Paradise is the most haunting song from the MX era so far

[Twisted mind]

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Originally Posted by blankshore;4973338
Some scattershot opinions that didn't seem to fit in anywhere else:

When I read the Bilboard interview that Move to Mars was unlikely to make the album, I was crushed. When I saw the tracklisting and saw for sure that it didn't make the cut, I collapsed completely. What made Move to Mars so damned compelling was how atmospheric it was--it sounded like Chris had crawled over to a piano in a drunken state of depression and banged this out in one take. It sounded like a man on his last whim, barely concious enough to understand what he himself was saying. It was different, haunting, yet climactic; the ugly, drunken cousin of Fix You. In the midst of poppy, melody-driven songs like Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, Charlie Brown and Hurts Like Heaven, this song was necessary. Without it, I didn't see how the album could succeed.

Then I heard Paradise, and its arguably more haunting than the track it (in my opinion, obviously) replaced. Paradise is what Cemetaries of London wanted to be; but whereas Cemetaries had to resort to the imagery of graveyards and witches to evoke an emotion that mildly resembled unrest, Paradise does so with more narrative-driven lyrics with a female protagonist that on paper appear to be pop-friendly and uplifting. They aren't.

When that thunderous synth comes in and the band starts chanting "It should be Para, para, paradise" it doesn't sound like an attempt at a sing-along chorus. It sounds cynical, like the band is angrily aware of how ridiculous it sounds. If you read the lyrics out of context it almost looks like the words to a school-yard chant, and the band sings it like one. The repetitive tale of this girl sounds like a cautionary one rather than an inspirational one.

Coldplay released this song because they felt that it didn't sound like a typical lead single, and I think they're definitely right. I'm baffled that people are dismissing this as a poppy cash-grab. This song is angry, haunting and vaguely cynical. It's accomplishes with swirling violins, hip-hop beats and thundering synths what Move to Mars did with quiet piano and enebriated vocals. This isn't the Coldplay we knew in 2000. This is a creative mess. And its supposed to be. Its one of the most interesting songs they've ever done.

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That's a very interesting and believably comment about the song. I like the way you think.

Unfortunately the happy melody and all the OOoohs and AAaahs in the song don't transfer any of your imaginative thoughts to me And maybe if the song itself wouldn't just be made of five lines I would like it more...