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)
Marianne
Coldplay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sun sets in your eyes
I'm in love again
Come on once or twice
Wanna be your air?
Come on now, all I see
Wanna ride along
Kaleidoscopes that fall into the sun
Gonna lay the blame on me, not anyone
Gonna write a song
Sing it to the sun
Don't tell anyone
Don't tell anyone
Oh, sweet Marianne
You're the only one I've ever loved
And I swear it on
Swear it on the moon and stars above
I wanna understand
And, I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
Swear it on the moon and stars
I will full moon
Just a part of me
Gonna write a song and see how a woman feel
Come on get it on right into the sun
Gonna ride along and fly, gonna let it on
Oh, sweet Marianne
You're the only one I've ever loved
And I swear it on
Swear it on the moon and stars above
In my head you're the only one I've ever loved
I wanna be your man
You're the only one I've ever loved
Oh, don't you love me
Oh, don't you love me
Don't you love me
Oh, don't you love me
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh yeah
The lyrics to Coldplay's "Marianne" seem to be about a man confessing his love for a woman, referred to as Marianne. He wants her to notice him, asking her to come on once or twice as he declares that he's in love again. He wants to be the air that she breathes and follow all their dreams together. The lines "kaleidoscopes that fall into the sun" and "gonna write a song, sing it to the sun" suggest a sense of optimism and the idea of creating something beautiful with the person he loves.
The man then swears his love on the moon and stars, declaring that Marianne is the only one he has ever loved. He wants to be with her and understand her. The lines "gonna write a song and see how a woman feel" and "in my head you're the only one I've ever loved" indicate that he wants to express his feelings for her and possibly find out if she has feelings for him as well, but he doesn't want anyone else to know.
Overall, the song tells a story of someone who is deeply in love and wants to build a future with the person they love. It's a hopeful and romantic song, with lyrics that convey the importance of understanding and being there for the person you love.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on Marianne
The singer calls for Marianne to come near him.
The sun sets in your eyes
The singer is struck by Marianne's beauty and intensity.
I'm in love again
The singer is reminded of the emotion of love by Marianne's presence.
Come on once or twice
The singer urges Marianne to approach him repeatedly.
Wanna be your air?
The singer asks if he can be a necessary element in Marianne's life like air.
Come on now, all I see
The singer implores Marianne to show herself more and be open.
Wanna ride along
The singer wants to accompany Marianne on her path.
Follow all our dreams
The singer seeks to help Marianne achieve their joint aspirations.
Kaleidoscopes that fall into the sun
The singer sees colorful patterns that represent life that fade away into the distance.
Gonna lay the blame on me, not anyone
The singer takes responsibility for any failures.
Gonna write a song
The singer will soothe his sorrows by composing a musical dedication.
Sing it to the sun
The singer will express his inner feelings towards the sun, which represents the divine.
Don't tell anyone
The singer decides to keep his thoughts private.
Oh, sweet Marianne
The singer expresses a deeply emotional attachment to Marianne.
You're the only one I've ever loved
The singer reveals his belief that Marianne is the only person he's ever loved.
And I swear it on
The singer professes his love with utmost seriousness.
Swear it on the moon and stars above
The singer references the celestial bodies to emphasize his commitment.
I wanna understand
The singer desires to comprehend everything about Marianne.
And, I wanna be your man
The singer aspires to be Marianne's devoted partner.
I will full moon
The singer is fully illuminated in the light of the moon.
Just a part of me
The singer reveals he is only revealing a part of himself.
Gonna write a song and see how a woman feel
The singer wants to capture a woman's point of view in a song.
Come on get it on right into the sun
The singer is encouraging an energetic existence.
Gonna ride along and fly, gonna let it on
The singer will join Marianne and soar towards the heavens.
Oh, don't you love me
The singer is wondering if Marianne loves him.
Oh, don't you love me
Repeating the previous line for emphasis.
Don't you love me
An urgent plea to know if Marianne loves him.
Oh, don't you love me
The singer repeats his question one last time before the song ends.
Yeah yeah yeah
A joyful exclamation.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Repeating the previous line for emphasis.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Repeating the previous line for emphasis.
Oh yeah
An expression of affirmation.
Contributed by Zachary P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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