Single Review: Coldplay – ‘Hymn For The Weekend’
1 min read
Hymn For The Weekend doesn’t feel like a typical Coldplay track. The tempo is a little too upbeat, the lyrics focused on feeling “drunk and high/so high”, the verse packed with handclaps and brass sections. But somehow frontman Christ Martin manages to deliver a fresh, funky little tune which is sure to get toes tapping.
The song’s origin is by now rather infamous: in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Martin stated that he “was listening to Flo Rida or something, and I thought, it’s such a shame that Coldplay could never have one of those late-night club songs.” However, that’s exactly what the band delivers, with a song that’s somehow both dreamy and yet uncharacteristically jazzy.
Martin has traded in his signature falsetto in favour of a huskier range and a beautifully understated duet with featured artist Beyonce, who here acts as little more than a backup singer. Her dreamlike, indistinct a cappella harmonies over the track’s introduction may be the best part of the entire song. Top the whole thing off with tinkling percussion and an extremely catchy chorus, and Coldplay’s first “late-night club song” is a surprising success.
