Chris Martin and co. seem to have mastered the art of the generic pop-rock song when they wrote the title track for their last album Viva La Vida. Why else would the British alt-rockers keep finding themselves under scrutiny from other musicians accusing Coldplay of ripping them off? First it was Joe Satriani, claiming the foursome stole the melody for “Viva la Vida” from his song “If I Could Fly”, but now Cat Stevens has joined in on the drama, claiming the band actually ripped off the melody from his song, “Foreigner Suite”.
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Back in February we told you Chris Martin and his Coldplay pals were planning to give fans a ‘thank you’ present for still buying tickets to shows, despite the state of the economy. The blueprints were drawn and the plans are now solidified, as Coldplay confirmed they will be giving away a live album to fans at their upcoming tour dates and as a free download from their website.
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As we reported just about a week ago, Coldplay and producer Brian Eno are at it again; taking some time off to record new material, after the combo’s success on 2008’s Viva La Vida. Front man Chris Martin will not be part of the equation though; at least not for another few weeks.
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40 Year Old Virgin called them gay and the BBC said they induce narcolepsy, but Coldplay’s triumphant “Viva la Vida” is a current testament to their monstrous fame. From the insistent string section that opens the track to the anthemic “wo-ho-ah-ho!” harmonies that end it, “Viva la Vida” refuses to let go of our attention for even a second. Chris Martin sings loud and firm, better than ever before, telling a story of royalty that might well be his own: “I used to rule the world,” but like all royalty, his Kingdom fell. Not about rebuilding it, the song is about moving away from it. Say what you will about Coldplay or their perpetual mediocre albums, but to deny this song’s prowess is to deny deserving music based on foolish preconceived notions of what is cool, and what isn’t. Oh, and they didn’t steal it from Joe Satriani.
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