Paradise is the most haunting song from the MX era so far

[ColdplayFanatic16]

OMG. WHAT YOU SAID IS EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SAY!!! FRICKING AMAZING!! AGREE WITH EVERYTHING!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING COLDPLAY HAS EVER DONE. MX will be awesome! Loved cb and mm and MTM and ETIAW and UATW and POC and HLH and PARADISE!

[MX&Yellow]

This isn't the Coldplay we knew in 2000. This is a creative mess. And its supposed to be. Its one of the most interesting songs they've ever done.

 

Well said ;) "Paradise" sounds BEAUTIFUL to me :awesome:

[Wyrd]

\And its not just their interpretation, its mine too.

So?

[blankshore]

I think this post just an attempt to comfort yourself and to excuse another Coldplay's failure.

 

Yeah totally...I'm too fragile to accept Coldplay's failure, so I deluded myself into liking their new song. Nailed it.

[Blue Nails]

Fantastic interpretation, blankshore. :clap:

Not sure if I agree on the band being cynical, but to me the narrator does sound cynical towards a girl dreaming of a place that doesn't exist.

It certainly is haunting, with the girl not being able to reach her goals. Para-para and the repetitive lyrics make it seem like she keeps trying, but never reaches her paradise.

Even more so with the sound of the bass in the second verse and the odd tone in the final piano outro.

 

I didn't love it instantly, but now I'm unashamedly going to support this song. :escaping2:

[AvR]

Just thought I'd post something I just realized.

 

The video of Chris and Guy playing on a set of bells? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwTS2RKPHN8]Chris and Guy xylophone duet (Roadie #42 - Blog #124) - YouTube[/ame]

 

That was for Paradise I'm quite sure; same tempo, key, and I hear metallic yet barely audible sounds in the background of Paradise.

 

Sorry for the randomness; I also agree with the OP, and it described it perfectly. Not much more to say for it. <applause>

[beckie42]

Oh thank GOD. Sanity. All I've been reading (sadly) since yesterday morning, is hate and abuse from fans making me feel I am wrong with my opinion of Paradise (I love it personally) I am so glad I found this, especially the first post, you have literally taken all of my feelings and put them into words, which I couldn't do.

[blankshore]

Oh thank GOD. Sanity. All I've been reading (sadly) since yesterday morning, is hate and abuse from fans making me feel I am wrong with my opinion of Paradise (I love it personally) I am so glad I found this, especially the first post, you have literally taken all of my feelings and put them into words, which I couldn't do.

 

Much appreciated :) I'm really glad I was able to find some fans of the song with this thread--I was honestly worried there were none :shocked2:

 

I think people are going to warm up to it once they hear it in the album context.

[Jack DC 93]

Blankshore, you are winner :) Congratulations.

 

Your post described Paradise to a tee, and while I was also disappointed with the omission of MTM, I felt Paradise was a worthy replacement, and one that fits the album (I could not see how MTM would work on the album).

 

Besides, second singles from albums have tended to be some of Coldplay's strongest.

 

For Parachutes, it was Yellow (No. 5 in UK Top 40).

For AROBTTH, it was The Scientist (No. 10 in UK Top 40, but many consider it to be the greatest Coldplay single of all time).

For X&Y, it was Speed of Sound (No. 2 in UK Top 40).

For Viva, it was Viva la Vida (No. 1 in UK Top 40).

 

Can't wait to see where Paradise ends up :D

[Saket]

Loved the interpretation. Now, even I tend to perceive the song in a similar way! Thank You!

[Batman]

Some scattershot opinions that didn't seem to fit in anywhere else:

 

When I read the Bilboard interview that Move to Mars was unlikely to make the album, I was crushed. When I saw the tracklisting and saw for sure that it didn't make the cut, I collapsed completely. What made Move to Mars so damned compelling was how atmospheric it was--it sounded like Chris had crawled over to a piano in a drunken state of depression and banged this out in one take. It sounded like a man on his last whim, barely concious enough to understand what he himself was saying. It was different, haunting, yet climactic; the ugly, drunken cousin of Fix You. In the midst of poppy, melody-driven songs like Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, Charlie Brown and Hurts Like Heaven, this song was necessary. Without it, I didn't see how the album could succeed.

 

Then I heard Paradise, and its arguably more haunting than the track it (in my opinion, obviously) replaced. Paradise is what Cemetaries of London wanted to be; but whereas Cemetaries had to resort to the imagery of graveyards and witches to evoke an emotion that mildly resembled unrest, Paradise does so with more narrative-driven lyrics with a female protagonist that on paper appear to be pop-friendly and uplifting. They aren't.

 

When that thunderous synth comes in and the band starts chanting "It should be Para, para, paradise" it doesn't sound like an attempt at a sing-along chorus. It sounds cynical, like the band is angrily aware of how ridiculous it sounds. If you read the lyrics out of context it almost looks like the words to a school-yard chant, and the band sings it like one. The repetitive tale of this girl sounds like a cautionary one rather than an inspirational one.

 

Coldplay released this song because they felt that it didn't sound like a typical lead single, and I think they're definitely right. I'm baffled that people are dismissing this as a poppy cash-grab. This song is angry, haunting and vaguely cynical. It's accomplishes with swirling violins, hip-hop beats and thundering synths what Move to Mars did with quiet piano and enebriated vocals. This isn't the Coldplay we knew in 2000. This is a creative mess. And its supposed to be. Its one of the most interesting songs they've ever done.

 

That's a very interesting and believably comment about the song. I like the way you think.

 

Unfortunately the happy melody and all the OOoohs and AAaahs in the song don't transfer any of your imaginative thoughts to me :( And maybe if the song itself wouldn't just be made of five lines I would like it more...