Recorded 2008 | ||
 | ||
B-side "Life in Technicolor ii" (live @ The O2, London)
"The Goldrush" Released 2 February 2009 (2009-02-02) Format Digital download, CD single, 7" vinyl Genre Alternative rock
baroque pop Length 4:05 (EP version)
3:37 (radio edit) | ||
"Life in Technicolor II" (properly spelled and written as "Life in Technicolor ii"), is a song by British alternative rock band Coldplay and the first single from the band's 2008 EP, Prospekt's March. The song is the full, vocal version of the instrumental song "Life in Technicolor" from Coldplay's fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. A promo CD single for the song was released in December 2008. The official single was released on 2 February 2009 on 7" vinyl and digital download. The single includes the previously unreleased and unheard track "The Goldrush", one of the few Coldplay songs featuring lead vocals by drummer Will Champion. It was nominated for two Grammy Award for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards; "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" and "Best Music Video".
"Life in Technicolor ii" starts with a loop consisting of a santoor accompanied by tabla-like percussion. The loop is then repeated through the verses and part of the chorus. It strongly resembles the intro of the song "Strangelove", by Depeche Mode.
Music video
The music video premiered on 20 January 2009 on 4Music and Channel 4. The video starts out with kids sitting and awaiting a traditional Punch and Judy puppet show and features the band performing as puppets. However, the puppet show becomes increasingly extravagant as the video goes on, eventually featuring pyrotechnics and frontman Chris Martin crowd surfing over the children. Finally the puppet band members board a small helicopter which crashes through a window and flies away. James Clarkson and Coldplay's unofficial fifth member, Phil Harvey, can be seen in the video.
The director of this video is Dougal Wilson. The video was nominated in the Best Art Direction in a Video and Best Visual Effects in a Video categories at the UK Music Video Awards 2009, as well as Best Music Video at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.