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I'm Clifford Stumme, and I use literary analysis and research to explain the deeper meanings of pop songs. Feel free to leave a comment or to email me at clifford@popsongprofessor.com with questions or ideas!
I'm Clifford Stumme, and I use literary analysis and research to explain the deeper meanings of pop songs. Feel free to leave a comment or to email me at clifford@popsongprofessor.com with questions or ideas!
All tagged coldplay
Coldplay is back after 4 years with a very emotional and real song and music video; “Orphans” is not only about a young girl from Damascus and her father, it’s about much more.
"All I Can Think about Is You" by Coldplay is a slow, soft, sweet song with one main message: the same message that the title so clearly lays out. All that Chris Martin's narrator can think about is someone he's romantically interested in. Musically, the song is very impressive, it feels like it travels over several different soundscapes and backgrounds as Martin feels out the different ideas and sentiments that the lyrics are built on.
"Something Just Like This" is hovering at number eight on the charts right now. It's popular because it's the work of two very different bands, and it's bringing those fans together. "Coldplay" (or particularly Chris Martin in this case) and The Chainsmokers have created a unique something here. The music sounds like The Chainsmokers, and the lyrics sound like a slightly less deep but still sweet Coldplay. In this episode, I explain every line of the song and explain how allusion plays into all of this, and I wonder at what another word for a "gaggle of gods" is. You'll see later. We also talk about the superhero mythos.
So, today we're talking about an absolutely wonderful song--Coldplay's "Viva La Vida." The lyrics are deep, interesting, and unique, and I think you'll enjoy this episode. Plus, while the sound quality may be a little lower than usual, we did this podcast live on YouTube, so we got viewers' comments in on it! So, you have a voice! We hope to do more of these and can't wait to see you on our behind-the-scenes live editions of the show!
If you actually want to be hypnotized, the Coldplay lyric video for "Hypnotised" should do the trick for you. There's lots of slow motion water, flowers, bubbles, and landscapes. Combine that with the incredibly dream-like state the music itself will put you in, and you're really not going to have a chance against Chris Martin and the rest of Coldplay.
Coldplay and The Chainsmokers are probably one of the more unlikely collaborations we'll see this year in music, but "Something Just Like This" may be one of the best collabs we'll see. Musically, it's entrancing. It's everything we love about The Chainsmokers' thoughtful and body-moving approach to EDM music with everything we love about the dry, smooth power of Chris Martin's voice. It's really the best of both worlds, and while the group is an unlooked for collaboration, personally, I'll be looking for more songs from these two groups.
"Hymn for the Weekend" has got to be one of my favorite songs from A Head Full of Dreams by Coldplay. The song is slow, yet strong, and it features Beyonce's beautiful voice. The song's about as pop music-ish as Coldplay can get I think, and Chris Martin the lead singer, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, backs me up on that.
"Birds" is a soaring song about hope and overcoming circumstances; the melody and other aspects of the music mirror that same upbeat, positive perspective. It's a fun song and definitely worth the listen.
The meaning of "A Head Full of Dreams" explained in detail by a scholar of literature
Coldplay's new album A Head Full of Dreams is awesome--not only the lyrics, but the music as well. Everything about this groovy disco-experimental album is uplifting as well as dance worthy. Billboard.com refers to Chris Martin explaining that he wants fans to "shuffle [their] feet" to the songs on this album, and as Wife-April and I were listening to it, we realized that even our prime dance style (west coast swing) would work really well with a lot of these songs. (We were pretty excited.)
SONG MEANING: "Everglow" by Coldplay is about the feeling of warmth or happiness that comes with the sadness you feel when you think about a relationship, situation, or friendship that has now ended.
