In My Place

Infobox Single
Name = In My Place


Artist = Coldplay
from Album = A Rush of Blood to the Head
B-side = "One I Love"
"I Bloom Blaum"
Released = August 5, 2002 August 27, 2002 (U.S.)
Format = 12", CD, cassette
Recorded =
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 3:48
Label = Parlophone (UK)
Writer = Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin
Producer = Ken Nelson, Coldplay
Last single = "Don't Panic" (2001)
This single = "In My Place" (2002)
Next single = "The Scientist" (2002)
Misc =

"In My Place" is a song by English alternative rock band Coldplay. The song was written collaboratively by all the band members for their second album, "A Rush of Blood to the Head". The track is built around thumping drums, chiming guitars and a chorus. It was released in August 5, 2002 as the lead single from "A Rush of Blood to the Head" and has reached number two in the UK Singles Charts. The song reached number seventeen on "Billboard's" Modern Rock Tracks.

"In My Place" was well-received by critics. The song was complimented for its music and profound lyrics. "In My Place" won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 45th Grammy Awards. The music video was nominated for two MuchMusic Video Awards in 2003 in the categories of Best international video–group and People's Choice: Favorite international group.

Background

In an interview with "Q" magazine, Coldplay vocalist Chris Martin stated that "In My Place" was a song they had left after recording the band's debut album, "Parachutes".cite web|url=http://www.easytoplease.net/interviews.php?page=qaugust|title=Coldplay Interview|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=August 2002|work=Q (Internet Archive)] [cite web|first=James|last=Oldham|url=http://www.easytoplease.net/interviews.php?page=nz|title=Coldplay Yellow Fever|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=July 2002|work=Auckland, New Zealand (Internet Archive)] When the band finished recording their second album, "A Rush of Blood to the Head", Martin said that the album was complete. However guitarist Jonny Buckland played the song on his guitar, Martin said that now they needed to record and include the track in the album. Martin also revealed that: "That's about where you're put in the world, and how you're given your position, and the way you look, and how you have to get on with it." [cite web|url=http://www.coldplay.com/content/ezine/documents/ezine6.pdf|title=Coldplay Ezine: Issue 6|accessdate=2008-08-31|publisher=Coldplay.com|format=PDF]

In an interview, Buckland revealed that the song was hard to record, as the band had played the song live. He also commented that when they started recording the song, they did not know how the song should sound, per the band's contrasting ideas.

Music and lyrics

listen|filename=Coldplay - In My Place.ogg|title="In My Place" excerpt
description="In My Place" builds around a three-note guitar lines and thumping drums|format=OggThe song opens with a single crash cymbal followed by two bars of 4/4 drumming, then a plaintive three-note guitar line rings through a strummy rhythm, and Martin's vocals.cite news|first=Jon|last=Wiederhorn|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1456991/20020812/coldplay.jhtml?headlines=true|title=Single Saves Coldplay|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2002-08-12|work=MTV News|publisher="mtv.com"] Its instrumentation is varied with the sound of thumping drums, chiming guitars, a singalong chorus, and a string arrangement. [cite web|first=David|last=Cheal|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/10/12/nosplit/bmplay12.xml|title=Perfect Playlist: Coldplay|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2006-10-12|work=The Daily Telegraph|publisher="telegraph.co.uk"|format=Web] The song also features a guitar lick swirl. [cite web|first=Paul|last=McNamee|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/coldplay/6591|title=Coldplay - In My Place|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2002-07-30|publisher="nme.com"|work=NME|format=Web] [cite web|first=Adrian|last=Denning|url=http://www.adriandenning.co.uk/coldplay.html|title=Coldplay album reviews|accessdate=2008-09-01|publisher=Adrian Denning.com]

The three lines of the third verse allude to a man's love of a woman, who does not reciprocate his love.cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=3039|title=In My Place by Coldplay|accessdate=2008-09-02|publisher=Song Facts] He is telling he will always wait for her, but he does not think that she should stay where she is any longer. The lyrics emphasize: "But I wait for you/if you go, if you go/leaving me here on my own/well I wait for you." [cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/lyrics/coldplay/in_my_place/2650932/lyrics.jhtml|title=In My Place Lyrics|accessdate=2008-09-02|work=MTV Lyrics|publisher="mtv.com"|format=Web] The song's lyrics also include references to a desire for weary optimism. [cite web|first=Neil|last=McCormick|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2002/08/01/bmneil01.xml|title=Why I'm suddenly warming to Coldplay|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2002-08-01|publisher="telegraph.co.uk"|format=Web|work=The Daily Telegraph]

Release

Coldplay released "In My Place" in the US and UK on August 5, 2002 as the album's lead single. [cite web|url=http://www.coldplay.com/ezine/ezine3.pdf|title=Coldplay Ezine: Issue 3|accessdate=2008-09-02|publisher=Coldplay.com|format=PDF] The single was pressed with two B-side's: "The One I Love" and "I Bloom Blaum". [cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1477848/20030903/coldplay.jhtml|title=Coldplay To Release Live DVD, CD|last=Wiederhorn|first=Jon|date=2003-09-03|publisher="mtv.com"|format=Web|work=MTV News|accessdate=2008-09-03] [cite web|url=http://ca.music.yahoo.com/release/7336751|title=In My Place (B-Sides) by Coldplay|accessdate=2008-09-02|work=Yahoo! Music] The single cover features guitarist Jonny Buckland, art directed by Sølve Sundsbø. [cite web|url=http://www.coldplay.com/ezine/ezine5.pdf|title=Coldplay Ezine: Issue 5|accessdate=2008-09-02|publisher=Coldplay.com|format=PDF]

"In My Place" peaked at number two in UK Singles Charts on August 17, 2002,cite web|first=Paul|last=Sexton|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003819674|title=Coldplay Dominates U.K. Album, Singles Charts|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2008-06-23|work=Billboard|publisher="billboard.com"] kept off the top by "Colourblind" by Darius Danesh. [cite web|url=http://popdirt.com/darius-danesh-remains-atop-uk-singles-chart/6601/|title=Darius Danesh Remains Atop UK Singles Chart|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2002-08-12|publisher=Pop Dirt] It stayed at number two until November 23, 2002. [cite web|first=Alan|last=Jones|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25850438_ITM|title=The official UK singles chart top 75.|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2002-08-17|publisher=Music Week (Internet Archive)] The song reached number eighteen on "Billboard's" Hot Modern Rock Tracks in 2002. [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=401639&model.vnuAlbumId=754845|title= Artist Chart History - Coldplay|accessdate=2008-09-02|work=Billboard|publisher="billboard.com"] The band were yet to have a number one single. In 2005, "Speed of Sound", the lead single of the band's third album, "X&Y", also reached number two, but never the number one position.cite web|url=http://new.uk.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chartwatch/262/week-ending-june-28th-2008/|title=Week Ending June 28, 2008|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2008-06-28|work=Yahoo! Music Blogs|format=Web] "Speed of Sound" was marked as Coldplay's most successful single until "Viva la Vida", reached number one in 2008. [cite web|first=Keith|last=Caulfield|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003817876|title=Coldplay Headed To No. 1 On Billboard 200, Hot 100|accessdate=2008-08-29|date=2008-06-18|work=Billboard|publisher="billboard.com"]

Reception

Critics were positive towards the song. In the "Entertainment Weekly" review of the album, critic David Browne wrote: "Songs like 'In My Place' and 'Warning Sign' marry lyrics imbued with deep regret and mistakes ("...You were an island / And I passed you by" in the touching latter song) with lyrical melodies and guitar hooks that twinkle and sparkle." [cite web|first=David|last=Browne|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,345715,00.html|title=A Rush of Blood to the Head - Music Review|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2002-09-02|work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher="ew.com"] Adrien Begrand of PopMatters wrote: "When the shimmering, pretty lead-off single 'In My Place' represents the album’s weakest moment, you know you’ve got something extraordinary. Currently storming the charts a la 'Yellow', 'In My Place' is another surprisingly simple song, carried by Jon Buckland’s chiming guitar and Chris Martin’s heartfelt vocals. It really shouldn’t amount to much, but Coldplay make it work very well. When Martin sings, "Please, please, please/Come back and sing to me," he totally sells it, and you buy it. And why not? The song’s lovely. [cite web|first=Adrien|last=Begrand|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/15195/coldplay-rush/|title=Coldplay: A Rush of Blood to the Head|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2002-09-06|publisher=PopMatters] Amy M. Bruce of "The Towerlight" wrote: "With a slew of introspective rock songs like 'In My Place' and 'God Put a Smile Upon Your Face,' this album is worthy of the hype surrounding the band's first album." [cite web|first=Amy M.|last=Bruce|url=http://media.www.thetowerlight.com/media/storage/paper957/news/2002/09/02/Artsmusic/Coldplay.Is.Not.yellow.Anymore-2197731.shtml|title=Coldplay is not "Yellow" anymore|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2002-09-02|work=The Towerlight] Jules Willis of the BBC wrote: "The second track, the first written post-Parachutes and sounding like a refugee from that album, is the grower 'In My Place'. It's a fantastic pop tune that justifies Coldplay's status as one of UK's most exciting bands." [cite web|first=Jules|last=Willis|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/zhf9/|title=Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2002-11-20|work=BBC Music|publisher=BBC]

"In My Place" won a Grammy Award in the category of Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 2003 Grammy Awards. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2793065.stm|title=The 2003 Grammys: Main winners|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2003-02-23|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC] [cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/24/grammy.list.ap/index.html|title=Complete list of Grammy winners|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2003-02-24|publisher="cnn.com"|work=Associated Press] The song was nominated for two MuchMusic Video Awards for Best international video–group and People's Choice: Favorite international group. [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1898838|title=2003 MuchMusic Video Awards Nominees|accessdate=2008-09-02|date=2003-05-30|work=Billboard|publisher="billboard.com"]

The song appeared in the 2006 episode "" on CBS' television series "Cold Case".cite episode |title=Saving Jimmy |episodelink= |series=Cold Case |serieslink= |credits=Tyler Bensinger and Paris Barclay |network=CBS |station= |airdate=2006-10-22 |season=4 |seriesno= |number=74 |minutes=45 ] The song was used as a closing montage song about a case from 2003. The track appeared again on an episode of the television series "Fastlane". [cite episode |title=Girls Own Juice |episodelink= |series=Fastlane |serieslink= |credits=Kim Newton and Paris Barclay |network=Fox |station= |airdate=2002-09-25 |season=1 |seriesno= |number=2 |minutes=60 ]

Music video

The music video for "In My Place" was directed by Sophie Muller and it debuted on June 17, 2002 on AOL. [cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5933383/coldplay_give_blood|title=Coldplay Give "Blood"|accessdate=2008-09-04|date=2002-06-14|work=Rolling Stone|publisher="rollingstone.com"] It features a by-the-numbers band performance, in which the band is playing in a huge, nearly empty room. The two women in the background were members of the video crew: a makeup artist/wardrobe assistant and the video commissioner. The video starts off with band playing, while they play, Chris Martin who is sitting in a corner, gets up and joins them in the song. During the video, Martin sings directly to the camera. During the guitar solo, Martin runs up two women in the background, chats with them a little, then returns back to sing the rest of the song. The video ends with the band finish the song.

Track listing

#"In My Place" – 3:48
#"One I Love" – 4:35
#"I Bloom Blaum" – 2:11All versions of the official single included the B-side, "One I Love".cite web|url=http://www.coldplay.com/ezine/ezine4.pdf|title=Coldplay Ezine: Issue 4|accessdate=2008-08-31|publisher=Coldplay.com|format=PDF] This track was regularly performed on the subsequent "A Rush of Blood to the Head Tour" and is on the "Live 2003" DVD. [cite video|year=2003|title=Live 2003|medium=DVD|publisher=Capitol Records and Parlophone]

Notes

References

*Roach, Martin (2003). "Coldplay: Nobody Said It Was Easy". Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9810-8.

External links

* [http://www.coldplay.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.wikicoldplay.com Coldplay Wiki]
* [http://www.lyricsoncall.com/lyrics/coldplay/in-my-place-lyrics.html "In My Place" lyrics]