Radiohead Lyrics 'Were Inspired By William Blake', Reveals Donated Oxfam Poetry Book

Lyrics to a Radiohead song on the album OK Computer may have been inspired by the writer William Blake.

A copy of a Blake paperback handed into an Oxfam charity shop by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke contained notes added by the singer.

Yorke had written lyrics for the Radiohead song Airbag in the margin of his tattered copy of Blake’s poetry collection, Songs of Innocence and Experience.

Airbag appeared on 1997 Radiohead album OK Computer, often hailed as one of the best albums in rock music history.

Staff at the Oxfam shop in Oxford where Yorke donated the book initially put it on sale for just 50p, but after being appraised by an expert, it will go up for auction next month.

The Radiohead singer’s lyrics are penned on the inside cover, with other notes scattered throughout the poems.

Rare book specialist Andrew Chapman, 48, who examined the book, said: “I’m a big Radiohead fan, so when another volunteer, Alex Barker, showed me the book, I immediately realised that it shouldn’t have been on sale for 50p and took it off the shelf.

“We realised that the book was of considerable interest as it showed the influence for the song and a direct link between Blake’s verses and Thom’s inspiration.

“Alex had been flicking through the poetry books on sale while he was stood at the till and told me to take a look.

“We knew it must have been one of Thom’s books as we had been talking about another one that he had donated only the week before.

“The book is a tatty Penguin 1960s paperback of Songs of Innocence and Experience, but Yorke’s lyrics and the annotations make it very special.

“It’s amazing to think this song on OK Computer was inspired by the poetry of William Blake – this could well be the first draft of Airbag.

“I wrote to Thom Yorke, to let him know the book could be sold at auction and he contacted head office to say that would be fine for us to sell it as we saw fit.”

Yorke donated some books to the store about eight months ago. It is thought it could raise as much as £1,200 for Oxfam at auction.

(Pictures: Rex/Caters)