Song Meaning
Radiohead's "Fog (Again)" paints a haunting picture of inescapable pasts and lingering regret. A "little child" perpetually runs through a house, a memory or presence that "never leaves." This unsettling domestic scene is quickly overshadowed by a creeping, unnatural "fog" rising from the sewers.
The lyrics establish a potent tension between innocence and corruption. "Baby alligators in the sewers" are noted to "grow up fast," suggesting a rapid, perhaps inevitable, descent from potential to something darker. This idea culminates in the stark question, "How, how did you go bad?" It's a direct confrontation with a lost ideal, questioning the path taken from a state of possibility.
The craft here lies in the stark, almost visceral imagery. The "fog comes up from the sewers / And glows, in the dark," an unsettling juxtaposition of decay made strangely beautiful or ominous. This visual underscores the idea that even the most unpleasant truths can have a captivating, inescapable quality. The repeated, almost obsessive query, "Did you go bad?" drives home a profound sense of self-interrogation or accusation.
Ultimately, the power of these lyrics rests on their evocation of permanent consequence. The declaration that "Some things will never wash away" serves as a chilling anchor, suggesting an indelible stain or an unchangeable past. The song captures the heavy burden of regret and the relentless echo of a decision or event that forever alters what was.
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