Burn the Witch: Radiohead

Main Themes and Ideas 

• Salem Witch Trials - historical context
• "burn the witch"
• "cheer at the gallows"
• "we know where you live"
• Violent
• Nonsense
• "abandon all reason"
• The Wickerman

Intertextuality

Radiohead

• Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke, brothers Jonny Greenwood and Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien and Philip Selway. 
• They have worked with producer Nigel Godrich and cover artist Stanley Donwood since 1994.
• Yorke is Radiohead's principal songwriter and lyricist.
• Genres
• Art rock
• alternative rock
• electronica
• experimental rock
• Among Radiohead's earliest influences were Queen, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd and Elvis Costello, post-punk acts such as Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Magazine, and significantly 1980s alternative rock bands such as R.E.M., U2, the Pixies, the Smiths and Sonic Youth.
• Yorke is an activist on behalf of human rights, animal rights, environmental and anti-war causes, and his lyrics incorporate political themes. He has been critical of the music industry, particularly of major labels and streaming services such as Spotify. With Radiohead and his solo work he has pioneered alternative music release platforms such as pay-what-you-want and BitTorrent.

Trumpton; Chigley and Camberwick Green (Trumpstonshire Trilogy)

• Trumptonshire is a fictional county created by Gordon Murray, in which the Trumptonshire Trilogy of Camberwick Green, Trumpton, and Chigley are located. Trumptonshire is populated by characters portrayed by 8-inch tall stop-motion puppets. 
• Trumpton is a market town with an impressive town hall and clock tower; Camberwick Green and Chigley are two nearby villages.
• BBC Studios and Post Production's Digital Media Services team remastered all 39 episodes of the Trumptonshire Trilogy in 2011 for DVD release, cleaning, scanning and digitally restoring the film footage frame by frame.
• These were 3 separate,but inter-connected,animated BBC tv series designed for pre-school children.
• Each series title was a separate location within the fictional English county of Trumptonshire.
• There were no talking animals, mythical beings or magical forces at work here.
• Just normal people going about their normal, everyday business.

The Wickerman

• The Wicker Man is a 1973 British horror film directed by Robin Hardy and starring Edward Woodward, Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and Christopher Lee. 
• The screenplay by Anthony Shaffer, inspired by David Pinner's 1967 novel Ritual, centres on the visit of Police Sergeant Neil Howie to the isolated island of Summerisle, in search of a missing girl. Howie, a devout Christian, is appalled to find that the inhabitants of the island have abandoned Christianity and now practise a form of Celtic paganism.
• A wicker man was a large wicker statue reportedly used by the ancient Druids (priests of Celtic paganism) for sacrifice by burning it in effigy.

Nativism (US)/ Nationalistic Politics/ Right Wing Policies around Immigration

• Nativism is the political policy of promoting the interests of native inhabitants against those of immigrants, including by supporting immigration-restriction measures.
• In scholarly studies "nativism" is a standard technical term. Those who hold this political view, however, do not typically accept the label. Oezguer Dindar wrote, "[N]ativists ... do not consider themselves [to be] nativists. For them it is a negative term and they rather consider themselves as 'Patriots'".
• Nationalism is an ideology and movement that promotes the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people) especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation's sovereignty (self-governance) over its homeland.

Burn the witch – intertextual references
- Trumptonshire trilogy – children TV programmes from late 60s
- The wicker man – British horror movies of the 70s
- ‘Dawn Chorus’ – Radiohead song (marketing technique)
- Medieval times – pagan cross, Witch trials

Political Messages

• Provides a social commentary on the climate of fear created by right-wing politicians in response to immigration
• Through the song and video, Radiohead aim to raise awareness of Europe's refugee crisis and social attitudes and anxieties surrounding this. 

Events - Pagan cult rituals, Taking a second glance (facade of neutrality), Simplistic animated community going about their "normal" day, Mayor is representative of authority as a whole

Issues - Right-wing fear, Immigration, Refugee crisis, Nationalism

Social Groups - White ethnic characters - lack of racial diversity, Pagans

Individuals - Inspector, Community, Right-wing politicians, Mayor - lack of artist representation (isn't the focus)

Viewpoints and Ideologies

Xenophobia - dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries

Nationalism - an ideology and movement that promotes the interests of a particular nation especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation's sovereignty over its homeland.

Individualism - the habit or principle of being independent and self-reliant. 

                         - a social theory favouring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control.

Populism - a political approach that strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups.

Authoritarianism - the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.

                               - lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others.