Hello, and welcome to Hearing Double, where I compare and contrast two unrelated songs of the same title and decide which title does the most justice!
This week, there will be shivers up your spine as we take a look at “Creep” by TLC and Radiohead.
TLC’s “Creep” was their first number one hit and earned them a Grammy in 1996. The R&B song tells the story of a woman who knows her partner is cheating and decides to cheat on him for revenge.
My favorite fact about this song is that Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, a member of the group, did not want the song to be released, considering it “bad advice” for those with cheating partners. Although I always like to take the meaning of the lyrics into account when I judge songs, I see this as a storytelling song, not advice. I won’t hold the moral questionability against the song.
Inner conflict is a major theme in TLC’s “Creep.” Despite the speaker not feeling loved, she insists that she will “keep giving loving/‘till the day he pushes me away.” Despite the repeated emphasis on her loneliness and guilt, the speaker seems determined to hold the status quo of this relationship where both partners are cheating.
One of the best parts of the song is the repeat of the second chorus. The words of the chorus, which describe the cheating, are intermingled with Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins explaining the decision to cheat with an almost appealing tone, directly addressing the partner instead of narrating to the audience. This is where she reiterates how much she loves her partner and tells him that if he won’t give her affection, she’ll have to get it from someone else. This sentiment is mixed in with the chorus to convey the conflict within someone who is cheating and simultaneously justifying their actions.
The music is undoubtedly catchy. I always enjoy brass instruments in R&B songs, and the horn in “Creep” is a perfect example of why. The beat is easy to nod along to, and the different layers over the consistent horn give the song a satisfying uniformity that never slips into monotony.
In terms of the title, TLC notably uses the word “creep” as a verb. It’s the action she’s taking to balance out her partner’s cheating. However, the word’s murmured repetition in the chorus creates a perfect imagery of the deception and backhandedness on both sides of this relationship.
However, Radiohead tells a different story of a “creep.” Although the idea of inner conflict persists, this song uses the word as a noun, making it the singer’s entire identity instead of an action they take.
“Creep” was Radiohead’s debut single, released in 1992. The song remains their most popular to this day, but it’s not exactly beloved by the band. They rarely play it live and even wrote a song about it called “My Iron Lung,” describing how “Creep” both kept the band afloat and simultaneously restricted their artistry.
However, “Creep” is popular for a reason. The isolation and self-deprecation of the speaker can resonate well with anyone experiencing loneliness or insecurity, which is almost everyone at some point in their lives.
The song introduces itself by presenting a woman who is “just like an angel” and “[floats] like a feather.” The speaker is enamored with her but believes he is not “special” enough to deserve her. He declares himself a “creep” and a “weirdo,” feeling like he doesn’t belong among people like that woman.
The speaker may be putting the woman on a bit of a pedestal in this song, especially considering there’s no indication he actually knows her well. However, that also seems like a good representation of what it’s like comparing yourself to people you admire. Sometimes the reason we admire them is because we don’t know them well enough to just see them as humans. However, the way this thinking is portrayed in the song is (appropriately) a little creepy.
The music in Radiohead’s “Creep” is punctuated by short bursts of guitar leading into an almost wailing chorus. This song does an excellent job using the music itself to reflect the emotion in the lyrics.
It’s no small task to compare these songs. The music and instrumentation are starkly different, but both enjoyable and easy to listen to. The lyrics of both songs tell fascinating and emotional stories, but one focuses on a situation and the other focuses on how a man is seeing himself.
In the spirit of the column, I have to focus on which song better captures the title. When it comes to the emotional weight behind either “Creep,” I believe wrestling with feeling like an outcast overrides the creepiness of sneaking around behind a cheating partner’s back.
Winner: Radiohead