Paradise (Coldplay song)

Background

In 2010, the producers of ITV reality show The X Factor originally approached Chris Martin to write a winner's song for the seventh series of the show in 2010. "Paradise" was originally conceived by Martin as a response to the show's request, but drummer Will Champion insisted that the song be included on Mylo Xyloto.

Personnel

Critical reception

The song was met with positive reviews from the majority of music critics. Billboard gave a positive review calling the track "another slice of hug-warm ecstasy" and gave praise to the "boiling strings, rattling synthesizers, and bass-heavy-beats" saying "it shows they know how to bring a few new tricks to the table". Both Q and Rolling Stone offered similar praise, and also noted that it was another step in the right direction. Altsounds.com gave a similar review remarking that there are "Drums that you would expect in a Rihanna song and melodies you would expect from a band like Friendly Fires and the "oohs" from 3OH!3 is what you first hear. That is, of course, until Chris Martin's vocals come into play and there is no doubt in your mind that this is Coldplay. A wonderful chorus of "para-para-paradise" reminds you just how good they really are. It will remain with you for weeks to come, like that new piece of clothing you just can't get enough of".

About.com said, in a three-and-a-half star review, that "even when Coldplay sound a bit like they are spinning their wheels musically, it can still have quite beautiful moments." The review called the opening fanfare "simply gorgeous" but felt the rest of the song did not hold up as well as it could have. NME gave a more mixed reaction to the song and felt that "It's hard to say what the band is aiming for with the song. To replicate the epic football stadium 'moment' of 'Yellow'? The energy of a 'Viva La Vida'? If so it doesn't quite work on either count" but continued "if you're going to have a mid-paced Coldplay-by-numbers single-single, you may as well have one as grand and gorgeous as 'Paradise'."

Chart performance

"Paradise" became a top five hit in 16 countries. In the United States it peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Following the release on 12 September 2011, "Paradise" was revealed chart ineligible in the United Kingdom, having been offered as an "instant grat" (immediate download) for anyone who pre-ordered the album, Mylo Xyloto. The release of the album on 24 October 2011 saw "Paradise" debut at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart with sales of 27,277 copies (the track had a total of 118,547 downloads in the six weeks of chart ineligibility). After being made purchasable at 59p (instead of 99p) on the UK's iTunes Store and being played on the X Factor final, "Paradise" regained momentum in the UK and climbed up to number two on 18 December 2011. On 1 January 2012, almost four months after its release, "Paradise" peaked at number one becoming the first number-one single of 2012 in the UK. It is Coldplay's first UK number-one single since "Viva la Vida" (2008). "Paradise" was the biggest-selling rock single of 2011 in the UK, with sales of 410,000 copies. It has sold 954,500 copies in the UK as of February 2016.

Live performances

"Paradise" was first played for a television studio audience on the night of 9 September 2011. It was shot for France 2's Taratata, a Parisian music show. The crowd's response of this first performance was described as "unmistakable" by one of the band's roadies. The song was first played for a big audience at the Austin City Limits Taping event on 15 September 2011 and then on the following day at the Austin City Limits Festival when it was for the first time officially broadcast live.

Coldplay performed the song on the finale of The X Factor, as well as an episode of Saturday Night Live in which the band was the musical guest. On 28 October, Coldplay performed the song before a studio audience on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

"Paradise" became the anthem for the 2012 Summer Paralympics and was played twice during the closing ceremony, the latter performance featuring rapper Jay Z.

Music videos

Coldplay initially announced that the single's music video would be directed by Hype Williams but that version was scrapped after shooting and the band decided instead to record a new version directed by long-time collaborator Mat Whitecross. The band called Whitecross just a day before the shooting and the video's concept was finished just hours before the director traveled from London to South Africa. The band's lead singer Chris Martin created the video's concept storyline, which was ultimately filmed in the style of a nature documentary. The unicycle and elephant suits had to be found in a hurry. The suits had to be as lo-fi and spontaneous as possible. The video was released on 19 October 2011.

In the video, a man dressed as an elephant (played by Chris Martin) escapes from a zoo (which is Paradise Wildlife Park) in London and attempts to hitch-hike his way to another country (doing so finally by stowing away inside a suitcase). An aerial shot reveals that his initial destination was Cape Town, South Africa. He is then seen wandering around Johannesburg, at one point, walking past Nelson Mandela Bridge and a set of railway tracks in Braamfontein. He then earns enough money (which appears to be ZAR 67.05, roughly equivalent to GBP 5.34 or USD 8.40) for a unicycle by busking on the street, and after a seemingly hopeless wander comes across three other elephants (the rest of Coldplay) playing the song in the veld (South African grasslands). The video shifts to the band playing a concert together, before returning to the veld where they run towards the camera.

The music video was shot on location in London, Cape Town, the Klein Karoo in the Western Cape and Johannesburg. The bike shop shown is Woodstock Cycleworks in Woodstock, Cape Town. The concert segment was filmed at the end of a live show at the FNB Stadium in Nasrec, Johannesburg, on 8 October 2011. After performing this song live, the band donned their elephant heads and gloves and pretended to perform as the last minute of the studio recording played. The concertgoers were encouraged to cheer as if they were really performing. While preparing for the shoot, Martin told the waiting crowd, "When you're not as attractive as Beyoncé, you have to do what you can for videos."

Another music video was directed by Shynola who had directed the video for "Strawberry Swing". The video was intended as the first incarnation for the video before the band came up with the elephant concept. The promo pictures the life of a little girl that comes out from jail.

A special video of "Paradise" was created for the 2012 Summer Paralympics and shown between event breaks. This version featured clips of Paralympian Athletes competing in events.

In 2012, the song was played at the Sydney New Year's Eve Embrace Midnight fireworks display, on December 31st.