Coldplay B-side: Death Will Never Conquer

Posted on August 19, 2008

Coldplay has released a free b-side called “Death Will Never Conquer.” Sounds like an old spiritual, stripped down to Martin on a piano. Martin’s preoccupation with God, heaven, and salvation in Viva La Vida is striking. Look for some personal exegesis of the album in posts to come. Still compiling insight from interviews. In the meantime, here are some tidbits that will make you laugh and reflect:

What’s your least favorite U2 song?

That’s like saying, “Who’s my least favorite supermodel.”

There’s a hidden track on X&Y, “Til Kingdom Come.” That’s so biblical of you.

“A Message” and “Til Kingdom Come” both come from having quite a religious upbringing. “A Message” is taken from a hymn we used to sing called “My Song Is Love Unknown,” and we’d say “kingdom come” every week in the Lord’s Prayer. One of the great things about being forced to go to church services is that we’d sing all these big songs. That’s partly why I’m obsessed with getting everyone to sing along at our shows. It makes me feel like I’m a part of something.

Taken from “Q&A: Chris Martin,” Rollling Stone, June 16, 2005

Affluenza: Have you caught it?

Posted on August 17, 2008

PBS ran a TV series called Affluenza. In 2001, this series was followed up by a book by the same name. Influenza is “a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.” Creators of Affluenza report that Americans spend an average of 21K on consumer goods per person per year, that we spend more on shoes, jewelry, watches (80B) than on higher education (65B). Many of us do this, not with money we have, but with money we don’t have, with credit. We have plenty of stuff. Consider this story from the book.

In his office, a doctor offers his diagnosis to an attractive, expensively dressed female patient. There’s nothing physically wrong with you,” he says. His patient is incredulous. “Then why do I feel so awful?” she asks. “So bloated and sluggish. I’ve got a big new house, a brand new car, a new wardrobe, and I just got a big raise at work. Why am I so miserable doctor? Isn’t there some pill you can give me?” The doctor shakes his head. “im afraid not,” he replies. “There’s no pill for what’s wrong with you.” What is it doctor? She asks, alarmed. “Affluenza,” he answers gravely. “It’s the new epidemic. It’s extremely contagious. It can be cured but not easily.”

How can it be cured? Does it need to be cured?