steps before the shoe drops, I've really accomplished something.  Of course there are the days I hope the shoe drops a whole lot sooner because life starts feeling like one bother after another, and that's always fun, too.

So, let's recap: 

How come I end up where I started?
How come I end up where I went wrong?
Won't take my eyes off the ball again
First you reel me out and then you cut the string

15 steps, then a shoe drops

Welcome to my morning.  Good grief.