From album
A Rush of Blood to the Head
Coldplay · 2002 · Track 5
Details
TonalidadA#m
Compás4/4
Tempo129 BPM
Duración5:20
CompositorChris Martin / Guy Berryman / Jon Buckland / Will Champion
ÁlbumA Rush of Blood to the Head
Año2002
ISRCGBAYE0200771
Credits
Music Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion
If you like this, try
The story behind
The piano is the soul of Clocks, the Coldplay song that became a hallmark of their sound. The melody that drives it, repetitive yet hypnotic, was an idea that Chris Martin came up with one night in Liverpool. Upon arriving at the studio, he developed it on the keyboard, creating a pattern that feels urgent and contemplative at the same time. When Jonny Buckland heard this base riff, he contributed guitar chords that intertwined almost instantly, like a chemical reaction that brought the main structure to life. The lyrics, for their part, are a web of contrasts and urgency, with phrases that invite reflection on lost opportunities and the duality of being part of the solution or the problem.
The genesis of Clocks occurred in the final stages of the production of Coldplay's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. The band already had ten songs ready, but the delivery date was approaching, and they felt it was too late to include this new piece. They recorded a demo and put it aside with other ideas for a future third album. However, the main album suffered delays, and after a tour, manager Phil Harvey heard the demo. He felt that the urgency of the lyrics contradicted the idea of leaving it aside. Convinced, Martin dedicated himself to polishing the song, while the other members contributed their ideas for the bass and drums. Even the final part, the outro, was born from a melody that Harvey whistled to Buckland. The recording was done at high speed, and upon finishing it, those in the studio felt that something special had been born. The song was officially released in 2003, and its unmistakable piano led it to win the Grammy for Record of the Year in 2004.
0:00