Didn't grow up with 'Charlie Brown'? The Oracle sheds some light on who it is...

More questions answered by The Oracle... (over 2000 questions now answered - submit yours now!)

June 8, 2011 - submitted by Robin van Vliet, Netherlands

Q. Dear Oracle, At the Rock Am Ring festival Coldplay performed a new song called Charlie Brown. My question is: who is he, and why has Coldplay dedicated this song to him? Greetings from The Netherlands!

The Oracle replies:

It's definitely not dedicated to a real person. The only Charlie Brown I know of is the comic strip creation by Charles M. Schulz. Given the lyric that led most fans to think the song was called Cartoon Heart, I'd say it's named after him.

June 8, 2011 - submitted by Thibault, France

Q. Hi Mr the Oracle, I saw that the Rock am Ring festival was broadcast, but I didn't know it, and I am quite disappointed to have missed such an opportunity. So I wanted to ask you, do you know if others shows of Coldplay are gonna be broadcast? Thank you very very much!

The Oracle replies:

Yes, quite a few of these big festivals will be televised. They may only be showing in certain territories as is quite normal. I don't have transmission times for the globe but I will endeavour to get some/all of them and ask Anchorman to post them. BBC always show Glastonbury for example so maybe you have a big TV company who broadcast such events. It may be easier to look at your local TV listings around the time of the festival.

June 7, 2011 - submitted by Lisa, United States of America

Q. Hey this might be an impossible thing to ask of you, but could you please please please ask the band or someone who can speak with them if they would be willing to play I Ran Away immediately after they play Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall in their live setlist? The drums at the end of ETIAW reminded me of I Ran Away, so I figured that unless there was some hidden reason why they can't or are unwilling to play the song, that they could play it (using the drums outro at the end of ETIAW as an intro to I Ran Away.That might be hard to do if the guitars aren't tuned right though. Please please try to do this, even if it seems impossible or out of place (since they're debuting new music not old). It would be appropriate to play the song because it would be a new thing, since they have NEVER played it live. Thanks to the infinitum power! Lisa

The Oracle replies:

Hmm, that is never going to happen Lisa. I know what you're saying, it's a slightly similar drum pattern granted but way slower. ETIAW is a pacey, upbeat song and is the perfect set closer, there is no way that I Ran Away would fit straight after as it would be an energy stealer if I'm honest. They're playing some old tunes as well as new but I Ran Away isn't a likely choice. I know fans have been almost campaigning to hear this song live since 2008 and maybe one day... but not one in the very near future. I'd put money on it.

June 7, 2011 - submitted by J, Germany

Q. Hi everybody, thank you for that amazing (wet) gig on Saturday Night at the Rock am Ring Festival! It was my first Coldplay show and it will be definitely not the last one. Is it possible to get a live recording (Audio and/or Video) of this gig? Greetz from Germany!

The Oracle replies:

As it was televised there are very good quality videos up on YouTube but there's no other source. No official recordings are available and we're only two shows in so that wouldn't be likely at this stage.

June 7, 2011 - submitted by Dave, United Kingdom

Q. As Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall was inspired in part by the film Biutiful I have a question for you: do you think Javier Bardem would have won the Oscar for Best Actor if it hadn't have been a Spanish language film? As good as Colin Firth was, I can't see how his performance in The King's Speech really compares to Bardem's...

The Oracle replies:

Although Javier was the first actor to be nominated for an entirely Spanish language performance, one could argue that as Marion Cotillard won an Academy Award for her performance in La Vie en Rose, marking the first time an Oscar had been given for a French language role that no, the language wasn't the reason Colin won. I have to say that both were worthy contenders in my opinion. Maybe there should be a best actor/actress in a foreign language award?