So yes, I have been thinking this on the last few days, and judging the songs we have heard until now, I think that lyrically LP5 is shaping up as a disappointment. I mean, starting with Hurts Like Heaven, I don't think the lyrics are very good, quite repetitive, just as Major Minus. Charlie Brown and Us Against the World are probably acceptable, but I still see all these lyrics as very abstract, impossible to decipher. In Viva we had great songs lyrically speaking, such as Cemeteries of London, Lovers in Japan and Violet Hill. And I'm not even gonna write about Parachuted and AROBTTH because that was Chris at his best.

 

So basically this thread is to hear your opinion guys. Is CM losing his touch?

 

Discuss...

well, it's kinda hard to tell, since not all of the lyrics are even decipherable. :P

 

but from what i can tell, i think they are just as good as the lyrics from the other albums, if not better in certain cases. i mean, every album has it's good parts and it's bad parts, lyrically and otherwise, so it's difficult to compare based on only a few songs. :shrug:

 

and you ask if Chris is "losing his touch," but to be honest, he's never really been a genius lyricist. :P

Honestly, all the songs on Parachutes had the same theme - "I am sorry for what I did/said"

 

So you can't say that Parachutes is incredible,lyrically. IMO, Rush had some good lyrics, and so did VLV... X&Y was , most of it at least, horrible... LP5...dunno,we are yet to hear it - Teardrop has some good lines, some bad... we'll see...

Honestly, all the songs on Parachutes had the same theme - "I am sorry for what I did/said"

 

i wouldn't say all of the songs are like that, though i do think that this was certainly a recurring theme in their older songs -- up until VLVODAAHF, really. and even then, VLV could kinda be seen like that... at least, there is that hint of regret...

 

anyway, i don't see anything wrong with having a similar theme throughout the album, but this does remind me of something else i was going to say: perhaps part of the reason people are noticing a difference is because the subject matter has changed. it seems like there are less love songs now -- at least, less songs exclusively about love. i guess some people don't like that. :P

Not sure I can follow any sort of argument here because (1) you mention LiJ having "great" lyrics when they exhibit Chris at his laziest, and (2) you complain about the new lyrics being abstract but profess a love for Violet Hill, which is probably about as "abstract" as Coldplay gets, although off the top of my head I can't think of anything I'd definitely call abstract aside from Rainy Day and Only Superstition.

I think we have to understand it in the context of the album. These songs are not confirmed to be on the album as of yet so I wouldn't be too worried. Will said the album has a story of somekind so perhaps when in right order, it will be a lot more obvious to everybody.

 

Don't forget they have a lot of songs and have probably recorded a lot more than they could use on the album.

 

If they had released LIJ, VLV, DAAHS, and LIT as separate songs before VLV was out, we'd feel the same tension IMO.

The lyrics of Parachutes and some AROBTTH songs reflected Chris' lack of confidence, the lines were full of insecurities and stuff. He sure based many of his lyrics on heartbreaking love stories he apparently experienced at the time.

 

Now he's probably the most confident man walking on this planet, he's the frontman of (one of) the best band(s) in the world, he's married to Gwyneth Paltrow and he's got two beautiful kids. His inspiration has to come from somewhere else, and this probably means some (many) fans, including me, think that he's not as good as back then. New song titles like "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" and (possibly) "Don't Let It Break Your Heart" are plain cheesy and an all time low for them.

 

Though there's many problems in the world he and the rest of the band can write about, songs about war or other actual issues, like Politik and AROBTTH. I think there's a huge opportunity for them there, I wonder why they don't grab it. Their activism is inspiring, it's a pity they don't work that out in their songs.

The best song lyrics are:

 

PARACHUTES:

DOnt panic

Spies

We never change

 

ARBTTH

A rush a blood to the head

Politik

Amsterdam

 

X&Y

Talk

Til Kingdom Come

 

VIVA LA VIDA

Violet Hill

CoL

Yes

Glass of water

I hate that the OP has the name the_escapist since we already have an active member the escapist. And the escapist (Bryce) is actually interesting.

Coldplay lyrics are always abstract. Seriously, very few songs have a straightforward meaning, all the others can be interpreted in a thousand different ways. And that applies from the very beginning (Parachutes) until Viva. So when people say that ETIAW has stupid lyrics that make no sense, I'm tempted to ask: which coldplay song DOESN'T? We all know how Chris writes. So where is the big surprise, lyrically?

The lyrics of Parachutes and some AROBTTH songs reflected Chris' lack of confidence, the lines were full of insecurities and stuff. He sure based many of his lyrics on heartbreaking love stories he apparently experienced at the time.

 

Now he's probably the most confident man walking on this planet, he's the frontman of (one of) the best band(s) in the world, he's married to Gwyneth Paltrow and he's got two beautiful kids. His inspiration has to come from somewhere else, and this probably means some (many) fans, including me, think that he's not as good as back then. New song titles like "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" and (possibly) "Don't Let It Break Your Heart" are plain cheesy and an all time low for them.

 

Though there's many problems in the world he and the rest of the band can write about, songs about war or other actual issues, like Politik and AROBTTH. I think there's a huge opportunity for them there, I wonder why they don't grab it. Their activism is inspiring, it's a pity they don't work that out in their songs.

 

You, sir, speak the most sense out of anybody here.

Well done.

:thumbsup:

I hate that the OP has the name the_escapist since we already have an active member the escapist. And the escapist (Bryce) is actually interesting.

 

What's your problem little girl?

 

For your info, I was the_escapist before The Escapist came here.

 

F off

The lyrics of Parachutes and some AROBTTH songs reflected Chris' lack of confidence, the lines were full of insecurities and stuff. He sure based many of his lyrics on heartbreaking love stories he apparently experienced at the time.

 

Now he's probably the most confident man walking on this planet, he's the frontman of (one of) the best band(s) in the world, he's married to Gwyneth Paltrow and he's got two beautiful kids. His inspiration has to come from somewhere else, and this probably means some (many) fans, including me, think that he's not as good as back then. New song titles like "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" and (possibly) "Don't Let It Break Your Heart" are plain cheesy and an all time low for them.

 

Though there's many problems in the world he and the rest of the band can write about, songs about war or other actual issues, like Politik and AROBTTH. I think there's a huge opportunity for them there, I wonder why they don't grab it. Their activism is inspiring, it's a pity they don't work that out in their songs.

 

Agree with all that. They were students when Parachutes was written. Now they're worth millions of dollars. I haven't looked at the lyrics of the new songs (except Charlie Brown, I'm a fan of that), but if they're anything like ETIAW, I feel like this album will lack genuine inspiration.

 

Of course I hope it doesn't, though.

The lyrics of Parachutes and some AROBTTH songs reflected Chris' lack of confidence, the lines were full of insecurities and stuff. He sure based many of his lyrics on heartbreaking love stories he apparently experienced at the time.

 

Now he's probably the most confident man walking on this planet, he's the frontman of (one of) the best band(s) in the world, he's married to Gwyneth Paltrow and he's got two beautiful kids. His inspiration has to come from somewhere else, and this probably means some (many) fans, including me, think that he's not as good as back then. New song titles like "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" and (possibly) "Don't Let It Break Your Heart" are plain cheesy and an all time low for them.

 

Though there's many problems in the world he and the rest of the band can write about, songs about war or other actual issues, like Politik and AROBTTH. I think there's a huge opportunity for them there, I wonder why they don't grab it. Their activism is inspiring, it's a pity they don't work that out in their songs.

 

I think that you're right too.

 

But I like the lyrics of Hurts Like Heaven. And Us Against The World is brilliant to me. They're not even close to being as trivial as ETIAW.

And I agree with the Major Minus. I think they're quite weird and doesn't make sense. Yes, they can have some sorts of symbols in it but still, I hear those crocodiles tickin' ? Nah.

Coldplay lyrics are always abstract. Seriously, very few songs have a straightforward meaning

 

"Tears stream

Down your face

I promise you I will learn from my mistakes"

I think that you're right too.

 

But I like the lyrics of Hurts Like Heaven. And Us Against The World is brilliant to me. They're not even close to being as trivial as ETIAW.

And I agree with the Major Minus. I think they're quite weird and doesn't make sense. Yes, they can have some sorts of symbols in it but still, I hear those crocodiles tickin' ? Nah.

 

That's also obviously a reference to the crocodile that swallowed a clock in Peter Pan, so that lyric probably makes perfect sense

 

[/wisdom]

Obviously, all of this conversation has to be put into context. From my personal take on Coldplay lyrics, they've never been too great. They're pretty straightforward and on Parachutes and AROBTTH that worked really well. The way Chris sang, the lyrics, etc, all made for very honest songs.

 

At this stage in the game I had really hoped Coldplay's lyrics would start improving. I felt VLV had some better songs lyrically, if only because they were a change of pace from what they had usually put out.

 

All the songs from LP5 so far have seemed pretty bad lyrically. I may enjoy the sound of a pop-like song from Coldplay (in fact I really do like ETIAW musically) but the lyrics make no sense. They aren't deep or abstract. They just don't make much sense. The only part I can possibly get into is the beginning, where I imagine Chris waking up and listening to music - which isn't really that great anyway...

 

The other songs don't sound much better lyrically. I've enjoyed the songs but the lyrics are just...meh.

 

It's not the biggest deal, but for a big fan you'd want to have lyrics worth remembering, and these aren't really. Maybe some of the other songs will surprise us, but if not I have to be left wondering if Chris's new found confidence have come at the expense of lyrical improvement.

 

OBVIOUSLY, don't want to shit on all the lyrics before I've heard them all. BUT I was hoping for some improvement.

What's your problem little girl?

 

For your info, I was the_escapist before The Escapist came here.

 

F off

 

Haha. I'm a little girl. You clearly have anger issues.

I don't think that they have lost touch, I love the new songs just as much as the old ones

i like everything...except..ETIAW, its the ONLY coldplay song i do not have nor did i even bother with downloading, it..like no joke gives me a headache when i hear it :'(

The best song lyrics are:

 

PARACHUTES:

DOnt panic

Spies

We never change

 

ARBTTH

A rush a blood to the head

Politik

Amsterdam

 

X&Y

Talk

Til Kingdom Come

 

VIVA LA VIDA

Violet Hill

CoL

Yes

Glass of water

 

"Low" on X&Y has some pretty good lyrics!

I mean this time around we have

"My scarecrow dreams

When they smashed my heart into smithereens

I be a bright red rose come bursting the concrete

Be the cartoon heart"

 

And last album we had such brilliant material as

"You might be a big fish

In a little pond

Doesn’t mean you’ve won

‘Cause a long may come

A bigger one"

 

Neither is going to be published in a book of poetry, but it's about the song. "Lost!" Is an AWESOME song, but looking at the lyrics on paper isn't exactly a mind-blowing experience.

 

It's about the whole package. Just wait for something with a clear sound with production value and readdress it then :)

I really like the lyrics of the new songs!

That's also obviously a reference to the crocodile that swallowed a clock in Peter Pan, so that lyric probably makes perfect sense

 

[/wisdom]

 

Lol, never knew of that. So know it can really make sense.

I mean this time around we have

"My scarecrow dreams

When they smashed my heart into smithereens

I be a bright red rose come bursting the concrete

Be the cartoon heart"

 

And last album we had such brilliant material as

"You might be a big fish

In a little pond

Doesn’t mean you’ve won

‘Cause a long may come

A bigger one"

 

Neither is going to be published in a book of poetry, but it's about the song. "Lost!" Is an AWESOME song, but looking at the lyrics on paper isn't exactly a mind-blowing experience.

 

It's about the whole package. Just wait for something with a clear sound with production value and readdress it then :)

 

I agree it's not poetry, but it so happens that poetry, in my opinion, is not always what sounds best on music, so these things just sound good on music, and sometimes that is more important than how the lyrics look without the music. I like the lyrics and I like it even more as a song.