Could Charlie Brown be the next single to be released from Coldplay's fifth album? That is the latest discussion topic at the Coldplay forum in the last 48 hours. According to both the BMI and Ascap databases, Charlie Brown has now been registered as a song title, but that's not the only clue. Q Magazine called Charlie Brown an "instant classic", and in the recent interview from July, Will Champion commented, "That [Charlie Brown] was singled out very early on as a dead cert. At one point there was a lyric that alluded to Charlie Brown, the Peanuts character, but it's just a name, really."
Charlie Brown was filmed for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show last week, alongside already released single, Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall. In Japan, Coldplay were seen doing a photoshoot, with a Tokyo cab in the background. This could either be for a new song 'Car Kids' which has been seen written on Chris Martin's clothes during the festivals or it could actually relate to the Charlie Brown lyrics: "I stole a key, Took a car downtown where the lost boys meet, I took a car downtown and took what they offered me."
In a recent (and ongoing) poll at the messageboard, Charlie Brown has been voted by almost 43% of Coldplayers as the next single, followed by Hurts Like Heaven with 25%. Car Kids, which we don't even know is a song yet, has received 13% of the vote.
Roadie #42 was not giving the game away as to any possible link to a new song or video, commenting on the photoshoot, "There’s some photos to do for a paper back home, so the fellas troop outside the hotel for a street scene. There’s a small crowd of fans who’ve assembled, having learned that the band are here. As the band all cram onto the tiny back seat of a Tokyo cab, they excitedly jump into the cab behind, presumably issuing the “follow that car” equivalent in Japanese, only to find that “that car” is going absolutely nowhere. After the requisite few frames, the band pile out and wander off, leaving their would-be tail somewhat confused."
Read below for some of your comments about Charlie Brown as the next single. You can also contribute your own thoughts in the LP5 sub-forum now.
1. On Coldplay.com, a tag with 'Charlie Brown' was created some minutes ago (http://www.coldplay.com/newstags.php?tag=charliebrown). No other new songs have a tag; 2. They have filmed Charlie Brown for Jimmy Kimmel TV show... why Charlie Brown and not, for example, Us Against The World?; 3. CHB on piano, CarKids and Cartoon Heart are all referring to Charlie Brown's lyrics; 4. They usually play Charlie Brown with a special energy during lives, more than during the other new songs performances (they invite the audience to jump and to clap the hands); 5. Everything on the stage during Charlie Brown seems to be the new formula of this new era (lasers, spirals, everything is dark); 6. Will, in a recent interview, has confirmed ONLY Charlie Brown as a potential single and at the same time as a serious (pretty sure) candidate to be included into LP5; 7. There's no reference into the song lyrics to Charlie Brown, like happened for Viva La Vida; 8. It has had favourable reviews from a lot of people (on YouTube a lot of users are saying it's probably one of the best Coldplay songs ever). This will be the best way to promote LP5; 9. It talks about 'rose'. LP5 was influenced by White Rose Movement; 10. In Charlie Brown, Chris encourages Jonny in a more energic way than the other new songs; 11. Will said something about this LP5: it tells of people who want to re-emerge. Charlie Brown tells so ('lost boys'). [thanks coldpatrix]
I agree that it should, and probably will be a single...but wouldn't it make more sense to say that ETIAW is most likely the first single? It was already released as a single and an EP and stands a fair chance at making the album. There's already a video, it has been the ending to the encore's of each concert so far and it too was featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live. [thanks danmets21]
I think with it being such a strong song, Charlie Brown will almost definitely be a single form LP5 at some point but i'm not sure about just yet, i think they will have saved something not to play at the festivals and use that as the second or lead single. [thanks vinch]
I'm really not sure why people are still acting like Cartoon Hearts is a possible alternative title....Coldplay have been calling it Charlie Brown all along, and there has been no evidence that it would ever be changed to CH. The song is called Charlie Brown, and that's all there is to it. I happen to like that title much better anyway, but I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion. And yes it's quite obvious that CB will be the next single. Here's to hoping that there is an announcement sometime this week. [thanks prowlingfox]
It does seem like Charlie Brown will be the next single from the album given they played it specifically for Jimmy Kimmel and in essence the American media market. Now, I like the song, but I really don't think it's as strong as other singles in Coldplay's past specifically in lead up to an album being released. ETIAW is definitely on the album and frankly comes off more uplifting and exhilirating than Charlie Brown - again, the riff is catchy in CB, but that's all there is pretty much (now viva - had strings rather than the traditional guitar, plus there were a lot of different string riffs along w/ atmospherics courtesy of Eno perhaps in that song, plus it had a chorus, and a great outro with universal whoa's that everyone knows and sings. In my place, had catchy riff, but had a great chorus that was very singable for everybody. CB does not have that and there's not enough change in motifs/musical ideas to make it interesting enough to be a strong single, it's a decent single, but not that great - I really do hope they have 2 other quality A type of songs given that we've heard maybe half of the album already. If CB, HLH are considered the next singles then this album may not be another great one, but a decent one. Viva as an album had some great singles - LiJ, Litii (which i consider a part of Viva, I can't believe they didnt' think that song was single worthy initially, and just made it an instrumental - sometimes I dont' understand these guys) Viva, Violet, Lost, Strawberry Swing, and even Death and All his friends was an amazing song that was single worthy. I like these new songs - I think frankly the strongest ones r ETIAW and Major Minus out of the 5 or so we've heard. I don't think Major minus will be a single even though it shows another side of Coldplay most people don't associate w them namely, that they can rock out if they want to. Anyway, will be interested to see the tracklisting and hope that they're other single worthy songs on the new album that we haven't heard (perhaps Viva level). Can't wait. [thanks bdevil89]
It does seem as the next single. Probably the 1st proper single of the album, and I agree with you , as much as I love CB is not a strong single type of song, but you should consider Coldplay singles are not that strong or dont chart that high ( except for VLV one). But, maybe the studio version of CB sounds different. ETiaw of all the songs we have heard is the most pop single song... [thanks Juanma]
Before A Rush of Blood came out, Coldplay was playing In My Place and Animals at concerts while they were still touring for Parachutes in later 2001 (according to Wikipedia). Obviously those didn't become the most popular Coldplay songs... well In My Place did, but later on it was found to be no match to Clocks, The Scientist and God Put A Smile Upon Your Face. I can guarantee that there is material they haven't released yet that is stronger. [thanks InATelescopeLens]
I know I'm stating the obvious, but I can't resist. CB is unreleased because there has been no official release of the track, studio or live. After thinking some more, I believe we might hear something later this week in the form of an album and next single announcement. But, if the album isn't released until Oct 24/25, this week may be too soon. It might be another couple of weeks. The reason I say that is if they announce it this week it'll be more than two months before the release date. Looking at VLVODAAHF, they announced the release date and track listing two months ahead. Four weeks after that VLV was included in pre-orders for the album. So maybe an announcement/track listing in a couple of weeks, then around the third week of Sept they accept pre-orders and the next single is an instant download (coinciding with the next single announcement and availability for airplay). I also think it's a strong possibility that CB will be the next single; I think the studio version might sound quite different from the live version, for those who think it doesn't sound like a strong single live. But I could also see them release an as-yet-unheard song for the next single. So, while an announcement this week is possible, I'm leaning more toward two weeks from now due to past precedent for the band. [thanks coldinmo]
I like all the new songs from this era (especially Hurts Like Heaven, Princess of China and Moving To Mars) but I don't really care for Charlie Brown. I see it as a rather simplistic song with a cheap melody - certainly not one of their best... Can someone please explain to me what's so special about Charlie Brown; what it is that makes it so unique and enjoyable? I really want to like it, so please help me! [thanks Basilica]
Charlie Brown as registered on the BMI database
Charlie Brown as registered on the The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) database
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