42

Coldplay

About 42

"42" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. The song, divided into three parts, does not have a chorus. The first part is a ballad with piano and strings, which then transforms into an uptempo rock arrangement with a guitar solo. Finally, the song ends with a multi-instrumental part. A live version of "42" was featured on the band's 2009 live album, LeftRightLeftRightLeft.  


Year:
2008
3:57
111 
#6

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Those who are dead, are not dead
They're just living in my head
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well
Oh,

Time is so short and I'm sure
There must be something more

Those who are dead, are not dead
They're just living in my head, oh
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well, oh

Time is so short and I'm sure
There must be something more.

You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close

You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you oh, oh,

Oh, oh,

Those who are dead are not dead
They're just living in my head
Oh

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Coldplay

Coldplay are a British Alternative Rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish.Will Champion joined as a drummer, backing vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, completing the line-up. Manager Phil Harvey is often considered an unofficial fifth member. The band renamed themselves "Coldplay" in 1998, before recording and releasing three EPs; Safety in 1998, Brothers & Sisters as a single in 1999 and The Blue Room in the same year. The latter was their first release on a major label, after signing to Parlophone. more »

48 fans

Written by: CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY JOHN MARTIN, GUY RUPERT BERRYMAN, JONATHAN MARK BUCKLAND, WILLIAM CHAMPION

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Title Origin
The title "42" has earned quite a bit of attention because 42 is considered the "answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything" according to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams, a favorite book of Coldplay's lead vocalist Chris Martin.
Album
"42" is a song from Coldplay's fourth studio album "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends", which was released in 2008.
The Three Part Structure
The song has an interesting musical structure with three distinctive parts. It starts out as a ballad, then shifts to rock and finally to a soothing piano-driven ending.
Lyricism
The lyrics appear to convey an existential crisis, dealing with themes such as death and the meaning of human existence. The song opens up with the line "Those who are dead are not dead, they're just living in my head."
Concert Favorite
"42" quickly became a fan favorite when played on their Viva La Vida tour. Despite this, it was not released as one of the album's six singles.
Producer
The song was produced by the famous music producer Brian Eno, who is also known for working with bands like U2 and Talking Heads.
Influence
Coldplay is influenced by several artists and some believe certain parts of "42" are reminiscent of Radiohead, another popular British rock band.
Charts
Although "42" wasn't released as a single, the album "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" topped charts all over the world, making it one of Coldplay's most successful albums.
Critical Response
While the entire album was positively received by critics, some reviews specifically highlighted "42" for its introspective lyrics and its unconventional, multi-part composition.
Notable Performance
One of the most notable performances of "42" was at the BBC Radio Theatre in London in 2008, where it was performed live for the first time.

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