The song Clocks, which music critics unanimously call one of the best works of the British rock band Coldplay, was born during the studio work on the album A Rush of Blood to the Head, the second in the band’s discography.
Clocks by Coldplay song story
The composition was born from a small keyboard riff composed by Chris Martin. He played the song to the rest of the band when they had already selected most of the tracks for the upcoming record.
Producer Ken Nelson recalls:
We had ten songs for the album, and then late one night Chris showed up and wrote “Clocks” on the piano.
MTV
Martin said that the melody that formed the basis of the song was spontaneously born to him:
It just happened and wasn’t planned at all. This riff just showed up and I played it [guitarist] Johnny [Buckland], and he wrote these cool chords for it. So we have a wonderful song.
Plain Dealer
He later admitted that he wrote the break under the influence of the music of Muse. The lyrics of the song Clocks, dedicated to a very complicated romantic relationship, were also composed by Chris. It is unlikely that in this case we are talking about some personal experience of the author. In any case, there are no grounds for such conjectures.
At first, the musicians were going to postpone the song for the next album, but some friend of Martin convinced him to immediately finalize the song and include it in A Rush of Blood to the Head.
Release and achievements
In December 2002, Clocks was released as a single which peaked at number nine on the UK charts and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it was very popular in the United States. She was actively played on the radio, used in advertising and included in television shows.
The song was praised in every way by music publications and famous critics, and in 2004 it was awarded the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Rolling Stone magazine included it in the list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
Video of Clocks by Coldplay
The music video for the song Clocks was directed by Dominic Leung. Let’s watch the famous video online.
Interesting Facts
- All members of Coldplay recalled that they immediately recognized Clocks as a 100% hit. Only drummer Will Champion admitted on VH1’s Storytellers show that at first he thought the track was “complete rubbish.”
- Receiving the Grammy, Chris Martin dedicated it to Johnny Cash and the politician John Kerry, whom he wished one day to become President of the United States.
- The track is used in many famous films, television series and cartoons, including The Sopranos, Family Guy and Rio 2.
Clocks Lyrics by Coldplay
The lights go out and I can’t be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Have brought me down upon my knees
Oh I run, I run and plead, singing
Come out of things unsaid
Shoot an apple off my head and a
Trouble that can’t be named
A tiger’s waiting to be tamed, singing
You are
You are
Confusion never stops
Closing walls and ticking clocks
Gonna come back and take you home
I could not stop that you now know, singing
Come out upon my seas
Cursed Missed Opportunities
Am I a part of the cure?
Or am I part of the disease? Singing
You are, you are, you are
You are, you are, you are
And nothing else compares
Oh nothing else compares
And nothing else compares
You are
You are
Home, home where I wanted to go x4
Lyrics of Clocks by Coldplay Alternate
The light went out and I can’t escape
I tried to swim against the tide
But he brought me to my knees
I beg, I beg and I beg, singing
Let everything that was not said sound
Shoot an apple off my head and
Troubles that cannot be named
The tiger is waiting to be tamed, singing
You…
You…
There is no end to the confusion
Surrounded by walls and under the ticking of the clock
I’m going to come back and take you home
But I can’t stop what you already know by singing
Come out of my seas
Damn missed opportunities
Am I helping you heal?
Or am I the disease? humming
You you you…
You you you…
And nothing compares
Oh nothing compares
And nothing compares
You…
You…
Home, home where I wanted to go – 4 times
