Saturday, July 2, 2011

Devising a Meaning for Coldplay's "Every Tear A Waterfall"

Maybe the troubadour poet inside me hears more to the music and lyrics of Coldplay's latest song than was intended, but vignettes of heaven's world seem to play again and again within this upside-down world of ours to wash across the turbulent landscapes of heaven's earthbound-faithful when hearing Every Tear a Waterfall. And yet, isn't this ofttimes the case as followers of Jesus hear in their heads beats to a different rhythm than the world can hear? Beats that come across as graffiti to outsiders, but are beautiful, strong, vibrant, like that of a mighty, rushing waterfall over the rocks of our broken hearts thundering God's love and majesty against the turmoils of this life? Who hear God's whispered assurances of "Peace, be still" proclaimed in a rebel song of heaven's rushing music through the bursted heart of the Spirit? Whose troubling voice fills with the breath of rushing waters racing darkly across the broken landscapes of our frail being vibrating with an intensity of conflict that would crush our burning tears into the heart of God's assuring spirit speaking love. Speaking peace. Speaking hope into the accumulated teardrops of humanity's broken hearts even as our own hearts burst within like a mighty, rushing waterfall. Carrying us over our own edge of nothingness till hearing the Spirit's song underneath. Flowing from the many streams of God's broken heart into the gathering streams of God's atoning abyss lost forever upon the rocks of God's mercy, grace, and peace. Falling away and purified into cleaner, clearer waters mending all time and eternity into surer worlds remembering a time that was and is no longer. Cathedrals to humanity's templed trove of redeeming waters remaking all new till Monday morning's dazzling sun comes true as "we dance all night with heaven in sight."

And all the kids they dance,
All the kids all night,
Until Monday morning
Feels another life,
I turn the music up,
I'm on a roll this time,
And heaven is in sight...
skinhead
July 2, 2011



**********


Background & Lyrics

Coldplay's first offering in 2011 is this new song entitled "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" which the British band premiered/released online on June 3rd - Coldplay's amazing new tune samples Argentinian band The Sacados' 90's hit "Ritmo de la noche" - It's soo good! Uplifting, catchy and summery. "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" will appear on Coldplay's upcoming fifth album which will hit stores in the Fall of 2011.

"Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" by Coldplay is currently (week 26, 2011) in the HOT100 Billboard charts at position 52. The Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall lyrics by Coldplay are displayed below.


 


I TURN THE MUSIC UP, I GOT MY RECORDS ON
I SHUT THE WORLD OUTSIDE UNTIL THE LIGHTS COME ON
MAYBE THE STREETS ALIGHT, MAYBE THE TREES ARE GONE
I FEEL MY HEART START BEATING TO MY FAVOURITE SONG

AND ALL THE KIDS THEY DANCE, ALL THE KIDS ALL NIGHT
UNTIL MONDAY MORNING FEELS ANOTHER LIFE
I TURN THE MUSIC UP
I'M ON A ROLL THIS TIME
AND HEAVEN IS IN SIGHT

I TURN THE MUSIC UP, I GOT MY RECORDS ON
FROM UNDERNEATH THE RUBBLE SING A REBEL SONG
DON'T WANT TO SEE ANOTHER GENERATION DROP
I'D RATHER BE A COMMA THAN A FULL STOP

MAYBE I'M IN THE BLACK, MAYBE I'M ON MY KNEES
MAYBE I'M IN THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO TRAPEZES
BUT MY HEART IS BEATING AND MY PULSES START
CATHEDRALS IN MY HEART













AND WE SAW OH THIS LIGHT I SWEAR YOU,
EMERGE BLINKING INTO TO TELL ME
IT'S ALRIGHT AS WE SOAR WALLS,
EVERY SIREN IS A SYMPHONY
AND EVERY TEAR'S A WATERFALL
IS A WATERFALL
OH
IS A WATERFALL
OH OH OH
IS A IS A WATERFALL
EVERY TEAR
IS A WATERFALL
OH OH OH

SO YOU CAN HURT, HURT ME BAD
BUT STILL I'LL RAISE THE FLAG

OH
IT WAS A WA WA WA WA WA-ATERFALL
A WA WA WA WA WA-ATERFALL

EVERY TEAR
EVERY TEAR
EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL

EVERY TEAR
EVERY TEAR
EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL



Coldplay, 'Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall' - Song Review

June 2011

EMI/Capitol

Coldplay‘s brand new single ‘Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall’ is as big as its title suggests. It is not a ballad, but an uplifting, room-filling Brit pop song laced with the band’s rock ‘n’ roll edge.

While Coldplay have endured plenty of Radiohead comparisons throughout their career, they’ve turned the corner here, going for stadium-sized hooks a la U2 with this bold, bright, guitar-driven new song that is steered by Martin’s inimitable voice. Thanks to its massive size and scope, the four-minute monster more than makes up for all the time fans had to wait for new music from the band.

At about the three-minute mark, ‘Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall’ balloons with layered harmonies and faster guitar work. It’s as though vocalist (and Gwyneth Paltrow baby daddy) Chris Martin wrote the song with the express intent of performing in a stadium or at the Olympics. (Ahem — the 2012 Olympics will be held in London, so…)

When Martin sings, “I turn the music / I got my records on / I shut the world outside until the lights come on / Maybe the streets alright / Maybe the trees are gone / I feel my heart start beating to my favorite song,” he pulls us into his world, where everything around you fades into the background while you focus on what you hear in your headphones. Speaking of which, you will pick up all the nuances of sound via a pair of earbuds.

The song doesn’t fade out, either. It ends on a percussive note. You’ll want to listen to it over and over again. It’s a gorgeous mix of Coldplay’s knack for pretty melodies mixed with some escalating guitar work, despite not being nearly as polished as the band’s previous pop songs.

The song comes in like a lion and goes out like one, too!


Wikipedia

Background

Coldplay are an English alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London.[1] After forming Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish.[2] Will Champion joined as a drummer, backing vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, completing the lineup. Manager Phil Harvey is often considered an unofficial fifth member.[3] The band renamed themselves "Coldplay" in 1998,[4] before recording and releasing three EPs; Safety in 1998, Brothers & Sisters as a single in 1999 and The Blue Room in the same year. The latter was their first release on a major label, after signing to Parlophone.[5]

They achieved worldwide fame with the release of the single "Yellow" in 2000, followed by their debut album released in the same year, Parachutes, which was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The band's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), was released to favourable reviews and won multiple awards, including NME's Album of the Year, and has been widely considered the best of the Nelson-produced Coldplay albums. Their next release, X&Y, was initially met with mixed reviews upon its release in 2005. However, the band's fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008), was produced by Brian Eno and released again to largely favourable reviews, earning several Grammy nominations and wins.[6]

Coldplay have been an active supporter of various social and political causes, such as Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign and Amnesty International. The group have also performed at various charity projects such as Band Aid 20, Live 8, Sound Relief, Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief, and the Teenage Cancer Trust.[7]


Activism and Commercial Endorsements
Make Trade Fair, abbreviated as MTF,
shown on Chris Martin's piano during
a concert

Despite their worldwide popularity, the band has remained protective of how their music is used in the media, refusing its use for product endorsements. In the past, Coldplay turned down multi-million dollar contracts from Gatorade, Diet Coke, and Gap, who wanted to use the songs "Yellow", "Trouble", and "Don't Panic" respectively.[112] According to frontman, Chris Martin, "We wouldn't be able to live with ourselves if we sold the songs' meanings like that."[112]iTunes Store, advertising its exclusive availability of the single as a digital download on iTunes.[113] Additionally, Chris Martin appeared at an Apple Inc. Special Event on 1 September 2010, playing a number of songs, and also thanked Apple for their assistance in marketing "Viva la Vida".[114] Coldplay supports Amnesty International.[115] Martin is regarded as one of the most visible celebrity advocates for fair trade, supporting Oxfam's ongoing Make Trade Fair campaign.[116] He has been on trips with Oxfam to assess conditions, has appeared in its advertising campaign, and is known for wearing a "Make Trade Fair" wristband during public appearances (including at Coldplay concerts).[117] The band were also filmed for Make Poverty History, clicking their fingers.

During the early years, Coldplay became widely known in the media for giving 10 percent of the band's profits to charity,[118] which they continue to do.[119] Bassist Guy Berryman said, "You can make people aware of issues. It isn't very much effort for us at all, but if it can help people, then we want to do it."[115] The band also asks that any gifts intended for them are donated to charity, according to a response on the FAQ section of Coldplay's website. Martin spoke out against the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, and endorsed the United States Democratic presidential candidates John Kerry[120] and Barack Obama in 2004 and 2008 respectively.[121]

In June 2009, Coldplay began supporting Meat Free Monday, a food campaign started by Paul McCartney which attempts to help slow climate change by having at least one meat free day a week.[122]

From 17 and 31 December 2009, Coldplay auctioned a quantity of significant band memorabilia, including their first guitars. Proceeds went to Kids Company, a charity which helps vulnerable children and young people in London.[123] A month later in January 2010, Coldplay performed a slightly modified version of "A Message", entitled "A Message 2010", at the Hope For Haiti Now telethon special, raising money for the victims of the Haitian Earthquake.[124]

In 2011 Coldplay endorsed the song "Freedom for Palestine" by posting a link to the video. In less than a day 12,000 comments were made on that post. Some threatened to boycott the band, and a Facebook group was created that demanded an apology to Israel.[125] Coldplay eventually removed the link to the song from their Facebook wall.

for Wiki citations see - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldplay