In this Track-by-Track Annotated playlist, I want to introduce you about one of my favorite British rock band Coldplay founded in London in 1996. The band members are: Chris Martin, the vocalist/pianist; Jonny Buckland, guitarist; Guy Berryman, bassist; and Will Champion, drummer. Coldplay has achieved the worldwide fame with many songs and albums. Coldplay has released eight albums in total. The recent album that they released is “Everyday Life” on September 26, 2019. The Coldplay musical style and genre has generally been regarded as alternative rock, pop rock, and pop. I have selected 9 tracks that I feel best represents the band’s career from the first album to the eighth one.
Track #1 Trouble -2000 (Album: Parachute)
This is a piano ballad. Martin just showed he was a master of the “I’m sorry I was a jerk” love song. The light sound with the lyrics pictured us the love story with the lover and the regret and sorry that the singer has to cause trouble to others. This is a light song and full of true motions for apologize not only to the lover but also the twisted and complicated feelings that the singer has. This is a soft song with full of emotions.
Track #2 Yellow-2000 (Album: Parachute)
“I came along / I wrote a song for you / And all the things you do / And it was called ‘Yellow.’” The vocalist was showing in the music video alone in the seaside. Yellow brought the huge breakthrough of Coldplay. The simple lines with the sad tone but thoroughly display the lethargic and the true feelings and emotions of the singer. Yellow brought the huge population to Coldplay and so that people from other countries began to know them. Yellow just brought me the deep memory when I was very little.
Track # 3 The Scientist-2002 (Album: A Rush of Blood to the Head)
The Scientist is a continuation of the song of “Yellow” using a large number of keyboards in the music arranging. We could also hear the powerful piano and the magnificent orchestral sound, and all these things add the great charm to this song. This song is full of emotions and touching to people’s mind. Checking out for the things that this song delivers especially in the chorus, which expresses something deeper about human. “Nobody said it was easy / it’s such a shame for us to part.” A sad, emotional, and deep song that we could listen to.
Track # 4 Fix You-2005 (Album X&Y)
This is a sad rock song singing about love. Using the piano interludes in this song thoroughly expresses the deep feelings and emotions about love. There are several hallmarks of Coldplay in this song: the piano accompaniment at the beginning, the integration of electric guitar and drums, and rock. The solemn synthesizer tone of using the organ expresses the emotions. The piano interludes also flow out slowly with the accelerated using guitar and drums. This is a song from Christ Martin to his wife. “Lights will guide you home/ And ignite your bones/ I will try to fix you/ High up above or down below/ When you’re too in love to let it go”. Just so beautiful!
Track #5 Viva La Vida 2008 (Album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends)
I like this song best! This album set the situation in the French revolution, with the burden of war and death, the dawn and the dawn of hope. The song Viva la Vida is a song full of energy with turning black-and-white images into colorful worlds. This song is not like the typical Coldplay’s type, but with a freer containment. Coldplay performed this song at the Super Bowl in 2016. This song celebrates the life and this track is built around a looping string section in unison with a digital processed piano. Besides, it has other layers construct to a whole one. This song directly plucks my chord and it sings about the lush life. This song is just like the sunlight in my darkness during my depression some years ago. The ongoing beats provides me really great feelings about sunlight and life against dark and death.
Track # 6 Paradise-2011 (Album: Mylo Xyloto)
This is a rock song with slow tempo but full of emotions. At the moment of the violin enters my ear, the rums begin to roll out of nowhere. The languid voice of Martin introduce us a mysterious religious story. This song is like a magnificent horn, blowing beautiful moments to the audience. This song begins with an instrumental star, followed by a simple piano accompaniment. It’s easy to get into audience’s head of the chorus. The lyrics are not just about a woman’s dream, but it’s also about a wonderful world that you and I stand in. The bubbling strings of the musical notes, the combative synthesizer and the heavy bass beat of the song bring the audience a great musical feast.
Track # 7 Midnight-2014 (Album: Ghost Stories)
Ghost Stories is Coldplay’s “divorce” album. It’s no surprise to hear songs of broken hearts in this album. “In the swirling of the storm/ When I’m rolling with the punches and hope is gone/ Leave a light, a light on”. You could feel about the broken heart and the sorrow from the music. It just makes me feel quiet and sad again to remember my sorrows in the past. Coldplay is trying to express the sad within themselves to the audience and the listeners.
Track # 8 A Head Full Of Dreams-2015 (Album: A Head Full Of Dreams)
“Oh I think I landed in a world I hadn’t seen/ When I’m feeling ordinary when I don’t know what I mean/ Oh I think I landed where there are miracles at work/ For the thirst and for the hunger come a conference of births/ Saying it’s true it’s not what it seems/ Leave your broken windows open/ And in the light just streams/ And you get a head/ A head full of dreams”. This is a fast speed song with strong beats. I like this song mostly because this song is really energetic and it brings energy, passion, and strength to me. Normally, Coldplay delivers about the deep emotions and feelings to use with their songs. But this one just bring me the great passion and energy. So great!
Track #9 Daddy 2019-(Album: Everyday Life)
This is a total different style of Coldplay released in this year. Daddy is a song that brings people’s tear out. “Daddy, are you out there?/Daddy, won’t you come and play?/ Daddy, do you not care?/ Is there nothing that you wanna say?” This is a song to remember dad. I’m not the first person that cries of listening to this song. This is a like a poem expressing the deep love to daddy and to life. The lyrics are simple but the feelings and emotions are so deep. The direct expression of emotions and feelings provide total different thoughts to Coldplay.
Overall speaking, Coldplay is a band that formed for so many years but, what a luck, they are still writing songs, singing songs, and performing on the stage. I read one comment that “my parents lived in time of Beatles, and I’m living a time of Coldplay”. They are so great to bring the pop and rock music to us for so many years. Coldplay showing us about their inside words with the changes in emotions. Lately, it seems they begin to care more about the world and the relationship besides of lovers but other relationships such as parenthood. It’s also a great pleasure for me to listen to them for so many years. I love their new album and I love them!
Weida Ju's Music World 