What was the guy saying that made 'em all lie down.

[glesga123]

Why did everyone lie down on the pavement in the video for 'Just' by Radiohead.

[BigDogsWang]

"Radiohead members have yet to reveal what specific words the man was intended to have said, if any, and Jamie Thraves, the producer has said "to tell you would deaden the impact, and would probably make you want to lie down in the road too". However, using lipreading techniques, you can tell that the man is saying "Simon says lie down", and this refers to the psychological effects of mob mentality."

Taken from Wikipedia.

[198x]

I'd like to actually believe "Simon Says" but I seriously doubt it.

No matter how you try to lipread the video, they pan out and use different camera shots whilst the man is talking. So you don't really get every word that he says.

But good question, I've to have often wondered this.

[Backdrifter]

Plus he seems to speak for too long to be just saying that unless he's repeating it.

My guess is that he's talking gibberish and the intention was to have us speculating in the exact way we are now!

[glesga123]

Thanks for your input folks. We'll just have to wait till one of the Radiohead guys or Mr Thraves decides we deserve to know the answer. I have a tendency to agree with Backdrifter though and i believe they knew we would be puzzling over it for years to come. The guitar outro is a serious piece of genius and the final scene in the video matches it perfectly.