Coldplay is a British alternative rock and britpop band formed in London in… Read Full Bio ↴Coldplay is a British alternative rock and britpop band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University College London and began playing music together from 1996 to 1998, initially calling themselves Starfish. Coldplay's music incorporates elements of soft rock, pop rock, piano rock, and post-britpop.

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)

03_ White Shadows
Coldplay Lyrics

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When I was a young boy I tried to listen
And I want to feel like that
Little white shadows blink and I missed em
Part of a system, a plan

If you ever feel like something's missing
Things you'll never understand
Little white shadows sparkle and glisten

Part of a system plan

All this noise, I'm waking up
All this space I'm taking up
All this sound is breaking up

Whoa oh

Maybe you'll get what you wanted
Maybe you'll stumble upon it
Everything you ever wanted
In a permanent state

Maybe you'll know when you see it
Maybe if you say it you'll mean it
And when you find it you'll keep it
In a permanent state
A permanent state

When I was a young boy I tried to listen
Don't you want to feel like that

You're part of the human race
All of the stars and the outer space
Part of the system plan

All this noise, I'm waking up
All this space I'm taking up
I cannot hear, you're breaking up

Whoa oh

Maybe you'll get what you wanted
Maybe you'll stumble upon it
Everything you ever wanted
In a permanent state

Maybe you'll know when you see it
Maybe if you say it, you'll mean it
And when you find it you'll keep it
In a permanent state
A permanent state

Swimming on a sea of faces
A tide of the human race
So, an answer now is what I need

I see it in the new sun rising

I see it break on your horizon
Oh come on love, stay with me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Coldplay's "White Shadows" explore the idea of feeling lost and searching for one's purpose. The opening verse describes the singer's nostalgic longing for a time when they were more in tune with the world around them, represented by the metaphor of "little white shadows" that "sparkle and glisten." These shadows are a reminder of a larger system or plan at work, suggesting that even if the singer can't fully comprehend what's going on in the world, there's still some sort of order or meaning to it all.

The chorus shifts to a more hopeful tone, as the singer acknowledges that they may one day find what they're looking for. They speculate about the possibility of stumbling upon their desired outcome or finally knowing it when they see it. The idea of a "permanent state" suggests that this is something they will hold onto for the rest of their lives.

The bridge of the song brings a sense of urgency, as the singer pleas for answers while feeling overwhelmed by the "sea of faces" and "tide of the human race." They find hope, however, in the "new sun rising" which represents a fresh start or a new beginning. The song ends with a plea for love to stay with the singer, perhaps suggesting that this love is what will help them find their way.

Overall, the song explores the common theme of searching for purpose and meaning in life. The lyrics are poignant and relatable, making it a fan favorite.

Line by Line Meaning

When I was a young boy I tried to listen
As a child, I attempted to be attentive and tuned in.

And I want to feel like that
I desire to have that same sensation now.

Little white shadows blink and I missed em
Fleeting and unnoticeable moments have come and gone.

Part of a system, a plan
Perhaps it happened as part of a larger design.

If you ever feel like something's missing
If you ever have a sense that something is absent.

Things you'll never understand
Those things that you may never be able to comprehend.

Little white shadows sparkle and glisten
The short-lived moments that were stunning and dazzling.

All this noise, I'm waking up
All this chaos is causing me to become aware.

All this space I'm taking up
I'm conscious of the room I occupy in this world.

All this sound is breaking up
The noises around me are beginning to fragment.

Maybe you'll get what you wanted
Perhaps you'll obtain what you've been seeking.

Maybe you'll stumble upon it
Maybe it'll happen by chance or accident.

Everything you ever wanted
All the things you've ever longed for.

In a permanent state
A state of being that endures.

Maybe you'll know when you see it
Possibly, you'll recognize it when it's in front of you.

Maybe if you say it you'll mean it
Perhaps, by expressing it aloud, you'll truly feel it.

And when you find it you'll keep it
And when you finally discover it, you'll hold on to it.

In a permanent state, a permanent state
In a state that will never change, one that endures over time.

You're part of the human race
You belong to the group of humanity as a whole.

All of the stars and the outer space
All the stars and the vast outer space are yours to gaze upon.

Part of the system plan
Like everything else, you are part of the larger plan.

I cannot hear, you're breaking up
I can't hear you clearly, your message is fading.

Swimming on a sea of faces
Surrounded by countless individuals in a constantly shifting sea of people.

A tide of the human race
As part of the human race, you're swept along by its immense tide.

So, an answer now is what I need
I'm yearning for an answer immediately.

I see it in the new sun rising
I catch a glimpse of promise and hope in the new dawn.

I see it break on your horizon
I observe it emerging on your horizon, spreading its light.

Oh come on love, stay with me
Oh, my love, please remain here with me.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY JOHN MARTIN, GUY RUPERT BERRYMAN, JONATHAN MARK BUCKLAND, WILLIAM CHAMPION

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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