“It was a band catchphrase for a while on tour – whenever someone was behaving in a particular shitty way, we’d say, 'The karma police will catch up with him sooner or later,'” Greenwood told Melody" target="_blank" class="inline-link">http://www.greenplastic.co... Maker . “You have to rely on something like that, even though we’re probably just kidding ourselves.” The playfulness of that concept turned out to feel more sinister within the song's dramatic balladry, even as the arrangement swells to a gorgeous climax with guitar noise and manipulated vocals.