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[Chez Wombat]

2. The Scientist (13/29 votes, 44.83%)
It put up a good fight and narrowly wormed its way into the final, but The Scientist can't quite go all the way to the top. This finished 2nd in the last Coldplay rate, which did surprise me a bit, so we clearly have more fans for this song than I thought here (except Iz clearly x). The Scientist was the second single of A Rush of Blood to the Head with lyrics reflecting an apologetic breakup, with its title and lyrics apparently relating that the protagonist's view that world and economic issues cannot match the feeling of heartbreak. Built around piano, strings and joined by an electric guitar and falsetto vocals joining in at the end, it is a beautifully composed song that, though it was the lowest charting of their three singles from the album in the UK, has gone on to be better remembered than its chart run suggests and has been covered and sampled many times. It is notable also for its video that is shot entirely in reverse taking the form of a reverse narrative, it wasn't the first to do this but remains one of the most notable examples, it won three MTV Music Video awards. A worthy runner up for sure, beautiful song and my favourite slower moment from them and I get chills when that guitar and falsetto come in at the end



1. Fix You (16/29 votes, 55.17%)

Well done guys, the shenanigans, lobbying and group voting worked! As promised, you will find you won't be losing any body parts, your loved ones are safe and sound and my moles are covering all traces of your involvement, have a nice life and remember, no one needs to know about this

oh shit better post a commentary

All jokes aside, I certainly didn't expect this to win at all when I first started running this, a reminder that this finished TWELFTH when I last ran the Coldplay rate (and Yellow eleventh!) thanks to a few 00s so its clearly a bit more marmite on here than I first thought, but it seems its fans are big ones as since narrowly avoiding going out in 5th, its strength grew and grew and it emerges as the winner! Fix You was the second single from X&Y and really captured the albums stadium sound at its finest. Built around an organ accompanying the usual piano and guitar in the slow first half, it bursts into life as the electric guitar enters for the climax. It was written by Martin for his then-wife, Gwyneth Paltrow to comfort her after her father died and was composed on the keyboard that he brought and has said it is one of their most meaningful songs to him, it has since been used in many memorials/sad montages that still persist to this day and it is arguably their most recognisable song, the music video was re-purposed at the time as a tribute to the London Bombings of 2005. It has been used on many other occasions over the years including covers from many different talent show winners, various sad scenes in TV series' and films of the mid-00s, tribute concerts/memorials like that of Steve Jobs and One Love Manchester and even sports events like the Stanley Cup 2014 and the official introductory music for the Montreal Canadiens Hockey team home games. It goes without saying what I think here and it is still possibly my favourite ever song just for how much I come back to it over the years and how it always makes me a little bit emotional. It's just perfectly composed and structured and captures Coldplay at their most anthemic, emotional and heartfelt and is rightfully a classic in the emotional guitar anthem stakes (and one of two Coldplay songs listed in the 1001 songs you must listen to before you die), similar to Snow Patrol's Run in that respect. I can see how some find the lyrics corny, but their relatability I think is a big reason why so many hold it close to their heart. I wish it wasn't used/ruined so much in talent shows by random nobodies, but despite that, its appeal hasn't dampened over the years, I'm so pleased that most of you agree enough to make this win

FINAL RESULTS

1. Fix You (16/29 votes, 55.17%)
2. The Scientist (13/29 votes, 44.83%)
3. Yellow (13/36 votes, 36.11%)
4. Clocks (10/32 votes, 31/25%)
5. Viva la Vida (7/27 votes, 25.93% (12/22 votes in tiebreak))
6. In My Place (12/28 votes, 42.86%)
7. Trouble (12/26 votes, 48%)
8. Paradise (7/23 votes, 30.43%)
9. Speed of Sound (9/34 votes, 26.47%)
10. Talk (11/27 votes, 40.74%)
11. Violet Hill (6/26 votes, 23.08%)
12. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall (6/28 votes, 21.43%)
13. Midnight (7/25 votes, 28%)
14. Adventure of a Lifetime (10/28 votes, 35.71%)
15. Magic (7/29 votes, 24.14%)
16. A Sky Full of Stars (6/24 votes, 25%)
17. Princess of China (8/33 votes, 25.81%)
18. Orphans (9/28 votes, 32.14%)
19. Hymn for the Weekend (10/26 votes, 38.46%)
20. God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (12/38 votes, 32.43%)
21. Charlie Brown (10/34 votes, 10%) (18/28 votes in tiebreak)
22. Christmas Lights (10/34 votes, 10%) (19/28 votes in tiebreak)
23. Up&Up (11/34, 11%)
24. Shiver (7/31, 9.59%) (Less votes in previous rounds)
25. Lost! (7/31, 9.59%)
26. Everglow (13/31, 17.81%)
27. Life in Technicolor II (9/32, 14.06%)
28. Atlas (12/32, 18.75%)
29. Something Just Like This (w/ The Chainsmokers) (9/29, 14.06%)
30. Miracles (Someone Special) (w/ Big Sean) (11/29, 17.19%)

And that's that! Thanks everyone for taking part and making this a great success, I've never ran one of these before and I enjoyed it a lot (the results being very much in my favour helped I guess unlike the last Coldplay rate I ran x) and I loved an excuse to revisit Coldplay's back catalogue. Any other survivor ideas suitable for this forum I or I'm sure the moderators would be interested to hear about them Thanks again!