Those who are dead, are not dead
They're just living in my head
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well
Oh,
Time is so short and I'm sure
There must be something more
Those who are dead, are not dead
They're just living in my head, oh
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well, oh
Time is so short and I'm sure
There must be something more.
More...
You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you oh, oh,
Oh, oh,
Those who are dead are not dead
They're just living in my head
Oh
They're just living in my head
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well
Oh,
There must be something more
They're just living in my head, oh
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well, oh
There must be something more.
More...
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you oh, oh,
They're just living in my head
Oh
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To me this song is about falling into depression due to some sort of disappointment or loss in life.
"Those who are dead, are not dead. They're just living in my head." "The dead" is meant to symbolize lost memories, hopes, loved ones, etc. Even though they seem dead they're still alive inside his mind because he can't let them go.
"Since I fell for that spell I am living there as well." To me the spell= depression or whatever led to the depression. It's causing him to live in his head because he doesn't want to face reality.
"Time is so short and I'm sure there must be something more." He knows there's more to life than what he's lost, but he just can't seem to find it.
"You thought you might be a ghost. You didn't get to heaven but you made it close." The music starts to sounds upbeat and the narration POV seems to change from him talking to someone else to either someone talking to him or him talking to himself. I think this new voice is supposed to be positive.
"You thought you might be a ghost." He felt dead inside and started to forget he was even actually alive.
"You didn't get to heaven but you made it close." He didn't quite get where he wanted in life, but he did at least make it close and had the chance to feel happiness because of that which is something to be thankful for.
Great interpretation i think it really conveyed the message Chris was trying to get through the listeners but I still baffle into what 42 means. if you any idea that would be great! Thank you!
Great interpretation i think it really conveyed the message Chris was trying to get through the listeners but I still baffle into what 42 means. if you any idea that would be great! Thank you!
@neverpanic @castlearro The title "42" is a reference to The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy in which a super advanced computer, known as "Deep Thoughts" created by a group of technologically advanced aliens known as the Magratheans was created to find the answer to the ultimate question which is "what is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?". Deep Thoughts then stated that to find such an answer would take 7½ million years
@neverpanic @castlearro The title "42" is a reference to The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy in which a super advanced computer, known as "Deep Thoughts" created by a group of technologically advanced aliens known as the Magratheans was created to find the answer to the ultimate question which is "what is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?". Deep Thoughts then stated that to find such an answer would take 7½ million years
Bearing in mind that The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is a comedic Sci Fi story which loves to joke about philosophy,...
Bearing in mind that The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is a comedic Sci Fi story which loves to joke about philosophy, the end result was naturally somewhat disappointing in a hilariously typical way....Deep Thoughts completed it's calculations and concluded that the answer to life, the universe, and everything is.....42.
Now, anyone who is a fan of Douglas Adams' work will know that things get even more ridiculous later on in the sequel stories but his writing has lead to a lot of people stating that the meaning of life is 42, and given the subject matter of this song I'm willing to bet that this is what Coldplay are referencing.
Coldplay is all about the music in this one... How it starts off so serenely and then just surprises you... Ah, it's f**king incredible.
What does 42 mean? from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything?
its cos the album is approx 42 minutes long there were 42 songs discarded from the X&Y sessions and cos of hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.
its cos the album is approx 42 minutes long there were 42 songs discarded from the X&Y sessions and cos of hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.
The guy in this song is trying to figure out the question of life. "Time is so short and I'm sure There must be something more". Or something similar to it. 42 is the best answer anyone can come up with, but almost everyone is sure that there must be something more.
The guy in this song is trying to figure out the question of life. "Time is so short and I'm sure There must be something more". Or something similar to it. 42 is the best answer anyone can come up with, but almost everyone is sure that there must be something more.
@leafvert In Japanese culture, 42 is an unlucky number, because the words for 4 and 2 when pronounced together sound like the Japanese word for death. That is also what the Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy was, I believe.
@leafvert In Japanese culture, 42 is an unlucky number, because the words for 4 and 2 when pronounced together sound like the Japanese word for death. That is also what the Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy was, I believe.
If you add up the value of the letters in the word "Japan" (with a = 1, b = 2, c = 3 ... x = 24, y = 25 x = 26) you get 42.
And in Japanese, "4 (shi) and 2 (ni) are together pronounced like 'going to death'" according to Wikipedia.
Could be completely unrelated, but seems like a fascinating coincidence either way, especially given that Japan is already mentioned on the album...
@aparksmusic I think it's related. The song is about death, so it makes sense that they would sneakily name it death.
@aparksmusic I think it's related. The song is about death, so it makes sense that they would sneakily name it death.
I think the speaker when he says "those who are dead are not dead, they're just living in my head" means people who've died but who he still thinks about. They are all memories. And he is falling for that spell because he isn't living a full life. All he's thinking about is death. Don't understand the ghost part, but maybe this is how he resolves it. He will just be a ghost so he won't have to miss out on anything, but he made it close to heaven because he was good
I love the way the instrumentation helps convey the message of the song. That disjointed riff on a guitar that sounds thin, wispy, almost a little bit broken, but man is it trying. Gradually getting lifted up by all the other parts until the song switches to its relative major -- so it's not really a full switch to a major key but it "made it close". And then the ending which falls back into the depression or the intrusive thoughts or however you interpret it, but by returning to the beginning it carries the implication that even though he didn't quite manage to lift himself out of this, it was worth the effort and he's going to try again.
And the title which might imply that all these attempts to find meaning in life are the meaning of life.
[Edit: edited for clarity]
Just a personal application probably, but I see the song beginning in Hell narrated by the devil who "fell for the spell" of sin. Then it moves to purgatory with the chord progression and tempo change, a place that's not heaven but where the potential to rise there is possible. Finally Chris speaks for God repeating the same line from the beginning but with a hopeful sounding end falsetto, as if he is speaking for Heaven, a mystery. 42 is the number of the meaning of life, meaning this song might have religious undertones. Completely out of left field, but precisely what I see.
Are you in seminary? Do you think he they might have just wrote the song withoug any religous undertones? He's a songwriter/singer. He doesn't speak for "God". Give me a break!
Are you in seminary? Do you think he they might have just wrote the song withoug any religous undertones? He's a songwriter/singer. He doesn't speak for "God". Give me a break!
That's an interesting way of looking at it....but I wouldn't see the Devil and God saying the same thing... Plus, they wouldn't be living in their 'heads' right?
That's an interesting way of looking at it....but I wouldn't see the Devil and God saying the same thing... Plus, they wouldn't be living in their 'heads' right?
Neovincci, I think you are actually pretty "dead on" in terms of Martin's thinking. He was a theology major at my alma matter UCL so it's HIGHLY probable that the premise of this song is derived from Martin's examination of religious works. bravo:)
Neovincci, I think you are actually pretty "dead on" in terms of Martin's thinking. He was a theology major at my alma matter UCL so it's HIGHLY probable that the premise of this song is derived from Martin's examination of religious works. bravo:)
Sorry I think he was in classical greek and latin studies - all largely influenced by religious texts though...
Sorry I think he was in classical greek and latin studies - all largely influenced by religious texts though...
I personally didn't think Coldplay could surprise me any more on this album after i heard Viva La Vida. This album is sooooo good! This song is just one of the high points on what is a fantastic album.
42 is the answer to life, the universe, and everything (according to Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy) , so that must make this song.......?
The title "42" has to be a backward reference to the title "Don't Panic". I think the tone is mocking - questioning both those who are certain of heaven after death, and also those who are certain that this life is all there is. But what an amazing song! Beautifully written, structured, arranged and presented. The best.