[Article] Story of the Song: 'Clocks', Coldplay (2002)

[busybeeburns]

Coldplay's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, was nearing completion when an excited Chris Martin arrived at the studio late one night.

 

Coldplay's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, was nearing completion when an excited Chris Martin arrived at the studio late one night. At the keyboard, he played the tune running through his head. Lead guitarist Jonny Buckland was impressed. "He picked up his guitar [a sure sign that he likes a song] and played these brilliant chords," Martin recalls. "It was like a chemical reaction process."

 

The pulsing, cyclical riff – inspired, according to Martin, by the band Muse – was edgy, hectic and suggested an uneasy passage of time. The band all agreed: this was the sound to herald the next phase in Coldplay's musical development.

 

But, for now, they had enough songs on the second album and, under pressure to get them out and running low on studio time, they quickly cut a demo of the new composition and filed it under "Songs for #3" – ideas for a projected third album.

 

By June 2002, they were ready to hand over A Rush of Blood to the Head to Parlophone. "But it was sounding rubbish," Martin recalls. The new track, soon to be titled "Clocks", was the grit in the oyster. Still unfinished, it had thrown the whole album into perspective. Unhappy at putting out something they were not completely satisfied with, the band reached agreement with their label to delay release. After headlining that year's Glastonbury, the band returned to the studio and dusted down "Songs for #3". Phil Harvey, the band's close confidant, urged them to revisit "Clocks" immediately. "He heard it and said, 'No, you must do that song now,'" Martin says.

 

Lyrics were written to fit the mood of urgent agitation, with Martin switching between major and minor chords: "Lights go out and I can't be saved/ Tides that I tried to swim against/ You've put me down upon my knees." The rest of the band trotted out a tense, staccato soundtrack that wound around a shifting time signature, perfectly fitting Martin's ode to lost opportunities. It was fleshed out by synthesisers and strings.

 

A Rush of Blood to the Head eventually appeared two months late, with the newly mastered "Clocks" taking pride of place. The Grammy award-winning track was hailed as a victory, and became their biggest hit to date.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/story-of-the-song-clocks-coldplay-2002-876537.html

[Pseudonym]

Wow. Who knew it was such an important part of the album?

 

 

Thanks Ian!:D

[suzanafg]

I love reading those sides of the process and Clocks was the very first Coldplay I've listened to. Thanks for posting.

[Chris's Nuts]

Wow nice article. Glad you found it.

[Fixed]

What's a "shifting time signature" - I thought it was 4/4 all the way through.

[Bonus_mosher]

it's not their biggest hit to date, hello viva in at number 1

 

:P

[Jenjie]

I beat you by 1.5 hours, Ian :P already posted this in Releases :D

[Bonus_mosher]

you two need to stop this competitiveness.

 

Ian wins because he has a penis.

 

annnnnnnnnnnnnd now I believe I've started a war between the sexes.

 

go! :)

[Jenjie]

Ian wins because he has a penis.

 

:o and how exactly does that work? :P

[Bonus_mosher]

do you want me to guide you through the hokey cokey?

 

in, out, in, out, shake it all about.

 

:lol:

[Jenjie]

do you want me to guide you through the hokey cokey?

 

in, out, in, out, shake it all about.

 

:lol:

 

filthy! :P :laugh3: you knew I meant how does his having one mean he wins :angry:

[Bonus_mosher]

see this is where a 'whistling innocently' smiley would come in VERY handy! :P

[Jenjie]

i think the closest you'd get would be :angel:

[Bonus_mosher]

ahhh, I think you're right... ok, here goes....

 

:angel: What I meant was simply that Ian is better because he is a man.

 

not that I belittle women, women are amazing!

at cleaning, (and merging threads) :P

 

 

 

You know I'm totally joking right?? :lol:

 

[Jenjie]

 

not that I belittle women, women are amazing!

at cleaning, (and merging threads) :P

 

and men don't read!! my custom title quite clearly shows I do more than merge threads :D

 

You know I'm totally joking right?? :lol:

 

you'd better hope so :P :laugh3:

[Bonus_mosher]

:lol: oh sorry, Jen you are exempt because you can copy and paste :P

[Jenjie]

cool :D

[*CoLdPlaY.4.EveR*]

Thank you! CLOCKS it's my favourite song of the group, with that song I felt in love with their music :)

[Texasluvsjonny]

:o and how exactly does that work? :P

How does it work? ..... are we safe to assume that you two don't have any kids yet. :P

[Jenjie]

How does it work? ..... are we safe to assume that you two don't have any kids yet. :P

 

not you too :P

[doritji]

imagine what would've happened if they hadn't used it for AROBTTH...

[ccg]

I LOVE this info Ian. Thanks. I love hearing stories of how they come up with songs. And we seem to get very little of this from the band. More please.....

[coldplay45]

That is one good story:)

[politikum]

I agree that it's their biggest hit to date...don't know about the numeral facts about single sails or anything, but...It has happened to me more than once that when I say "Coldplay" nobody has a clue about band, but when I mention "Clocks" or play them the piano bit from the beginning of the song, they alway go "ah, now I know".

[Tnspieler1012]

What I hate is how there was some commercial that had a very similar riff running throughout. And when I played it in my dad's car he was like "oh! I remember that song from the commercial!"...I just :rolleyes: and say "no, no..."