Coldplay's Yellow
First of all...I fell in love with Coldplay back in 2000 when I first saw a commercial for the channel 7 ABC line-up. I recall 'Dharma and Greg' being in the commercial. The commercial was done in black and white and yellow. And was set to Coldplay's 'Yellow'.
Tonight I just bought Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head album. And it inspired me to journal about where my love for Coldplay began.
However, instead of just saying how much I love the song: the lyrics, the tonality, the composition, the accents, etc. I wanted to find the meaning behind it. Clearly I am not in close contact with the band, so I cannot simply go out for coffee with them and ask, "So, what were you trying to express, say, get at...when you wrote 'Yellow'". Even though that would be ridiculously awesome and the best cup of coffee I've ever had!
It's just not a reality.
And thus I searched the www. Did not have any success in finding any articles or interviews with an explanation from the band. However, I did run across many speculations...
And now I've decided to form a speculation of my own.
First Id like to mention a few of the 'interpretations' I found online from others who love the song/band but who really have no concrete idea, simply their own opinions:
A lot of people seem to think it is about a man in love with a woman. One person commented that they thought they had heard it was written for one of the band members' mothers. Another explained that it clearly was about a man cutting himself because he was so painfully in love with a woman. Yet another explained that it is about drugs and cocaine usage. Both referencing "I drew a line for you... for you I bleed myself dry".
Now if many other people out there can decide to interpret the song towards what they want it to mean for them...now it is my turn.
This is my interpretation:
I see the Gospel message within this song.
Here are the lyrics: (and in the parentheticals we find my personal commentary in multi interpretations)
Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow. (1-creational beauty for the glory of God, 2- creational beauty as a gift to us from God)
I came along,
I wrote a song for you,
And all the things you do,
And it was called "Yellow." (1-God's word given to us, 2-This song dedicated to Christ)
So then I took my turn,
Oh what a thing to have done,
And it was all yellow. (1-Man sinned, 2-Christ came to save)
Your skin
Oh yeah, your skin and bones,
Turned into something beautiful,
You know
You know I love you so,
You know I love you so. (1-Christ's sacrifice is beautiful and we love Him for it, 2-Christ took our sinful flesh and made it beautifully clean, washing our sins away because He loves us so much)
I swam across,
I jumped across for you,
Oh what a thing to do.
Cuz you were all yellow, (1-God came into the world as Jesus Christ, 2-A man accepts Christ)
I drew a line,
I drew a line for you,
Oh what a thing to do,
And it was all yellow. (1-John 8 anyone?...ok, here you go: "Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin.")
Your skin,
Oh yeah your skin and bones,
Turned into something beautiful,
You know,
For you I bleed myself dry,
For you I bleed myself dry. (1- again, the beautiful sacrifice, Christ's blood shed in place of ours)
It's true, look how they shine for you, (1- It's true!...truth, the Gospel is the truth)
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine for...
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine...
Look at the stars;
Look how they shine for you,
And all the things that you do. (1-Beautiful creation for God's glory...shining for Jesus! 2-a beautiful gift from God)
And even if I am completely wrong, if the author meant something totally different...oh well, its art and art can be interpreted in many ways...that is one thing I love about art. I like the meaning I gave to it...makes it personal to me.
If Coldplay has any disagreement...they can call me up to schedule that cup of coffee...believe me, I wouldn't mind!
Tonight I just bought Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head album. And it inspired me to journal about where my love for Coldplay began.
However, instead of just saying how much I love the song: the lyrics, the tonality, the composition, the accents, etc. I wanted to find the meaning behind it. Clearly I am not in close contact with the band, so I cannot simply go out for coffee with them and ask, "So, what were you trying to express, say, get at...when you wrote 'Yellow'". Even though that would be ridiculously awesome and the best cup of coffee I've ever had!
It's just not a reality.
And thus I searched the www. Did not have any success in finding any articles or interviews with an explanation from the band. However, I did run across many speculations...
And now I've decided to form a speculation of my own.
First Id like to mention a few of the 'interpretations' I found online from others who love the song/band but who really have no concrete idea, simply their own opinions:
A lot of people seem to think it is about a man in love with a woman. One person commented that they thought they had heard it was written for one of the band members' mothers. Another explained that it clearly was about a man cutting himself because he was so painfully in love with a woman. Yet another explained that it is about drugs and cocaine usage. Both referencing "I drew a line for you... for you I bleed myself dry".
Now if many other people out there can decide to interpret the song towards what they want it to mean for them...now it is my turn.
This is my interpretation:
I see the Gospel message within this song.
Here are the lyrics: (and in the parentheticals we find my personal commentary in multi interpretations)
Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow. (1-creational beauty for the glory of God, 2- creational beauty as a gift to us from God)
I came along,
I wrote a song for you,
And all the things you do,
And it was called "Yellow." (1-God's word given to us, 2-This song dedicated to Christ)
So then I took my turn,
Oh what a thing to have done,
And it was all yellow. (1-Man sinned, 2-Christ came to save)
Your skin
Oh yeah, your skin and bones,
Turned into something beautiful,
You know
You know I love you so,
You know I love you so. (1-Christ's sacrifice is beautiful and we love Him for it, 2-Christ took our sinful flesh and made it beautifully clean, washing our sins away because He loves us so much)
I swam across,
I jumped across for you,
Oh what a thing to do.
Cuz you were all yellow, (1-God came into the world as Jesus Christ, 2-A man accepts Christ)
I drew a line,
I drew a line for you,
Oh what a thing to do,
And it was all yellow. (1-John 8 anyone?...ok, here you go: "Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin.")
Your skin,
Oh yeah your skin and bones,
Turned into something beautiful,
You know,
For you I bleed myself dry,
For you I bleed myself dry. (1- again, the beautiful sacrifice, Christ's blood shed in place of ours)
It's true, look how they shine for you, (1- It's true!...truth, the Gospel is the truth)
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine for...
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine...
Look at the stars;
Look how they shine for you,
And all the things that you do. (1-Beautiful creation for God's glory...shining for Jesus! 2-a beautiful gift from God)
And even if I am completely wrong, if the author meant something totally different...oh well, its art and art can be interpreted in many ways...that is one thing I love about art. I like the meaning I gave to it...makes it personal to me.
If Coldplay has any disagreement...they can call me up to schedule that cup of coffee...believe me, I wouldn't mind!