Songs → Exit Music
Released on OK Computer. Exit Music appears several times across the MiniDiscs, usually in the form of rough Thom solo demos.
The songs Life In A Glasshouse and Touchies + Feelies both seem to have developed out of ideas that are first heard in early versions of Exit Music, before being pulled out and developed into their own songs.
It seems that the lyrics were only finalized after the band had been approached by Baz Luhrmann to contribute a song for his film William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
The film premiered on 27 October 27 1996 and an alternate mix of Exit Music played over the closing credits.
The song was omitted from the film's soundtrack album per the band's request, as they intended to include it on OK Computer.
The following is included on a page of the OKNOTOK notebook, referencing one of the recordings on the MiniDiscs (most likely Amazing Drums For Exit Music from MD112):
Recording Chronology
March - April 1996: On Tour
April - May 1996: Ideas + Rehearsals
- Poison Lake
- Amazing Drums For Exit Music {intro + verse}
- Amazing Drums For Exit Music {intro only}
- Exit Music/Touchies + Feelies {end of deleted take}
- Exit Music/Touchies + Feelies
July - August 1996: On Tour
Winter 1997: Mixing Sessions
Recordings → 1000 Miles
Rough demo of an early version of Exit Music. Thom solo, guitar and vocals. Recorded on or after March 20, 1996.
Discs → MD123 → 1000 Miles <aka Exit Music>
Transcription
Give me one of those / To help me through / I've got a problem / I cannot speak / [?] / Walk a thousand miles / Get your heart / Where it's supposed to go / [?] where I'm going / [?] / And then I'd say there's nothing wrong / [?] / [?] / So when it gets dark / Make your mark on my face / [?] / [?]
Recordings → Poison
Thom solo guitar and vocals, recorded during soundcheck on an unknown date during the spring 1996 tour.
Discs → MD111 → Poison <aka Exit Music/Life In A Glasshouse>
Transcription
Get, get away / I'm no good, I am poison / Leave, leave me be / Leave me be / There will come a time / You'll appreciate my rhyme / There's no tomorrow / No tomorrow / [?] around / And I'll see into you / [?] around / Living in a glass house / I can see / I know everything about you, dear / Living in a glass house / There
Recordings → Poison Lake
Rough demo, Thom solo guitar and vocals. Recorded on an unknown date after 17 April 1996.
Discs → MD112 → Poison Lake <aka Exit Music/Life In A Glasshouse>
Transcription
[?] / [?] / [?] / [?] / [?] / [?] / And love is all I crave / [?] / For the chance to say / I know what / [?] / [?] / [?] / 'Cause I know what you're doing someday / Don't you see? / You're the best thing that could happen to me / [?] / I know you do / I know you really want to / I know you do / You just say you know / [?] / [?] / Into my bones / [?] / Now get on my back / A heart attack is all I'm craving / [?] / And I dress myself / I wash myself / I can't forget you [?] / Underground / All the time / 'Cause I get every [?] /
Recordings → Amazing Drums For Exit Music {intro + verse}
Full-band rehearsal of an early version of Exit Music. Very different from the final version, and sounds most similar to Thom's rough demo titled Poison Lake which appears earlier on the same MiniDisc. Recording is cut abruptly at both the beginning and end.
Discs → MD112 → Amazing Drums For Exit Music {intro + verse} *
Transcription
{not transcribed}
Recordings → Amazing Drums For Exit Music {intro only}
Full-band rehearsal of an early version of Exit Music. Very different from the final version, and the band seems to be working on developing their parts for the song. Sounds most similar to Thom's rough demo titled Poison Lake which appears earlier on the same MiniDisc.
Only the intro of the song is played before the band stops.
Discs → MD112 → <tape blip: rewinding Amazing Drums For Exit Music>
Transcription
(Yeah.)
Discs → MD112 → Amazing Drums For Exit Music {intro only} *
Transcription
(Yeah.) / (Okay. [?])
Recordings → Exit Music/Touchies + Feelies {end of deleted take}
Rough demo, Thom solo guitar and vocals. Recording cuts in abruptly, and it seems likely that the previous track was recorded over this take, leaving just a small fragment of the end of the song in this recording.
Discs → MD113 → Exit Music/Touchies + Feelies {end of deleted take} †
Transcription
[?] into your eyes / Deep into your feelings / [?]
Recordings → Exit Music/Touchies + Feelies
A rough demo, Thom solo guitar and vocals. This appears to have been recorded over a previous take of the same song.
Discs → MD113 → Exit Music/Touchies + Feelies †
Transcription
[?] / You'll agree / I'm no poison / When, when it comes / When it comes / Like the fallen bird / A cat in a tree / [?] / I look for something good in your smile / I must have liked my [?] / I know I must be sad [?] / [?] with the songs that I have written / I have written / [?] / 'Cause I have got / Somewhere to hold it inside / You're alright, you're alright / [?] / To something good / But I don't notice [?] / [?]
Recordings → No Tomorrow
A rough demo, Thom on guitar and vocals with another member singing along. Thom has reverted to a much earlier version of the lyrics
Discs → MD121 → No Tomorrow <aka Exit Music>
Transcription
(Alright.) / [?] / [?] today / [?] / (What have you done to this thing?) / (I put it out of tune.) / [?] / [?] today / [?] / [?] today / [?] me away / I am good / I am poison / Leave, leave me be / Leave me be / There will come a time / You appreciate my rhyme / There's no tomorrow / No tomorrow / (Was that... what did you say? There will be a time when you can appreciate my rhymes?) / (Yeah. Haha.) / ([?]) / ([?]) / ([?]) / ([?]) / Give me away / I'm no good / I am poison / Leave, leave me be / Leave me be
Recordings → Exit Music {MD128}
Studio mix. This sounds the same as (or similar to) the final album version, but has extra dynamic compression.
Discs → MD125 → Exit Music {MD128} ‡ <finished mix with extra compression?>
Transcription
(OK.) / Wake from your sleep / The drying of your tears / Today we escape, we escape / Pack and get dressed / Before your father hears us / Before all hell breaks loose / Breathe, keep breathing / Don't lose your nerve / Breathe, keep breathing / I can't do this alone / Sing us a song / A song to keep us warm / There's such a chill, wuch a chill / Now you can laugh / A spineless laugh / We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one / In everlasting peace / We hope that you choke, that you choke / We hope that you choke, that you choke / We hope that you choke, that you choke
Discs → MD128 → Exit Music {MD128} † <finished mix with extra compression?>
Transcription
(OK.) / Wake from your sleep / The drying of your tears / Today we escape, we escape / Pack and get dressed / Before your father hears us / Before all hell breaks loose / Breathe, keep breathing / Don't lose your nerve / Breathe, keep breathing / I can't do this alone / Sing us a song / A song to keep us warm / There's such a chill, such a chill / Now you can laugh / A spineless laugh / We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one / In everlasting peace / We hope that you choke, that you choke / We hope that you choke, that you choke / We hope that you choke, that you choke
Recordings → Exit Music (For A Film)
Studio mix. This sounds the same as (or similar to) the final album version.
Discs → MD126 → Exit Music (For A Film) † <finished mix without segue>
Transcription
Wake from your sleep / The drying of your tears / Today we escape, we escape / Pack and get dressed / Before your father hears us / Before all hell breaks loose / Breathe, keep breathing / Don't lose your nerve / Breathe, keep breathing / I can't do this alone / Sing us a song / A song to keep us warm / There's such a chill, such a chill / Now you can laugh / A spineless laugh / We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one / In everlasting peace / We hope that you choke, that you choke / We hope that you choke, that you choke / We hope that you choke, that you choke