Coldplay is about to take over 2021 and the first signs of what’s to come were showcased through their brand new single “Higher Power.” The song tackles the themes of love and faith of the singer.
Coldplay teased the song first on TikTok with a 26-second clip. The song was officially released on May 7, 2021, as the first single off their 2021 album yet to be titled. This is their major project since Coldplay’s eighth studio album ‘Everyday Life’ released in November 2019.
In conjunction with the release of the upcoming album, Coldplay even crafted a new alien language called Kaotican, complete with an alphabet. They also premiered a brand new website Alien Radio FM which features this new language and links to a set of social media profiles created for Alien Radio FM. In the few weeks leading up to the release of the song, this mysterious alphabet appeared in several public locations as shown on their Instagram page.
Watch “Higher Power” Music Video by Coldplay
“Higher Power” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
Verse 1
In the first verse of the song, Chris Martin sings how things don’t always go his way. These times crash on him hard, and like everyone else, he, too, feels the pressures of everyday life. If you have your shoes untied, the chances of you tripping over are extremely high. In the context of the song, it suggests that things are not always smooth.
Sometimes life can feel like a drag–especially in these pandemic times. Locked inside our homes, unable to meet our friends and family, and dealing with the feeling of our freedom being stolen. Chris Martin sings how life can feel like a broken record–on repeat and out of tune. He follows this up by singing “I’m like a broken record” backward, just as a broken record would do.
He is waiting for a call…
Pre-chorus
From the heavens above. The message he wants to hear is an encouragement to hold on. Never give up even if the whole world seems to be against you and when the odds seem to be against you. The next hour, day, or week could change things for the better.
The song obviously carries ‘holy’ sentiment throughout. However, it is also interesting that they entangled the theme of the album with alien beings.
Chorus
In the chorus of the song, the themes of spirituality and love start to blur. The singer talks about how this person has some kind of a higher power that he cannot comprehend. This higher power has him singing and dancing all day. These resemble the actions of a man in love and also the church events where singing and dancing are used as a form of praise.
Chris Martin also sings that he really wants to know this person. This also applies in both situations of a lover talking about their partner and also a devotee talking about their savior.
Watch Coldplay Perform “Higher Power” Live at BRIT Awards 2021
Verse 2
The second verse changes gears lyrically. Chris Martin sings about the energy that he radiates doing what he loves. His joy is electrifying and this is something we have seen emanating from Chris Martin in his live concerts. He is full of energy and full of joy. He alludes his spark partially to this higher power that he so fondly believes in.
Chris Martin also sings that he is fortunate to be alive at the same time as this other person does. While this might seem to be directed at his love interest, we can also argue that religions are also alive of sorts. And most of us consider that God, Jesus, Prophet, and other religious leaders are still around us.
Outro
In the final bit of the song, Coldplay sings how he was saved by a love song when he was down on his knees for so long. This is where messages start intertwining all over. Kneeling down is a common practice in many religions for prayer. So, the lyrics could mean that his prayers were answered in the form of a song and it opened his eyes. Kneeling is also a sign of surrender and Chris Martin does say that this love song ‘saved’ him from being knelt down. It could be that he was following some faith blindly and something opened his eyes to the truth. It could also mean that he was with the wrong person, broken inside for so long until the right person came along and he was saved. As such, these lyrics could be interpreted in many different ways.
Let us know what you think abou this song in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics on Genius.