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)
1.36
Coldplay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are monkeys in cages
That don't have a number
To fight one another
Try to recover
Climb up the ladder
Look up and you see birds
How long can we suffer?
We're as blind as each other
On the cloud that you're sitting
There's one born every minute
So much to discover
I've become a believer
Sisters and brothers
Who fight one another
Will mourn and deceive us
Will find us and keep us
Take us or leave us
How soon is now? yeah
How long is never?
I'm nothing but normal
With something together
Come on and stick together
On the cloud that you're sitting
There's one born every minute
So much to discover
I've become a believer
The lyrics to Coldplay's song 1.36 are deep in their meaning, touching upon themes of human suffering, unity, and belief. The opening lines paint a picture of monkeys trapped in cages, without any identity or purpose in life, and forced to fight each other. This image of captivity and violence can be interpreted as a metaphor for the human experience of being trapped in one's own mind and ego, unable to break free from societal constructs and the need to compete against one another.
As the song progresses, the singer encourages the listener to climb up the ladder and discover the beauty of the world, symbolized by the birds above. However, the blind nature of these birds serves as a reminder that we are all equal in our blindness and ignorance, and that there is much to learn and uncover. The idea of suffering and struggle is also touched upon in the line "how long can we suffer?", highlighting the universal desire for release from pain and struggle.
The chorus of the song brings a message of hope and unity, urging people to stick together and become believers in something greater than themselves. The phrase "on the cloud that you're sitting, there's one born every minute" could be interpreted as a nod to the idea that everyone has their own unique perspective and view of the world, and that there is always room for growth and understanding.
Overall, the lyrics to 1.36 are a reflection of the human condition, touching upon themes of struggle, unity, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Stuck in a corner
Feeling trapped and helpless
Are monkeys in cages
Like captive animals with no freedom
That don't have a number
Without individuality, without a sense of self-worth
To fight one another
Competing and struggling for survival
Try to recover
Striving to regain confidence and hope
Climb up the ladder
Working hard to achieve success
Look up and you see birds
Metaphor for freedom and inspiration
Blind as each other
Unknowingly following each other, lacking individuality
How long can we suffer?
Wondering how much pain and hardship we can endure
We're as blind as each other
We are all the same, lacking uniqueness
On the cloud that you're sitting
In a state of comfort and detachment
There's one born every minute
People are being born into the same struggles and limitations
So much to discover
The world is full of new experiences and opportunities
I've become a believer
Having faith and hope for the future
Sisters and brothers
Fellow humans facing the same struggles
Who fight one another
People in conflict and competition
Will mourn and deceive us
Will cause pain and betrayal
Will find us and keep us
Will trap and control us
Take us or leave us
Accept us for who we are or not at all
How soon is now? yeah
Feeling impatient for change
How long is never?
Despairing that things will never change
I'm nothing but normal
Not special or unique
With something together
Finding commonality and connection with others
Come on and stick together
Urging people to work together and support each other
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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