Coldplay’s “Yellow” is a debut masterpiece, tugging at its listeners heartstrings with it’s uniquely tuned acoustics and Chris Martin’s heartfelt symphonic voice. The rock ballad has been widely interpreted in many ways, the songs lyrics “they were all yellow”  bringing up a book of speculations on the meaning.

Ironically, Chris Martin, singer and songwriter of Coldplay stated that he hadn’t intended a meaning during the spontaneous creation of the hit song. After observing the night sky with his band at a studio in Wales, the tune for “Yellow” emerged from his guitar along with the opening lyrics. Excitedly Chris played the opening bit to his bandmembers, when the lyrics “and they were all yellow” came about. Chris admits that he didn’t know exactly what it meant, but he states that it was “a feeling more than a meaning.”

Despite the lack of a definite meaning, fans interpret the feeling of this captivating melody in distinct ways. A popular theory speculates the song is about self-image and depression, expressing someone’s attempt to bring happiness to another’s lack of “yellow”, a color which typically signifies cheerful things. Similarly, others theorize that song is describing unconditional love, quoting the song’s heart wrenching line “For you I’d bleed myself dry.” Along with these speculations, the song’s use of “Yellow” gives way to interpretations regarding effects of disease as it describes “Your skin, your skin and bones,” referring to the discoloration of illness. 

While the song initially had no specific meaning, it is because of this that it should be regarded as a masterpiece. Art, whether it be a painting or a lyric, is a message only read by the eye of the beholder, and by no doubt Coldplay’s “Yellow” makes the cut.