Midnight

This seems to be one of Coldplay's most enigmatic songs. The tone is generally positive, but the unusual vocals (use of vocoder) and the video, have darker and negative shades. The first few lines talk about not letting a hope die. As they say, the night is the darkest just before the dawn; in the case of the song, it implies that just before things get better, they hit their worst. There's an impending storm and one is on the verge of giving up everything. But then the line "Leave a light on" suggests to hang on a little longer, until the dawn breaks, and things get better. It's atypical of Coldplay to make a song like this one, but I can imagine entering a trance-like state if I listened to this song over and over again while lying in a dark room.

Fantastic song!, when i first heard it i didn't like it however it really grew on me when you listen to the rest of the album

It sounds like someone in a mental breakdown sort of in a constant state of falling, that no matter what you do, where you there are storms of darkness just swirling all around you

You feel like no matter what you do there is no hope

So you cry out "leave a light on, leave a light on" almost pleading hoping that amidst the darkness you can work your way out and get through this darkness and depression

The way the song is structured with minimal instruments and layered vocoder vocals you get this sense of vulnerability it's a hauntingly beautiful track

And this one goes after "Ink" and "True love". If we follow the story, in this song she's left him already and he's struggling with the situation. "When I'm rolling with the punches and hope is gone. Leave a light, a light on"

It's the least vulnerable song from Coldplay technically... but not lyrically.

Mans vulnerability can be silenced by the distortion of distraction.

Cries of desperation stifled by technology and ambiance of information.

It is a desperate song riddled with fear and anxiety.

The tapestry of the song distorts the message to something mysterious and cautious but defrays the true desperation of the song by synthesis and distortion of human voice.

Read the words.

They are afraid and hope that fear is heard despite all the distortion-

Despite the illusion... Most of men have a mechanical bent... A deeply private and ineffectual preponderance with inadequacy...

An understanding and cognizant better half who waits with a light on calms us beyond their and our comprehension.

TRIPPY

The lyrics reminded me to an historical fact. In ancient times (about the Egyptians and Mesopotamians), there was a tradition in which when a family member was going to hunt or to a long travel, they lit a candle until his return "to light them the way back".

According to this, I think that the song is referring to a close someone that has been emotionally hurt or that is lost, and you are lighting them their way back to the people that care about them, even after all the things he or her had done.

The posted lyrics above are so horribly wrong it's funny. Here are the CORRECT lyrics:

In the darkness before the dawn In the swirling of the storm When I'm rolling with the punches and hope is gone Leave a light a light on

Millions of miles from home In the swirling swimming on When I'm rolling with the thunder But bleed from thorns Leave a light a light on Leave a light a light on

In the darkness before the dawn In the darkness before the dawn Leave a light a light on Leave a light a light on

I'm pretty sure this song is about his coming divorce and maybe his attempts or desire to work it out. Just generally the ups and downs of a marriage and one that is coming to an end.

I think what he's saying is as much as everyone or a particular person feels he's "immortal" or "Godly" (when I'm rolling with the thunder)- he is in fact human and can in fact get hurt, like Jesus (but bleed from thorns). So whenever the time finally comes that it's getting bad don't take it for granted.. Leave a light on for him.

I've placed a bunch of replies to previous comments because the insistence that this is song is an absolute, undeniable reference to Jeebus is total hooey. C'mon... not EVERYTHING relates back to your crutch... er, religion.

How about this: The world can be dark, and storms of all types can rage about us all the time. And it's easier to find your way in the dark and back home when there a light to guide you. Fine... the "light" could be interpreted as God, or Jesus... but why - WHY - would that light ever shut off?

Perhaps the song is just a request to someone you love who loves you back. Leave a light on for me... i.e. let me know you've got my back.