After independently releasing an extended play, Safety (1998), Coldplay signed with Parlophone in 1999. The band's debut album, Parachutes (2000), included their breakthrough single "Yellow" and received a Brit Award for British Album of the Year, a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album and a Mercury Prize nomination. Their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), won the same accolades and included "Clocks", which earned a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. In 2005, they released X&Y; the album was marked by a troubled production and various delays, completing what the band considered a trilogy as well. Coldplay's fourth effort, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008), received a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album and their first Album of the Year nomination, while its title track was the first British group song to reach number-one in the United Kingdom and United States simultaneously in the 21st century. Both X&Y and Viva la Vida were the best-selling albums of their respective years, topping the charts in more than 30 countries each.
Since then, Coldplay further diversified their sound with the subsequent releases Mylo Xyloto (2011), Ghost Stories (2014), A Head Full of Dreams (2015), Everyday Life (2019) and Music of the Spheres (2021). Each album presented a unique theme and added new musical styles to the band's original repertoire, including electronica, ambient, pop, R&B, funk, classical, jazz fusion, and progressive rock. They are also known for "euphoric" live performances, which NME said are when the band "come alive and make the most sense". To celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2018, a career-spanning documentary directed by Mat Whitecross was premiered at selected cinemas, featuring previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage.
With 100 million albums sold worldwide, Coldplay are the most successful band of the 21st century and one of the best-selling music acts of all time. According to Fuse, they are also the sixth-most awarded group in history. Other notable achievements include the seventh-highest-grossing tour of all time, three of the 50 highest-selling albums ever in the United Kingdom, the most number-one records in the country without ever missing the top, most nominations and wins for a band in Brit Awards history, and becoming the first British group to debut at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. Coldplay are considered one of the most influential bands of the 21st century as well, with Forbes describing them as the standard for the current alternative scene. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included A Rush of Blood to the Head on their "200 Definitive Albums" list and the single "Yellow" is part of their "Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll" exhibition for being one of the most successful and important recordings in the industry. In spite of their popularity and impact, Coldplay have earned a reputation as polarizing music icons.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldplay
Studio albums
Parachutes (2000)
A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
X&Y (2005)
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008)
Mylo Xyloto (2011)
Ghost Stories (2014)
A Head Full of Dreams (2015)
Everyday Life (2019)
Music of the Spheres (2021)
Violet Hill
Coldplay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the rooftops I remember
There was snow
White snow
Clearly I remember
From the windows they were watching
While we froze down below
When the future's architectured
By a carnival of idiots on show
You'd better lie low
If you love me
Won't you let me know?
Was a long and dark December
When the banks became cathedrals
And the fog
Became God
Priests clutched onto bibles
Hollowed out to fit their rifles
And the cross was held aloft
Bury me in armor
When I'm dead and hit the ground
My nerves are poles that unfroze
And if you love me
Won't you let me know?
I don't want to be a soldier
Who the captain of some sinking ship
Would stow
Far below
So if you love me
Why'd you let me go?
I took my love down to violet hill
There we sat in snow
All that time she was silent still
So if you love me
Won't you let me know?
If you love me
Won't you let me know?
The song "Violet Hill" by Coldplay speaks to the political and social climate of the time it was written. The lyrics describe a December that is long and dark, where snow covers the rooftops and people watch from their windows while others freeze below. The imagery of the snow and the cold creates a feeling of isolation and despair.
The lyrics suggest that the future is being designed by "a carnival of idiots on show" and that it's best to "lie low" in the face of this. In this politically charged environment, it's important to keep one's head down and avoid attracting attention. The song then shifts to a religious metaphor, describing how the banks have become cathedrals and the fog has become God. This suggests that the institutions that people once trusted have become seemingly all-powerful and incomprehensible.
The final verse speaks to the fear of war and the desire to avoid being a part of it. The singer doesn't want to be a soldier on a sinking ship, but instead wants to be buried in armor. The final lines return to the original plea to be loved and to be told if that love is real. The song ends with a sense of uncertainty and a fear that the love they once shared is slipping away.
Line by Line Meaning
Was a long and dark December
The singer starts the song by describing a gloomy and depressing time, perhaps referring to a difficult period in their life.
From the rooftops I remember
The singer is reminiscing about a specific memory, looking back from a different vantage point.
There was snow
The season is established as winter, which likely contributes to the bleakness the singer feels.
White snow
This repetition of 'snow' underscores its whiteness, as well as its purity and beauty - which may contrast with the negativity of the first verse.
Clearly I remember
The artist emphasizes the clarity of their memories, suggesting that they are still vivid despite the passage of time.
From the windows they were watching
The singer is aware of other people observing them or their surroundings from a distance - this could contribute to a sense of vulnerability or paranoia.
While we froze down below
The singer is describing a scenario where they were physically uncomfortable, perhaps because they were outside or didn't have warm enough clothing.
When the future's architectured
The artist introduces a new topic - the future - and implies that it is being designed by people who are foolish or untrustworthy.
By a carnival of idiots on show
The architects of the future are likened to performers in a circus or carnival, suggesting they are putting on a spectacle without regard for the consequences.
You'd better lie low
The artist advises listeners to protect themselves by staying out of harm's way, whether that means physically hiding or avoiding risky situations and people in power.
If you love me
At this point the singer addresses someone directly, suggesting that the song could be a message to a specific person or group.
Won't you let me know?
The artist is asking for clarity or confirmation from the person they addressed above, implying that they are uncertain about the relationship between them.
When the banks became cathedrals
The song shifts to a new metaphor, describing a time when financial institutions became as important and powerful as religious ones.
And the fog
The imagery in this verse becomes more dreamlike and surreal, with the introduction of fog as a mysterious and unknowable force.
Became God
By equating the fog with a deity, the singer suggests that people may have become overly fixated on something that can't be fully understood or controlled.
Priests clutched onto bibles
The religious overtone of the last verse continues, with the introduction of a type of religious leader and their holy book.
Hollowed out to fit their rifles
The priests' bibles are transformed into weapons, showing how power and violence can corrupt even the most sacred items or institutions.
And the cross was held aloft
The ultimate symbol of Christianity and salvation is shown to be used as a weapon or emblem of oppression, emphasizing the theme of corrupt power.
Bury me in armor
The singer prepares for a violent end or afterlife, asking to be buried in a protective covering.
When I'm dead and hit the ground
The artist accepts that they will eventually die and be buried, suggesting that they may have been in danger or fighting for their life up until now.
My nerves are poles that unfroze
The metaphor of freezing and thawing returns, implying that the artist's emotions or thoughts have been repressed or numb until now, but are finally being expressed.
And if you love me
The song returns to the refrain, again addressing someone the artist cares about.
Won't you let me know?
The singer repeats their plea for clarity or communication, suggesting that this is a major issue for them.
I don't want to be a soldier
The artist reveals something they don't want to do, perhaps in response to being pressured or forced to do so.
Who the captain of some sinking ship
Being a soldier is compared to being on a sinking ship, emphasizing the danger, chaos, and hopelessness of the situation.
Would stow
The singer expresses a desire to escape or avoid this fate, perhaps through hiding or fleeing.
Far below
The singer emphasizes that they want to be as far away as possible from this situation, both physically and emotionally.
So if you love me
The refrain is repeated once more, suggesting that the artist's desire for communication is still unfulfilled.
Why'd you let me go?
The artist questions why the person they addressed didn't try to hold onto them or help them escape their situation, suggesting feelings of betrayal or abandonment.
I took my love down to violet hill
The singer describes a specific memory or action, going back in time once more.
There we sat in snow
This line describes the physical location and weather of the memory - a snowy hilltop where the singer was with someone they loved.
All that time she was silent still
The artist reveals that the person they were with was not communicating, perhaps reflecting a larger pattern in the artist's relationships or struggles in getting people to open up.
So if you love me
The last time the refrain is repeated, perhaps with a sense of desperation or urgency.
Won't you let me know?
The song ends as it began - with the artist pleading for communication and connection, suggesting that it is the key to overcoming the struggles and difficulties they have described.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore
Written by: Christopher Anthony John Martin, Guy Rupert Berryman, Jonathan Mark Buckland, William Champion
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alyas Scofield
on Yellow
love it
Jeannie Smith
on A Sky Full of Stars
<3 love it!
Jeannie Smith
on Shiver
Also I'd like to add that this song and some oyher stuff makes me think of The Bee Gees for some reason.
Jeannie Smith
on Shiver
I like this because of Lucy who's knickname is Shivers.
Jeannie Smith
on Speed of Sound
I like all of Coldplay's songs so far. :)
Jeannie Smith
on O
I like this.
Jeannie Smith
on A Sky Full of Stars
love this song <3
Jeannie Smith
on A Sky Full of Stars
Like this!
Kirstine Reville
on Fix You
NICE