Congratulations to my very first hall of fame member ever:
Don't Panic - Coldplay
Why?
Parachutes, Coldplay's first full-length album, came out in 2000 with Don't Panic as its opening track. It was the first song I ever heard from Coldplay, a band that still releases great music that I enjoy today. It was also my introduction to the genre, that sort of alternative soft rock, or whatever you want to call it, that many bands at the time fell into. This led me to many other songs and artists that ultimately became the core of my musical interest in the decade to follow.
More than that though... I was seven years old when Don't Panic came out. What were you listening to at seven? I had a lot of children's songs, of course. Church songs, nursery rhymes, Disney, country hits from my mom, whatever was on the radio ... nothing too spectacular that I can remember. Music was something fun, something to sing or dance along with. As I grew older, the songs my dad, a music addict himself, would find became my pathway to my own taste in more mature music.
When Parachutes came out, my dad would play it in his office a lot. I remember him playing Don't Panic more than any other, which probably wasn't what actually happened, but that songs sticks out in my memory because it made me feel differently about music. Don't Panic was the first song that ever made me feel something beyond physical energy, beyond the feel-good vibe of an uplifting melody. It was the first song I had a real passion for. I didn't just enjoy it, it really meant something to me.
And that's why Don't Panic is here.
My iTunes shows Don't Panic as my 10th most-played song, but I've only had iTunes since about 2006. I'm quite certain Don't Panic is the #1 most-played song in my life.
My iTunes shows Don't Panic as my 10th most-played song, but I've only had iTunes since about 2006. I'm quite certain Don't Panic is the #1 most-played song in my life.
It's not a long song, lasting 2:17, which happens to be my lucky number. A nice addition! It's not all that complex either. If there's anything I've learned when it comes to music, however, it's that simplicity is often the way to go. I'm a big fan of lyrics in general so let's take a look...
Bones sinking like stones
All that we fought for
Homes, places we've grown
All of us are done for
And we live in a beautiful world
Yeah we do, yeah we do
We live in a beautiful world.
Here we go,
Here we go...
And we live in a beautiful world,
Yeah we do, yeah we do
We live in a beautiful world.
Oh, all that I know,
There's nothing here to run from
Cause yeah, everybody here's got somebody to lean on
Isn't that sweet? A little 'this world's going south' talk to begin with, but you know what? This world's still a beautiful place. There's no reason to worry, nothing to be afraid of. We each have someone by our side. Ultimately, our thoughts are led back to the song's title: don't panic.
The official music video expands a bit, showing us common society in two forms. First, the individual, represented by the band, in day-to-day life. Second, society at large represented by cars, power lines, skyscrapers, and oil wells. When natural processes threaten the two, the society is wiped away, but the band survives. A nice look at where the strength of humanity truly lies. Terribly animated, but, you know... we get it.
Here's cleaner audio with the album cover
Here's Ellie Goulding's rendition, which is the best cover I've heard.
Don't Panic by Coldplay (2000)
A good start.
