#MusicMondays: Up&Up by Coldplay

This week’s song encourages personal growth and rebuilding. Up&Up by Coldplay discusses progressing through life’s challenges and picking yourself back up when you’ve been faced with a hardship. Most importantly, the song reminds listeners to keep going and to always look up.

“This is kind of the song we’ve been waiting to write for 15 years.” – Vocalist, rhythm guitarist and pianist Chris Martin

A Song About Personal Growth

About the Song

“Up&Up” was released in 2015 by Coldplay as part of their A Head Full of Dreams album and the song was used to close each of the performances on the tour (and the Super Bowl 50 half-time show!). In addition to the band, Beyoncé, Annabelle Wallis, and Merry Clayton provided background vocals for the song. Not only was the music video, directed by filmmakers Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia, nominated for a Grammy in 2016, but also won Best Visual Effects at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards.

The song embraces that things are going to happen in life. Still, through all the ups and downs, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. It reminds listeners that if something isn’t working for you in life to change it. We all experience “damages” that may impede our journey but Coldplay strives to remind us to fix those “damages” so we can continue on. Accept the challenges that life throws at you and build something great out of it.

See a pearl form, a diamond in the rough
See a bird soaring high above the flood
It’s in your blood, it’s in your blood

About the Band

Coldplay consists of members Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion. The band also considers the creative director and former manager Phil Harvey as a member. They met at University College London in the dormitories in 1996 and began to play music together under a variety of names before they settled on Coldplay. Since then they have gone on to release 8 studio albums and over 160 songs. Many of Coldplay’s songs talk about heartbreak, insecurity, and love and they have a large focus on global and environmental issues.

Over the years Coldplay has been nominated for almost 600 awards and won 214. A Head Full of Dreams Tour was Coldplay’s last tour to date and although they continue to make music, it was said to be their last live tour until music tours are more environmentally friendly. Fans are hopeful someday they will return to live tours. They have also confirmed a new album for 2021, so be on the lookout!

Lyrics