Coldplay’s “Fix You” Lyrics Meaning
On “Fix You”, Chris Martin is clearly singing to a depressed addressee. It has been put forth that the inspiration behind the tune would have likely been the passing of Bruce Paltrow (1943-2002), Gwyneth Paltrow’s dad, with Martin actually having been married to the Hollywood actress at the time “Fix You” came out.
And the first verse does deal with the concept of losing a loved one, in addition to dealing with the notion of falling short despite trying your best. Meanwhile the second verse is basically about being caught in a toxic relationship yet not possessing the wherewithal to “let it go”. But fundamentally, regardless of what harrowing or discouraging situation the addressee may be going through, the purpose of this track is to serve as encouragement to get through hard times.
The singer acknowledges that people make mistakes in life, but these are instances that can also serve as valuable lessons. And judging by the metaphorical language used during the first part of the chorus, it can also be deemed that he feels fate – for lack of a better word – favors the healing of old emotional wounds. And along those same lines, he is also stating his dedication to “try to fix” the addressee. In other words he has also pledged to do what he can to help him or her get through a troubling period in their life.
Music Video
The official visual to this track, which was directed by veteran music video filmographer Sophie Muller, was filmed partially in London. A significant percentage of the scenes took place at the Reebok Stadium, which can also be found in England. In fact the live performances featured therein are the first Coldplay ever played in front of an entire stadium.
Writing and Production of “Fix You”
This song was written by Coldplay’s own J. Buckland, G. Berryman, C. Martin and W. Champion.
The entire band are also collectively credited as the producers of the tune, having officially put together the track in conjunction with Ken Nelson and Danton Supple.
According to Martin, this song was influenced by a track an English band called Elbow dropped in 2003 entitled “Grace Under Pressure“. And according to Berryman, another inspiration was the 1969 Jimmy Cliff classic “Many Rivers to Cross“.
Release Date of “Fix You”
“Fix You” can be found on Coldplay’s third album, which is entitled “X&Y”. The track was officially released by Capitol Records on 6 June 2005, serving as the second single from the aforementioned project. The hit song “Speed of Sound” was the album’s first single.
A Humanitarian Song?
“Fix You” went on to be considered somewhat of a humanitarian tune. For instance, even though the abovementioned video was filmed prior to a series of deadly bombings which rocked London on 7 July 2005, the clip has still gone on viewed as a tribute to the victims of those acts of terrorism. Also upon releasing this track on iTunes, Coldplay donated “100% of the proceeds” to a couple of prominent NGOs that were providing relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, which also occurred in 2005 though in the United States.
Notable Usage of “Fix You”
This classic has also retained a strong presence in pop media, being utilized by a few television shows and movies. It has also proven popular in the NHL, where a number of teams have made use of the tune.
On the Charts
And chart-wise, this song was a notable hit, charting in over 15 nations overall. Its most impressive showing was perhaps on the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at number four. Additionally it has been certified Platinum or better in a handful of countries, including going double-Platinum in Italy and the United States.
Additionally in 2013, a cover of “Fix You” was a Christmas number one on the UK Singles Chart serving as one half of a mashup song, “A Bridge Over You”, in conjunction with a 1970 Simon & Garfunkel track entitled “Bridge Over Troubled Water“.
Keyboard on which “Fix You” is played
The keyboard which Chris Martin plays in this song is actually owned by Gwyneth Paltrow. And it was gifted to her by her late dad, Bruce Paltrow, shortly before his passing.
The death of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Father
On October 3, 2002, it was announced that Bruce had passed away after a long battle with throat cancer. The sad story occurred in Rome when he visited his daughter, Gwyneth, to celebrate her 30th birthday. Further checks also proved that, his death was due to complications he had from the cancer together with pneumonia.
After being told of her father’s sickness in 1998, Gwyneth disclosed that she was very much affected. In an interview, she described her father’s fight with the sickness as heartbreaking. She shared lots of moments with her dad and took her some time to get the memories out of her mind. It was also reported that she became depressed after hearing the news of her father’s death. For years, the actress had in her possession her dad’s wedding ring, which according to her, kept her safe. She also disclosed that losing her dad inspired her to start her lifestyle and fitness company known as Goop.
Blythe Danner, wife of Bruce, collaborated with The Oral Cancer Foundation to start a fundraising campaign in his honor, five years after his death. Part of the album titled “X&Y” which was released by the band known as Coldplay was dedicated to Bruce.
Family of Bruce
Bruce was born to Arnold and Dorothy Paltrow. In 1969, he married television actress, Danner. Aside from Gwyneth, he fathered another child called Jake Paltrow, who is also a filmmaker. His cousin was Spencer J. Giffords, the father of American politician, Gabrielle Giffords.
