Life In Technicolor ii
From WikiColdplay
Contents |
Background
Life In Technicolor ii is a song written during sessions for Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends. It became the opening track for the album, but as an instrumental with most of the vocals stripped from it. The vocal version of the song later saw release as a single on the Prospekt's March EP, re-titled Life In Technicolor ii.
The band reportedly chose to make the song an instrumental this in response to a comment that the song was "the obvious single". Chris Martin: “It’s nice to not have a singer on the first song come in and ruin it. This is our milkman song, the most whistleable thing. We took all the lyrics off because this song was our only safety net.”
The instrumental Life In Technicolor features a different, sampled intro that forms the basis for The Escapist, the closing song on the album. Both songs sample from "Light Through The Veins", a song by Jon Hopkins. Life In Technicolor ii however does not use the sample and bears no relation to The Escapist.
The instrumental was illegally leaked onto the internet over a month before the album's release, in the form of a flash video of the band playing the song in studio with producer Brian Eno.
Both versions of the song came to be performed together live on the Viva La Vida Tour, with Life in Technicolor opening the concert and Life In Technicolor ii appearing in the encore as the closing song.
Release
The Life In Technicolor ii single was made available to download on 2nd February 2009 and was accompanied by a video which premiered on Channel 4 in the UK and via the official site on 12th January 2009.
Tracklisting
7" vinyl
- A. Life In Technicolor ii
- B. The Goldrush
Digital download
- Life In Technicolor ii
- Life In Technicolor ii (Live @ The O2, London)
- The Goldrush
Promotional CD
- Life In Technicolor ii (Radio Edit) - 3:37
- Life In Technicolor ii (EP Version) – 4:05
US Promotional CD - 2nd Version
- Life In Technicolor ii (Pop Edit) - 3:14
- Life In Technicolor II (Radio Edit) - 3:37
- Life In Technicolor II (Instrumental) - 4:07
Music video
The video for "Life In Technicolor ii" was directed by Dougal Wilson. It features the band as 'Punch and Judy' style puppets performing at a village fair. Numerous children are watching a Punch and Judy show, which gives way to the musical performance. As the video progresses, the show gets more and more elaborate with the stage doubling in size, a large catwalk extending into the audience, and smoke, pyrotechnics and special effects. The performance appears to spoof Coldplay's concerts. The video ends with the members boarding a helicopter that exits the village hall smashing through a window. The video ends with Will Champion's puppet throwing his drumsticks out of the helicopter into the hands of one of the children.
As a result of the video, the puppets have been featured 'on tour' on Coldplay's official website. Photos of the puppets are taken at popular locations in various cities that the band visit on their 'Viva La Vida' Tour.
The offical programme for the tour was also updated in 2009 with the puppets on the front cover.
Lyrics
There's a wild wind blowing Down the corner of my street Every night there, the headlights are glowing There's a cold war coming On the radio, I heard Baby, it's a violent world Oh, love, don't let me go Won't you take me where the street lights glow? I can hear it coming I can hear the siren sound Now my feet won't touch the ground Time came-a-creeping Oh and time's a loaded gun Every road is a ray of light It goes o-o-o-o-o-o-on Time only can lead you on, still it's Such a beautiful night Oh, love, don't let me go Won't you take me where the street lights glow? I can hear it coming Like a serenade of sound Now my feet won't touch the ground Ohh, ohh, ohh Gravity, release me And don't ever hold me down Now my feet won't touch the ground...
| Violet Hill | Viva La Vida | Lost! | Lovers In Japan | Life In Technicolor ii | Strawberry Swing |
| Life In Technicolor | Cemeteries Of London | 42 | Reign Of Love | Yes | Chinese Sleep Chant | Death And All His Friends | The Escapist |
| Postcards From Far Away | Glass Of Water | Rainy Day | Prospekt's March/Poppyfields | Now My Feet Won't Touch The Ground |
| B-Sides/Other Releases |
| A Spell A Rebel Yell | Death Will Never Conquer | The Goldrush | Lhuna (ft. Kylie Minogue) |
| Unreleased Songs |
| LeftRightLeftRightLeft | Famous Old Painters | Lukas | School | The Dubliners |
