The title track of “A Rush of Blood to the Head” deals with revenge and los… Read Full Bio ↴The title track of “A Rush of Blood to the Head” deals with revenge and loss of emotional control we experience within it.

Furthermore, the British band tackles once again emotional intelligence and the ability to be conscious of our feelings and emotions. The protagonist is suffering from impulsive behavior and he’s regretting his thoughtless actions, but blaming it upon what he calls “A rush of blood to the head.” The truth is he’s lost and unaware of how he feels.

A Rush of Blood to the Head
Coldplay Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

He said I'm gonna buy this place and burn it down
I'm gonna put it six feet underground
He said I'm gonna buy this place and watch it fall
Stand here beside me baby, in the crumbling walls
Oh, I'm gonna buy this place and start a fire
Stand here until I fill all your heart's desires
Because I'm gonna buy this place and see it burn
Do back the things it did to you in return

Ah, ah, ah, ah

He said I'm gonna buy a gun and start a war
If you can tell me something worth fighting for
Oh, and I'm gonna buy this place, that's what I said
Blame it upon a rush of blood to the head

Honey, all the movements you're starting to make
See me crumble and fall on my face
And I know the mistakes that I made
See it all disappear without a trace
And they call as they beckon you on
They said start as you mean to go on
Start as you mean to go on

He said I'm gonna buy this place and see it go
Stand here beside my baby, watch the orange glow
Some'll laugh and some just sit and cry
You just sit down there and you wonder why
So I'm gonna buy a gun and start a war
If you can tell me something worth fighting for
And I'm gonna buy this place, that's what I said
Blame it upon a rush of blood to the head
Oh, to the head

Honey, all the movements you're starting to make
See me crumble and fall on my face
And I know the mistakes that I made
See it all disappear without a trace
And they call as they beckon you on
They say start as you mean to go on
As you mean to go on, as you mean to go on

So meet me by the bridge, meet me by the lane
When am I gonna see that pretty face again
Meet me on the road, meet me where I said

Blame it all upon
A rush of blood to the head

Overall Meaning

"A Rush of Blood to the Head" is a deep and complex song that delves into themes of destruction, war, and regret. The song is about a man who has become consumed by his own anger and desire for revenge, and he is willing to destroy everything around him to make himself feel better. The opening lines are particularly powerful, as he proclaims his intentions to buy a place and burn it to the ground, burying it six feet under. He invites his lover to stand beside him and watch as the walls come tumbling down. This image suggests that he is dragging his loved one down with him into his own darkness and despair.

As the song progresses, the man's thoughts turn to violence and war. He declares that he will buy a gun and start a war, but only if someone can tell him something worth fighting for. This line is an interesting paradox because it suggests that the man is willing to fight for something, but he is lost and has nothing to fight for. He blames his destructive impulses on a "rush of blood to the head," which is a common phrase used to describe reckless actions taken on impulse.

The chorus of the song is hauntingly beautiful, as the singer wrestles with his emotions and his past mistakes. He knows that he has made terrible errors in his life, but he cannot seem to escape them. The final lines of the song offer a glimmer of hope, as the man begs his lover to meet him by the bridge, promising to leave the past behind and move forward.

Overall, "A Rush of Blood to the Head" is a song that explores the destructive power of anger and the human capacity for redemption. The haunting melody and poignant lyrics make it one of Coldplay's most powerful works.

Line by Line Meaning

He said I'm gonna buy this place and burn it down
He said he will purchase this place and destroy it completely.

I'm gonna put it six feet underground
He plans to bury this place under the ground.

He said I'm gonna buy this place and watch it fall
He plans to purchase this place and witness its destruction.

Stand here beside me baby, in the crumbling walls
Stay with me, in this building that is crumbling down.

Oh, I'm gonna buy this place and start a fire
He plans to set this place on fire after buying it.

Stand here until I fill all your heart's desires
Stay here until he fulfills everything that you desire.

Because I'm gonna buy this place and see it burn
He is going to buy this place and set it on fire to watch it burn.

Do back the things it did to you in return
He wants to destroy this place in retaliation for its harm to you.

He said I'm gonna buy a gun and start a war
He will purchase a gun and initiate a conflict.

If you can tell me something worth fighting for
He needs a cause that is worth going to war for.

Oh, and I'm gonna buy this place, that's what I said
He reiterates that he is going to buy this place.

Blame it upon a rush of blood to the head
He attributes his impulsive behavior to a sudden surge of emotions.

Honey, all the movements you're starting to make
He is noticing that you are starting to make certain actions.

See me crumble and fall on my face
He sees himself breaking down and failing.

And I know the mistakes that I made
He acknowledges that he has made some errors.

See it all disappear without a trace
He observes that everything is vanishing without leaving any evidence or impact.

And they call as they beckon you on
People are calling and urging you to come along.

They said start as you mean to go on
Advice to begin the journey in the right direction.

So I'm gonna buy this place and see it go
He will buy this place and witness its destruction.

Stand here beside my baby, watch the orange glow
Stay with him and watch the building’s destruction by the glowing flames.

Some'll laugh and some just sit and cry
People will respond differently; some will laugh while others will cry.

You just sit down there and you wonder why
You are sitting down, questioning why it is happening.

So I'm gonna buy a gun and start a war
He prepares to spark a conflict by buying a gun.

If you can tell me something worth fighting for
He needs a reason to fight and turn violent.

And I'm gonna buy this place, that's what I said
He repeats that he is going to buy this place.

Blame it upon a rush of blood to the head
He attributes his irrational behavior to a sudden emotional surge.

So meet me by the bridge, meet me by the lane
He is requesting to meet at a bridge or lane.

When am I gonna see that pretty face again
He is yearning to see your beautiful face again.

Meet me on the road, meet me where I said
He wants you to meet him on the road where he mentioned earlier.

Blame it all upon
Attribute everything to

A rush of blood to the head
A sudden onset of emotions causing irrational actions.

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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