Music Analysis #1
Yellow- A Musical Analysis Blog
I think that everyone has a song that is nostalgic to them and holds a level of sentimental value. For me, that is Yellow by Coldplay. Upon hearing the first note of this song, I am instantly brought back to being a child and in the backseat of my dad's pickup truck listening to this song blaring on his radio. To this day Yellow is one of my favorites and is the one song I will never skip if it comes up on my shuffle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKNxeF4KMsY
Yellow- Coldplay-June-26-2000- USA
Lyrics
The lyrics of Yellow are powerful, while still provoking a sweet and gentle feeling. You can't help but feel something when listening to this song. The words themselves are quite romantic, they encapsulate the feeling of love and how that feeling can obstruct your view of yourself and even further, the world around you. This idea is encapsulated in the lyrics-
"I swam across- I jumped across for you- Oh, what a thing to do"
In other words, love is blinding and tends to make people do out-of-character things. It also makes people become unbelievably cheesy and cliche. In that same vein, American Songwriter states "The song’s lyrics describe all the things—some more ridiculous than others—a person will do to express their love and devotion for someone". I couldn't agree more with their take on Yellow's lyrics and I love how they depicted their meaning throughout this article.
Rhythm
The rhythm to Yellow is perhaps what I love most about it. It is not necessarily upbeat or sad, it is a happy medium. You can listen to this song at any time and on any occasion, which I enjoy. I say that this song is neither upbeat nor sad because the rhythm fluctuates throughout the song. Upon the first lyric-
"look at the stars- look how they shine for you"
During this, there is a powerful guitar riff being played. As the song progresses, this same riff comes in and out at a steady pace in unison with the lyrical silence. This adds to the overall impact and emotional nature of the song. As described by Medium, "This point represents the emotional peaks of the song. The profession of love is appropriately followed by the immediate explosion of melodious crescendo, which perfectly reflects the emotional heights of the song." Medium describes the use of rhythm and its relationship to the sentiment of the song, which I absolutely agree with.
Timbre
The Timbre in Yellow is a complicated one, both harsh and mellow attributes are present. I think this aspect of the song adds some edge and makes it more engaging and impactful. The timbre choices made by Coldplay directly correlate to the nature of the corresponding lyrics. When observing this song some lyrics are more "light" or "airy" and in this case, the timbre is mellow and dull. This is presented within the following lyric-
"I drew a line-I drew a line for you-oh what a thing to do"
Counetarlly, when the nature of the lyric is more serious or purposeful this can quickly change the timbre to be characterized as harsh or deep. An example of this change in timbre would be through the lyric-
"For you, I would bleed myself dry-yeah for you I would bleed myself dry"
Citations!
Introverts, Econ For. “Yellow.” Medium, Medium, 1 Feb. 2024, medium.com/@alvin_h1992/and-it-was-all-yellow-d4b37161abba.
Mahncke, Julia. “The Starry Meaning behind ‘Yellow’ by Coldplay.” American Songwriter, 28 Aug. 2023, americansongwriter.com/the-starry-meaning-behind-yellow-by-coldplay/.
It has been so long since the last time I heard this song. I still love the relaxing music that plays behind the singer but the lyrics are so down to earth. Normally I don't see that type of mix in music but it works together more than people realize. Absolutely loved your blog, good job!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long time since I heard this song as well. Most recently, I was in the back of a friend's car in St. Johns' town center because I don't enjoy driving. So, naturally, I drove to the meeting spot and then caught a ride with someone else.
ReplyDeleteYellow is also a nostalgic song for me, though I don't purposely listen to it much anymore. It's more one of those songs I hear a clip of randomly and then need to listen to it in full until it's out of my system, y'know? I wholeheartedly agree that it's a perfect middle ground of happy and sad, that it can be listened to at any time and it'll fit the vibes, that's what makes it so good to me. It's not a song that will inherently bring my mood down but will help express those bad moods if need be. This may be a hotter take, but I dare say it's one of Coldplay's best songs, it's got the perfect balance of everything.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard this song in years. I agree that the rhythm is neither upbeat nor sad. It brings me a lot of nostalgia with a content feeling. Your blog basically describes the feeling well!
ReplyDelete"Yellow" by Coldplay is such a good song! You are right about the lyrics, I always feel something when I hear the lyrics. You described the rhythm perfectly! Not sad, yet not upbeat, just the a happy medium!
ReplyDelete"Yellow" is a great song. The rhythm is definitely one of the most powerful parts of this song, it is what makes it so unique. I heard this song for the first time through my mom on our car rides, and this song also has a strong nostalgic value to me too.
ReplyDelete