Top 5 Tuesday

Various blogs around the blogosphere have pithy little weekly routines, such as Wordless Wednesday-blog posts consisting only of a striking single photo-or my personal favorite, Not Me Monday. I have decided to create my own weekly routine, and I searched the dusty corners of my creative and intelligent mind to come up with an extremely interesting and catchy title: Top 5 Tuesday! Yes, I know you're all impressed. I have decided to select a Top 5 from a variety of topics to liven up my Tuesdays. Heaven forbid a Tuesday arise where I cannot think of an appropriate Top 5.

For my first Top 5 Tuesday, I have decided to tackle an extremely difficult challenge: my Top 5 Coldplay songs. Now, I cannot write enough about this heaven-sent English band and all their gloriousness. I know I'm not the only hardcore fan around, and there are certainly lots of bands out there that are in a constant state of emulating Coldplay (Keane, anyone? Snow Patrol?), and I like them too. But no band, or individual singer, has ever touched my heart and soul the way Coldplay has. I KNOW that sounds cheesy and slightly ridiculous, but that's just the way it is. Coldplay is like my own personal Jasper Hale-any time I'm feeling stressed or anxious, or world-weary, I can rely on the music to overwhelm me with a peaceful calm. I could continue with my praises, admiring them for poignant lyrics and grandiose crescendos, but I should proceed with my list. You should know that I am a devoted, faithful fan-not the type to show disappointment or chagrin when an album doesn't please me. That just wouldn't happen. I'm like this with every bit of pop culture that I fully embrace-you could tell me Season 6 of 24 was terrible and you stopped watching and I would continue to profess my adoration of Jack Bauer. Okay, here I go!

5. Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love. This was a difficult decision. I was torn between Lovers in Japan and Viva la Vida, and I felt compelled to acknowledge the most recent album, because it is undoubtedly the best, start to finish, of all their albums. I think I had to choose Lovers because I had the strongest emotional reaction to it, as compared with Viva la Vida. I love the beginning lines of the song, "Lovers, keep on the road you're on...", and paired with the piano solo, the song is literally to die for. I listened to it quite a bit in a rather difficult time period of my life, which always attributes to the affection one feels for a song. Seeing Coldplay in concert this summer, on the Viva la Vida tour, was absolutely incredible. For this song, millions of tiny pieces of red and white confetti were poured from the sky (yes, it was a ceiling, but it FELT like the sky) onto the adoring fans. It was AMAZING! One of the BEST nights of my life! The sweet and soft Reign of Love at the end is such a nice touch, too.




4. Clocks. This inclusion is rather self-explanatory. How anyone could make a Top 5 list of Coldplay songs and not include Clocks is beyond me. It's a revolutionary song, and one of their most unique contributions to the music world.

3. The Scientist. Now, my attachment to this song is stronger than perhaps the entire repertoire. I have a vivid memory of listening to it, one that actually turned out to be very significant in my life. I won't go into all the details here, but give a brief outline. My incredible, amazing, prize of a husband and I started our relationship in that terrible long-distance dating phase. Suffice to say, it was absolutely dreadful. I missed him ALL the time, and was trying my best to be rational and understanding-it was so difficult, when all I wanted to do was profess my love for him. Anyway, I listened to this song (on my Discman!) on the NJ Transit on my way back to the airport after my first visit, and tears were streaming down my face, landing on the crusty floor of the train. "Nobody said it was easy..." Just a few months later, we were together, in the same place, but I'll never forget the angsty pain of those few months, when Coldplay provided such an outlet for my emotions.



2. Fix You. That's right, it's my number 2! This song is one of Coldplay's finest accomplishments, truly an incredible song that has the ability to make you cry while your heart is swelling so full you think it might burst. Off an album that any non-devoted fan might profess to be mediocre, Fix You is just, well, listen to it!



Really, I have no words. I could have just written "2. Fix You." and that's it. That's how amazing this song is.


1. Yellow. Was this a surprise at all? Despite putting out 4 incredible albums, full of beautiful songs, the very best, the trademark of the band, is found in this song. I am proud to say that I have seen Coldplay on three separate tours, and the experience of seeing Yellow in concert has been breathtaking each time. For my first concert (2003), the entire room went black, only to roar to life with yellow lights as the song began. In Madison Square Garden in 2005, yellow balloons burst towards the audience with a gentle ferocity as the chorus began to swell. At the HP Pavilion in 2008, the lights were more subtle, but the golden beams that swept the venue revealed a trembling mass of true fans, singing every word. One of the best nights of my life. Seriously.



Now, I know this is technically cheating, especially since it's my first Top 5, but I decided that I HAD to have honorable mentions. This task was just too difficult, and I feel that I won't do justice to my love for Coldplay if I don't have a well-rounded sample of what I feel to be the best songs. Thus, I will include my honorable mentions. And it's my blog. So really, I can do whatever I want.

6. Glass of Water. Yes, this song is from the recently released EP, Prospekt's March. It is, in one word, AMAZING. If it weren't for my faithfulness to the original, full albums, this song would have made my top 5.

7. Warning Sign. Some of the most beautiful lyrics, from all the albums. I feel that it speaks to the regret of having not pursued something or someone that you know you should have. "You were an island, and I passed you by...you were an island to discover..."

8. Viva la Vida. Truly a unique and incredible song. I am glad that Coldplay collaborated with Brian Eno. Plus, the iTunes ads were awesome!



9. Strawberry Swing. I was surprised they actually played this song during the 2008 tour, and pleasantly so. It is truly a sweet, precious ballad.

10. Violet Hill. Yes, there is a trend here. Though I have to reiterate my intense appreciation of Coldplay and ALL their music, in my mind, their most recent offering is their best. From start to finish.

Looking forward to next Tuesday!

**By the way, Gwynyth Paltrow is CRAZY, yes, CRAZY, if she selfishly decides to leave this behind!