Paradise (Coldplay song) explained

Paradise
Cover:Coldplay - Paradise.JPG
Type:single
Artist:Coldplay
Album:Mylo Xyloto
Recorded:
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"Paradise" is a song by the British rock band Coldplay, released on 12 September 2011 as the second single from their fifth album, Mylo Xyloto.[1] The song received its radio debut at 7:50 a.m. on The Chris Moyles Show (BBC Radio 1) on 12 September 2011.[2] [3] According to Coldplay's official website, the single was not initially chart eligible in the United Kingdom, because it was available on iTunes as an "instant grat" (immediate download) when pre-ordering the album.[4] Following the release of the album on 30 October 2011, the song became chart eligible in the UK and entered the UK Singles Chart at number 14, before taking the number 1 spot on its tenth week, becoming the band's second number-one single after "Viva la Vida" in 2008.

On 30 November 2011, the song was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the category Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. On 12 February 2012, Coldplay performed "Paradise" live at the RE, along with "Princess of China".[5] At the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards on 6 September, the song won the award for Best Rock Video.[6]

Background and composition

In 2010, the producers of ITV reality show The X Factor originally approached singer Chris Martin to write a winner's song for the seventh series of the show in 2010. "Paradise" was originally conceived by Martin as a response to the show's request, but drummer Will Champion insisted that the song be included on Mylo Xyloto.[7]

The song is composed in the key of F major and its relative key, D minor (for the verses), with Chris Martin's vocals range from A3 to A5.[8]

Critical reception

The song was met with positive reviews from the majority of music critics. Billboard gave a positive review calling the track "another slice of hug-warm ecstasy" and gave praise to the "boiling strings, rattling synthesisers, and bass-heavy-beats" saying "it shows they know how to bring a few new tricks to the table". Both Q and Rolling Stone offered similar praise, and also noted that it was another step in the right direction. Altsounds.com gave a similar review remarking that there are "Drums that you would expect in a Rihanna song and melodies you would expect from a band like Friendly Fires and the "oohs" from 3OH!3 is what you first hear. That is, of course, until Chris Martin's vocals come into play and there is no doubt in your mind that this is Coldplay. A wonderful chorus of "para-para-paradise" reminds you just how good they really are. It will remain with you for weeks to come, like that new piece of clothing you just can't get enough of".

About.com said, in a three-and-a-half star review, that "even when Coldplay sound a bit like they are spinning their wheels musically, it can still have quite beautiful moments." The review called the opening fanfare "simply gorgeous" but felt the rest of the song did not hold up as well as it could have. NME gave a more mixed reaction to the song and felt that "It's hard to say what the band is aiming for with the song. To replicate the epic football stadium 'moment' of 'Yellow'? The energy of a 'Viva La Vida'? If so it doesn't quite work on either count" but continued "if you're going to have a mid-paced Coldplay-by-numbers single-single, you may as well have one as grand and gorgeous as 'Paradise'".

Rankings

Publisher! scope="col"
YearListicleRank
MTV Australia2013Placed[9]
NPO Radio 22011Top 200074[10]
Only for DJs9
PopjusticePlaced[11]
Q2019Songs of the Decade (2010–2019)Placed[12]
Rolling Stone2011Best Singles of 201141[13]

Chart performance

"Paradise" became a top five hit in 16 countries. In the United States, it peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Following the release on 12 September 2011, "Paradise" was revealed to be chart ineligible in the United Kingdom, having been offered as an "instant grat" (immediate download) for anyone who pre-ordered the album, Mylo Xyloto. The release of the album on 24 October 2011 saw "Paradise" debut at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart with sales of 27,277 copies (the track had a total of 118,547 downloads in the six weeks of chart ineligibility). After being made purchasable at 59p (instead of 99p) on the UK's iTunes Store and being played on the X Factor final, "Paradise" regained momentum in the UK and climbed up to number two on 18 December 2011. On 1 January 2012, almost four months after its release, "Paradise" peaked at number one, becoming the first number-one single of 2012 in the UK and becoming Coldplay's second UK number-one single after "Viva la Vida" in 2008. The song has sold 1,200,000 copies in the UK as of April 2017.[14] As per ECAD, "Paradise" was the most played song across Brazilian radio between 2013 and 2023.[15]

Live performances

"Paradise" was first played live before an audience on the night of 9 September 2011: it was shot before the studio audience of the Parisian music TV show Taratata on French television France 2. The crowd's response to this first performance was described as "unmistakable" by one of the band's roadies.[16]

Music videos

Coldplay initially announced that the single's music video would be directed by Hype Williams,[17] but that version was scrapped after shooting and the band decided instead to record a new version directed by long-time collaborator Mat Whitecross. The band called Whitecross just a day before the shooting and the video's concept was finished just hours before the director travelled from London to South Africa. Chris Martin created the video's concept storyline, which was ultimately filmed in the style of a nature documentary. Due to a combination of time constraints in shooting the video and Martin's conceptualisation, the elephant suits were intendedly "lo-fi and spontaneous", and the unicycle had to be found in a hurry.[18] The video was released on YouTube on 18 October 2011.

In the video, Chris Martin, dressed as an elephant, escapes from the zoo. He finds an abandoned sharing system bicycle, rides it to Belsize Park tube station, and takes the train to Heathrow Airport in an attempt to hitch-hike his way to another country, doing so finally by stowing away inside a suitcase. An aerial shot reveals that his initial destination was Cape Town, South Africa. He is then seen wandering around Johannesburg at one point, walking past Nelson Mandela Bridge and a set of railway tracks in Braamfontein. He then earns enough money, which appears to be ZAR 67.05 (roughly equivalent to GBP 5.34 or US$8.40), by busking on the street, which shows portions of the song's lyrics in sync, to buy transportation; he attempts to buy a bicycle, but the shopkeeper tells him he can only afford a unicycle. After a seemingly hopeless wander on his new unicycle (in which Martin takes off his elephant head for a second), he comes across three other elephants, who are the rest of Coldplay, playing the song in the veld. Will Champion is dressed as Snorky from the fictional band The Banana Splits, identifiable by his glasses and polka-dot ears. He starts playing with them, and the band eventually play a sell-out stadium concert together, before returning to the veld where they run towards the camera. The video was shot on location in London, Cape Town, the Klein Karoo in the Western Cape, and Johannesburg.[19] The zoo that Martin escapes from is Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. The bike shop shown is Woodstock Cycleworks in Woodstock, Cape Town. The concert segment was filmed during Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto Tour concert at the FNB Stadium on 8 October 2011. After performing this song live, the band donned their elephant heads and gloves and pretended to perform as the last minute of the studio recording played. The concertgoers were encouraged to cheer and sing along as if they were actually performing. As of November 2023, the video has over 1.8 billion views on YouTube.

Another music video was directed by Shynola, who had directed the video for "Strawberry Swing". The video was intended as the first incarnation for the video before the band came up with the elephant concept.[20] The promo pictures the life of a little girl that comes out of jail. A special video of "Paradise" was created for the 2012 Summer Paralympics and shown between event breaks. This version featured clips of Paralympian athletes competing in events.

Track listing

Remixes

Personnel

Usage in media

See also: List of cover versions of Coldplay songs.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011–2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Brazil (Billboard Brasil Hot 100)[23] 13
Brazil Hot Pop Songs2
Germany (Airplay Chart)[24] 1
Greece Digital Songs (Billboard)[25] 5
Greece International (IFPI)[26] 20
Iceland (RÚV)[27] 2
Italy Airplay (EarOne)[28] 2
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[29] 1
Malaysia (Billboard)[30] 25
Singapore (RIAS)[31] 8
South Korea International Singles (Gaon)[32] 84
Slovenia (SloTop50)[33] 46

Year-end charts

Chart (2011)! scope="col"
Position
Australia (ARIA)[34] 54
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[35] 47
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[36] 72
Germany (Official German Charts)[37] 61
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[38] 85
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[39] 17
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[40] 25
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[41] 32
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[42] 43
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[43] 34
UK Singles (OCC)[44] 39
Chart (2012)Position
Australia (ARIA)[45] 24
Brazil (Crowley)[46] 7
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[47] 80
France (SNEP)[48] 50
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[49] 52
Israel (Media Forest)[50] 11
Italy (FIMI)[51] 68
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[52] 86
Netherlands (Download Top 100)[53] 88
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[54] 49
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[55] 98
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[56] 65
UK Singles (OCC)[57] 45
US Billboard Hot 100[58] 69
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[59] 22
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[60] 18
Chart (2013)Position
France (SNEP)[61] 179
UK Singles (OCC)[62] 185

Decade-end charts

Chart (2010–2019)! scope="col"
Position
Australia (ARIA)[63] 69

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormatLabel
United Kingdom12 September 2011Digital downloadParlophone[64]
United States[65]
United States26 September 2011Adult album alternative radioCapitol[66]
27 September 2011Modern rock radio[67]
3 October 2011Hot adult contemporary radio[68]
4 October 2011Contemporary hit radio[69]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Slender Fungus . News - New album, Mylo Xyloto, out on October 24 . Coldplay . 12 August 2011 . 2011-10-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110911220759/http://www.coldplay.com/newsdetail.php?id=771&page=0 . 11 September 2011 . dead .
  2. Web site: Slender Fungus . News - Paradise gets first play on Monday . Coldplay . 7 September 2011 . 2011-10-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120425055427/http://coldplay.com/newsdetail.php?id=776&page=0 . 25 April 2012 . dead .
  3. Web site: Radio 1 Programmes - The Chris Moyles Show, Monday - we catch up with David Walliams . BBC . 12 September 2011 . 2011-10-05.
  4. Web site: Slender Fungus . News - Paradise is here, pre-order the album . Coldplay . 12 September 2011 . 2011-10-05.
  5. Web site: Rihanna & Coldplay Perform "We Found Love", "Princess Of China" & "Paradise" Live At 2012 Grammy Awards (Video) . akaHIPHOP.com . 2013-11-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131113164557/http://akahiphop.com/2012/02/12/rihanna-coldplay-perform-we-found-love-princess-of-china-paradise-live-at-2012-grammy-awards-video/ . 13 November 2013 . dead .
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20120907233944/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1693347/2012-vmas-coldplay-paradise-best-rock-video.jhtml "Coldplay Basks In 'Paradise' With 2012 VMA Best Rock Win"
  7. Web site: Chris Martin. Zane Lowe. Part 1. BBC Radio 1. Google, YouTube. 29 April 2014.
  8. Web site: Coldplay "Paradise" Sheet Music (Leadsheet). Musicnotes . 11 February 2013 .
  9. Web site: 2 April 2013 . The Official Top 1000 All Time Classics . dead . https://archive.today/20221007170527/https://www.mtv.com.au/news/347n2h/the-official-top-1000-all-time-classics . 7 October 2022 . 21 April 2024 . MTV Australia.
  10. Web site: 31 December 2023 . Top 2000 – Jaar 2011 . Top 2000 – Year 2011 . live . https://archive.today/20240112183133/https://www.nporadio2.nl/top2000?search=Coldplay&hash=&edition=top-2000-van-2011-12-25 . 12 January 2024 . 21 April 2024 . NPO Radio 2 . nl.
  11. Web site: 22 December 2011 . The Top 45 Singles of 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421233020/https://www.popjustice.com/articles/the-top-45-singles-of-2011/ . 21 April 2024 . 21 April 2024 . Popjustice.
  12. Web site: 2019 . Q Magazine – Songs of the Decade (2010–2019) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421235919/https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/q1010songs.htm#songs2010s . 21 April 2024 . 21 April 2024 . Rocklist UK.
  13. 7 December 2011 . 50 Best Singles of 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421235332/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/50-best-singles-of-2011-154693/ . 21 April 2024 . 21 April 2024 . Rolling Stone.
  14. Web site: Coldplay's Official Top 20 Best Selling Singles Revealed!. Myers. Justin. 7 June 2016. Official Charts Company. 22 November 2016.
  15. Web site: 25 September 2023 . Dia Nacional do Rádio: Veja as Músicas Mais Tocadas no País nos Últimos 10 Anos . National Radio Day: Check Out the Country's Most Played Songs in the Last 10 Years . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230926175700/https://www.otempo.com.br/entretenimento/dia-nacional-do-radio-veja-as-musicas-mais-tocadas-no-pais-nos-ultimos-10-anos-1.3240684 . 26 September 2023 . 26 September 2023 . O Tempo . pt.
  16. Web site: Coldplay: News - Roadie #42 - Blog #143 . 30 January 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120528103327/http://coldplay.com/newsdetail.php?id=781&page=0 . 28 May 2012 . dead .
  17. Web site: Coldplay Team With Hype Williams For 'Paradise' Video. https://web.archive.org/web/20110924091058/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1671110/coldplay-hype-williams-paradise.jhtml. dead. 24 September 2011. MTV. 21 September 2011. Gil Kaufman . 2011-10-23.
  18. Web site: Coldplay: News - Interview: Director Mat Whitecross on the Paradise video . 2 December 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161228164950/http://www.coldplay.com/newsdetail.php?id=850 . 28 December 2016 . dead .
  19. Web site: Coldplay releases SA video. 19 October 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20140514090631/http://entertainment.iafrica.com/music/news/758532.html. 14 May 2014. dead.
  20. Web site: Slender Fungus . Oracle - Dear Oracle, Today I found this awesome video from the directors of the Strawberry Swing video. They made an alternative music video for Paradise and I LOVED it. So I was wondering, has Coldplay had anything to do with this video?? I have, I think, never seen it anywhere on the website. I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with everyone. Greetings from Holland . Coldplay . 2012-10-09 . 2013-11-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130531182357/http://coldplay.com/oracledetail_pop.php?id=3182&page=0&iframe=true . 31 May 2013 . dead .
  21. Web site: Sunitra Pacheco . Anmoll Malik’s ‘Lamhein’, a beautiful recreation of Coldplay’s ‘Paradise’ . . 12 September 2023 . October 8, 2015.
  22. Web site: 12 March 2024 . Coldplay Rework Paradise for Mammals First Look Extended Trailer . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240312163737/https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/bbcstudios/2024/coldplay-rework-paradise-for-mammals-first-look-extended-trailer . 12 March 2024 . 12 March 2024 . BBC.
  23. June 2012. Billboard Brasil Hot 100 Airplay . . 31 . 977-217605400-2 -->. 84–89 . BPP.
  24. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20111125105025/http://www.nielsenmusiccontrol.com/index_ger . Nielsen Music Control . 25 November 2011 . dead .
  25. Digital Singles Charts - Greece. Billboard.
  26. Web site: Official IFPI Charts — Digital Singles Chart (International) — Εβδομάδα: 24/2024. IFPI Greece. el. 4 July 2024. 19 June 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240619070210/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html.
  27. Web site: Coldplay Chart History. RÚV. 19 June 2017.
  28. Web site: Earone Airplay - Settimana #45 dal 04/11/2011 al 10/11/2011. it. Earone.
  29. Coldplay Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay) . . 24 May 2021.
  30. Coldplay Chart History (Malaysia Songs). Billboard. 28 November 2023.
  31. Web site: RIAS Top Charts Week 5 (26 Jan - 1 Feb 2024). RIAS. 6 February 2024. 6 February 2024. https://archive.today/20240206113709/https://www.rias.org.sg/rias-top-charts/.
  32. Web site: South Korea Gaon International Chart (Week: January 15, 2012 to January 21, 2012) . . 15 December 2012 . 21 December 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121219094524/http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/online/download/list.gaon . 19 December 2012 .
  33. Web site: SloTop50: Slovenian official singles weekly chart. SloTop50. sl. 10 March 2013. 1 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180101082330/http://www.slotop50.si/Glasbene-lestvice/Tedenske-lestvice/?year=2013&week=10. dead.
  34. Web site: Adele's "21" crowned ARIA's highest selling album of 2011 LMFAO takes single honours with "Party Rock Anthem". 1 January 2012.
  35. Web site: JAAROVERZICHTEN 2011 . . nl . 27 December 2011.
  36. Web site: RAPPORTS ANNUELS 2011 . . fr . 27 December 2011.
  37. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts. de. GfK Entertainment. offiziellecharts.de. 6 December 2019.
  38. Web site: MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 2011. Mahasz . hu . 22 February 2012.
  39. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2011. Dutch Top 40. 6 December 2019.
  40. Web site: JAAROVERZICHTEN - SINGLE 2011 . nl . 27 December 2011.
  41. Web site: Top Selling Singles of 2011 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart . Nztop40.co.nz . 31 December 2011 . 13 November 2013.
  42. Web site: TOP 50 CANCIONES ANUAL 2011 . 28 January 2012 . PROMUSICAE . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120808003010/http://www.promusicae.es/files/listasanuales/canciones/Top%2050%20CANCIONES%20ANUAL%202011.pdf . 8 August 2012.
  43. Web site: SCHWEIZER JAHRESHITPARADE 2011. Schweizer Hitparade. 2 January 2012.
  44. Web site: UK Singles Year-End 2011.
  45. Web site: 2012 ARIA SINGLES CHART. 20 October 2018.
  46. Web site: Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 2012. April 3, 2018. Crowley Broadcast Analysis. January 30, 2022.
  47. Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2012. Billboard. 12 August 2019.
  48. Web site: Top de l'année Top Singles 2012. SNEP. fr. 14 October 2020.
  49. Web site: MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 2012. Mahasz . hu . 18 January 2013.
  50. Web site: most played songs of 2012 - By Medis Forest. mako.co.il. 2 January 2013.
  51. Web site: Classifica annuale 2012 (dal 02.01.2012 al 30.12.2012). Italian. FIMI. 10 June 2022.
  52. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2012. Dutch Top 40. 6 December 2019.
  53. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Download 2012. nl. MegaCharts. 18 March 2022.
  54. Web site: Top Selling Singles of 2012; The Official New Zealand Music Chart . Nztop40.co.nz . 2012-12-31 . 2016-09-13.
  55. Web site: Årslista Singlar – År 2012. Sverigetopplistan. sv. 6 December 2019.
  56. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2012 – hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. 6 December 2019.
  57. Web site: Top 100 Singles of 2012 . . 31 December 2012 . 5 January 2013.
  58. Best of 2012 - Hot 100 Songs. Billboard.com. 2012-12-14.
  59. Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2012. Billboard. 16 September 2019.
  60. Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2012. Billboard. 16 September 2019.
  61. Web site: Top de l'année Top Singles 2013. SNEP. fr. 25 November 2020.
  62. Web site: UK - End Of Year Charts: 2013. 3 June 2019.
  63. Web site: 2019 ARIA End of Decade Singles Chart. ARIA. January 2020. 16 January 2020.
  64. Web site: Paradise (2011) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140725150951/http://www.7digital.com/artist/coldplay/release/paradise-2 . 25 July 2014 . 21 July 2014 . 7digital (UK).
  65. Web site: Paradise (2011) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140521034005/http://us.7digital.com/artist/coldplay/release/paradise-2 . 21 May 2014 . 21 July 2014 . 7digital (US).
  66. Web site: Triple A – Available For Airplay . https://web.archive.org/web/20110926080305/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16774 . 26 September 2011 . 21 July 2014 . FMQB.
  67. Web site: Alternative > Future Releases . https://web.archive.org/web/20110926180847/http://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases . 26 September 2011 . 21 July 2014 . All Access Music Group.
  68. Web site: Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110926135021/http://www.allaccess.com/hot-modern-ac/future-releases . 26 September 2011 . 21 July 2014 . All Access Music Group.
  69. Web site: Top 40/M Future Releases . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110927214925/http://www.allaccess.com/top40-mainstream/future-releases . 27 September 2011 . 21 July 2014 . All Access Music Group.