seen all good things and bad
running down the hill
all so battered and brought to the ground
I am hungry again, I am drunk again
all the money I owe to my friends
when I'm like this
how can you be smiling, singing
how can you be sure
how can you be sure
if you walk out the door
will I see you again?
if so much of me lies in your eyes
I am hungry again, I am drunk again
all the money I owe to my friends
when I'm like this
how can you be smiling, singing
how can you be sure (I don't want you)
how can you be sure (I don't want you)
how can you be sure (I don't want you)
how can you be sure (I don't want you)
I don't want you, I don't want you anymore
The song first appeared on the summer 1990 demo compilation tape:
This track was recorded at Clifton Hampden Village Hall when the band was recording with Nigel Powell on drums, as Phil was still in Ireland. Nigel doesn't seemt to be present on this recording, though.
Thom and Jonny then premiered the song acoustically on february 11th 1993 at the Studio Café in Disley, UK for Signal Radio:
The background singer on the studio version is Dianne Swann, of the band The Julie Dolphin, who supported Radiohead on their UK tour in late september and early october 1994. It's likely that the idea for this little collaboration came about during that period. This fits to the fact that 'How Can You Be Sure' is not included on a cassette of work-in-progress versions from august 1994, suggesting the track was recorded in the final sessions for The Bends, that also produced the released version of 'Sulk'.
Though Thom wanted to change the title to something else for a long time, this never happened, and it was released under it's old working title. However, on the first Japanese issue of The Bends, which includes two bonus tracks, the song was called 'When I'm Like This'.
This song appeared in the soundtrack to the film 'Nowhere'. One of Colin's favourites, he really wanted it to be included on The Bends, but he didn't get his way.
There is only one known live performance with the full band arrangement, this recording comes from the june 27th 1995 gig in Sapporo, Japan:
