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)
Up Whit The Birds
Coldplay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Start again" I hear them say
It's so hard to just walk away
The birds they sang, all a choir
"Start again" a little higher
It's a spark in a sea of gray
Dream that lie 'til it's true
Then takin' back the punch I threw
My arms turn wings
Oh, those clumsy things
Send me up to that wonderful world
And then I'm up with the birds
Might have to go
Where they don't know my name
Float all over the world
Just to see her again
But I won't show or fear any pain
Even though all my armor might rust in the rain
A simple plot
But I know one day
Good things are coming our way
A simple plot
But I know one day
Good things are coming our way
Oh, yeah
The lyrics to Coldplay's song "Up with the Birds" explore themes of hope and renewal in the face of adversity. The opening verse describes the sound of birds singing at dawn, encouraging the singer to "start again" despite the difficulties they may be facing. The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the message of resilience and the power of beginning anew. The second verse builds on this idea, comparing the birds' singing to a "spark in a sea of gray" that inspires the singer to reach higher and dream bigger.
The chorus marks a shift in perspective, as the singer expresses a desire to escape from his current reality and reunite with someone who is meaningful to him. This idea is fleshed out in the second half of the song, as the third verse describes a journey around the world in search of this person. Despite the potential pitfalls of such a journey--pain, loneliness, and the wear and tear of traveling--the singer is resolute in his determination to find what he is looking for. The repetition of the phrase "a simple plot" underscores the idea that the goal is straightforward, even if the path to get there is not.
Overall, "Up with the Birds" is a song that celebrates the hope and optimism that can be found in the face of adversity. The bird imagery throughout the song reflects both the fragile beauty of life and the strength and resilience that can be found in nature.
Line by Line Meaning
The birds they sang, at break of day
The morning birds are chirping and singing
Start again I hear them say
Their song sounds like a call to start again
It's so hard to just walk away
It's difficult to simply leave everything behind and start over
The birds they sang, all a choir
The birds are singing in unison like a choir
Start again a little higher
Their song inspires the listener to lift themselves up and start again
It's a spark in a sea of gray
Their song is like a small glimmer of hope in a mundane and colorless world
The sky is blue dream that lie 'till it's true
The blue sky is like a dream that seems unreal until it becomes a reality
Then taken back the punch I threw
I regret my negative actions and want to take them back
My arms turn in oh, those clumsy things
I feel uncomfortable and awkward in my own body
Send me up to that wonderful world
I wish to be transported to a better place
And then I'm up with the birds
I feel a sense of peace when I imagine flying with the birds
Might have to go
I may need to leave
Where they don't know my name
To a place where no one knows me
Float all over the world
Travel aimlessly through various destinations around the world
Just to see her again
To reunite with someone I care deeply about
And I won't show or feel any pain
I will hide my suffering from the world
Even though all my armor might rust in the rain
Even if I lose all protection due to external factors, I will still persist
A simple plot
The plan is simple
But I know one day
However, I have faith that one day
Good things are coming our way
Positive things will happen for us
Oh, yeah
An expression of agreement or to emphasize a point
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Christopher Anthony John Martin, Guy Rupert Berryman, Jonathan Mark Buckland, William Champion, Leonard Cohen, Brian Eno, Brian Peter George Eno
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