Creep
By: Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Jonny Greenwood, Philip Selway, Thom Yorke

Original Performance: Radiohead
Written by: Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Jonny Greenwood, Philip Selway, Thom Yorke

Live Versions:
  1. Creep
 
Lyrics:
Creep [Live version (a)]:

Beck (after "Loser" ended): Some bands, they don't like to do that first song that people heard. They're all, "You know, that wasn't me." Right?

Wayne: Yea, Beck, when I went to see Radiohead, they didn't want to do "Creep."

Beck: I know! Right, there's nothing to be... it's a different time and a different place... maybe you're not at that place now, but there's a little piece of you in there somewhere.

Wayne: Exactly. So when you guys see Radiohead next, just demand they do "Creep."

Beck: Haha! No no, give 'em a break. You know?

Wayne: Along with the new songs as well!

Beck: They're, more power to them... they're going for... they're exploring.  It's easy to be precious about that kind of thing. So there it is. Whoomp, there it is. There it was.

["Already Dead" starts. They play the first verse.]

Beck: Hold on a second. We should do:


I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo
Whatever makes you happy... whatever makes you run
So very special, we're so special
But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo!
What the hell am I doing here, I don't belong here
I'm running out again... no not enough run run run ruuuuuuun
'Cause I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here, I don't belong here
Mmmmm

Beck: I guess it's true. I've never learned the song, but you've heard it so many times.

Wayne: So fuck, now Radiohead doesn't have to do it. You do it!

Beck: I actually liked doing that! I enjoyed that.
 
The Song:

"Creep" is the Radiohead song, from their album Pablo Honey.

It's pretty easy to see the connection between Beck/"Loser," the Flaming Lips/"She Don't Use Jelly," and Radiohead/"Creep." These songs placed unreasonable pressure on the artists, and labelled them "one-hit wonders," but they all have proven themselves since by doing stronger, just-as-memorable, brilliant work. There is also no denying, that despite these criticisms and pressures, these are great songs.
 
Live:

Played live 5 times:
Earliest known live version: November 14, 2002
Latest known live version: August 20, 2006

FIRST TIME

Played on November 14 2002 in Fort Worth, TX. After "Loser," Beck mentioned how he's not like some bands who don't play their big hits, though he could understand their point of view. He also recognized that there's still part of him in each song, even if they aren't where he's at anymore. Wayne, the Flaming Lips' singer, then mentioned that Radiohead doesn't do "Creep" anymore. They then continued the concert, beginning "Already Dead," which Beck stopped part way through saying "Stop, stop...something's not right here!" The Lips stopped and Beck started to sing "Creep"! The Lips joined in.



SECOND TIME

Going back to the song's connection with "Loser" (the "one-hit wonder" status, the self-depreciation, etc.), on August 18 2003, Beck was playing his long electric guitar freak-out version of "Loser." Near the end of it, he started rapping the chorus to "Creep" in a similar cadence to the "Loser" verses.

THIRD TIME

In 2006, Beck played Bonnaroo, a gigantic festival in Tennessee. The Saturday headliner was Radiohead, and Beck played right before them, on the same stage. So naturally, he kicked off with a little acoustic version of "Creep." "I don't think Radiohead is going to do this one," Beck announces. Then he starts to sing the chorus, then tries the falsetto part, then hums a bit. It doesn't last long.



FOURTH and FIFTH TIMES

Apparently Beck did the same thing a few months later at the V Festival in England, at which Radiohead was also the headliner. (The festival was two nights, in two different cities.)
 
Notes: