Before the release of In Rainbows I heard a version of Radiohead playing this song in Copenhagen. It’s called ‘Four Minute Warning,’ a song about the public alert system used by Britain during the Cold War to give citizens four minutes of caution before Soviet nuclear missiles hit the UK. Pretty crazy stuff. Here’s an excerpt from the script that would have been broadcast on BBC 4 Radio in the event of an attack:
“This is the Wartime Broadcasting Service. This country has been attacked with nuclear weapons…Remember there is nothing to be gained by trying to get away. By leaving your homes you could be exposing yourselves to greater danger…Use your water only for essential drinking and cooking purposes. Water means life. Don’t waste it…We shall repeat this broadcast in two hours’ time. Stay tuned to this wavelength, but switch your radios off now to save your batteries until we come on the air again. That is the end of this broadcast.”
Aaaanyways, the song is great. Enjoy.
