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The Scientist (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Scientist" is the second single from British
alternative rock
band Coldplay
's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head
. The song was written collaboratively by all the band members for the album. It is built around a piano
ballad
, with its lyrics telling the story about a man's desire to love and an apology. The song was released in the United Kingdom as the second single from A Rush of Blood to the Head and reached number 10 in the UK Charts
. It was released in the United States as the third single and reached number 18 on Billboard
's Modern Rock Tracks
.
Critics were positive towards "The Scientist" and praised the song's piano ballad and falsetto. Several remixes of the track exist, and its riff has been widely sampled
. The single's music video
won three MTV Music Video Awards, for the video's use of reverse narrative
. The song was also featured on the band's 2003 live album
Live 2003
.
The song was used by the WWE in a video tribute to "Macho Man" Randy Savage
that aired on WWE Raw
and WWE SmackDown a week after his death on May 20, 2011.
wrote "The Scientist" after listening to George Harrison's
"All Things Must Pass
." In an interview with Rolling Stone
, Martin revealed that while working on the band's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head
, he knew that the album was missing something. One night, during a stay in Liverpool
, Martin found an old piano that was out of tune. He wanted to work on Harrison's song, "Isn't It a Pity
", but he could not manage to do so. When the song came to Martin, he asked that the recorder be turned on. He concluded by saying that he came across this chord sequence and noted that the chord was "lovely." Martin recorded the vocals and piano takes in a studio in Liverpool.
When asked about the development of the song, during a track-by-track reveal, Martin said: "That's just about girls. It's weird that whatever else is on your mind, whether it's the downfall of global economics or terrible environmental troubles, the thing that always gets you most is when you fancy someone."
However, the liner notes from A Rush of Blood to the Head stated: "The Scientist is Dan." 'Dan' refers to Dan Keeling, the A&R
man who signed the band to Parlophone
.
-driven ballad
; the song also contains a piano riff
. Chris Martin
opens the song and is joined by the rest of the band after the first chorus
. The song begins with a four-chord piano melody, with Martin singing. The track also includes a string
arrangement. Towards the end of the song, an electric guitar
can be heard. The song follows a repeating Dm7/C, Bb/D, F/C, Fsus2/C chord pattern, briefly featuring the C7 chord prior to the line "I'm going back to the start".
The lyrics to the song allude to a man's powerlessness in the face of love. The song implies that he wants to go "back to the start." The first lines of the first verse emphasize an apology: "Come up to meet you/tell you I'm sorry/you don't know how lovely you are." The song's title also alludes to science in question in verse three: "I was just guessing at numbers and figures/pulling the puzzles apart/questions of science, science and progress/do not speak as loud as my heart."
Coldplay released "The Scientist" in Europe on 4 November 2002 as the album's second single. The single was pressed with two B-sides: "1.36" and "I Ran Away." While preparing for the song as the album's second release, the band's US label felt the song failed to "provide enough of a blood rush for American listeners"; instead, they released "Clocks
" as the second single in the US. The single's cover, created by Sølve Sundsbø, as with the album's and its other singles, features drummer
Will Champion
. The song was released on 15 April 2003 in the US.
"The Scientist" appeared on Australia Singles Chart at number 40 on 1 November 2003. It appeared on Billboard
's Modern Rock Tracks at number 18. The song peaked at number six at Canada Singles Chart. The song peaked at number 10 in UK Top 75
on 17 November 2002.
, in his review of the album, wrote: "The fantastic piano ballad 'The Scientist' ... [has] a cataclysmic falsetto finale that could raise every hair on the back of your neck." Nick Southall of Stylus
magazine wrote: "The piano that chimes through 'The Scientist' is captured perfectly, the warm depression of each individual key caught rather than a shrill ringing as is so often the case." Ian Watson of NME
wrote: "'The Scientist' is a song inexorably linked with the endless night sky and the secret hopes and regrets of a hundred thousand strangers."
In October 2011, NME
placed it at number 37 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".
Live 2003
. The song was covered live by Aimee Mann
and released on a special edition of her album Lost in Space
. Natasha Bedingfield
, Eamon, and Avril Lavigne
covered the song on Jo Whiley
's Live Lounge
radio show. Also, Belinda Carlisle
did a live rendition on the ITV1
reality show Hit Me Baby One More Time
, and Johnette Napolitano
included the song on her album Scarred. The British female quartet All Angels
did a choral arrangement of the song on their album Into Paradise which was released in 2007. The chords to this song are replicated by Sum 41
in their song "Pieces." In addition, the American television show MADtv
did a parody of the video, called "The Narcissist." The track was featured in the 2004 film Wicker Park
. Allison Iraheta
and Kris Allen
performed an acoustic duet of the song at Oprah's "No Phone Zone" rally in Los Angeles, California.
In 2011, Willie Nelson
covered it for a Chipotle Mexican Grill
-sponsored short film titled "Back to the Start", highlighting the problems of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.
for "The Scientist" was notable for its distinctive reverse narrative
, which employed reverse video. The same concept had been previously used for Spike Jonze
's 1996 music video for The Pharcyde's
"Drop
." The reverse video style had first been seen in 1989 for the video for the song "The Second Summer of Love
" by Scottish band Danny Wilson
. In order for Martin to appear to be singing the lyrics in the reversed footage, he had to learn to sing the song backwards, which took him a month. The video was filmed at various locations, including London
and at Bourne Wood
s in Surrey
, before the first leg of the A Rush of Blood to the Head tour. It was directed by Jamie Thraves
. The video premiered on 14 August 2002.
The video opens, looking down on Martin who is singing, as he lies on his back on a mattress. As the camera shot pulls back, the mattress is revealed to be outside. A cyclist cycles past in reverse and Martin leaps up from the mattress. He walks in reverse through a city, out into the suburbs and eventually crossing a railway line and into woods, picking up his suit jacket as he goes. Upon arriving at his car, a black BMW
, he gets in and briefly passes out
. His girlfriend, at first shown lying dead on the ground in front of the car, is shown flying back in through the shattered windscreen of the car. The car rolls back up a hill in the woods and through a broken fence, which mends itself as the car passes back through it. As the video closes, the couple are shown driving back up the road. It is revealed that Martin's girlfriend had removed her seat belt, in order to put her jacket on, just before the car accident, causing her death. Irish
actress Elaine Cassidy
is featured as Martin's girlfriend
In 2003, "The Scientist" won multiple MTV Video Music Awards
for Best Group Video
, Best Direction
, and Breakthrough Video
. It was also nominated at the 2004 Grammy Award
s for Best Short Form Music Video
but lost to Johnny Cash
's video for "Hurt".
The video was taped in London, United Kingdom.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head
A Rush of Blood to the Head
A Rush of Blood to the Head is the second studio album by English rock band Coldplay. Released on 26 August 2002 in the UK through the label Parlophone, the album was produced by the band and British record producer Ken Nelson...
. The song was written collaboratively by all the band members for the album. It is built around a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, with its lyrics telling the story about a man's desire to love and an apology. The song was released in the United Kingdom as the second single from A Rush of Blood to the Head and reached number 10 in the UK Charts
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. It was released in the United States as the third single and reached number 18 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
.
Critics were positive towards "The Scientist" and praised the song's piano ballad and falsetto. Several remixes of the track exist, and its riff has been widely sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
. The single's music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
won three MTV Music Video Awards, for the video's use of reverse narrative
Reverse chronology
Reverse chronology is a method of story-telling whereby the plot is revealed in reverse order.In a story employing this technique, the first scene shown is actually the conclusion to the plot...
. The song was also featured on the band's 2003 live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
Live 2003
Live 2003
Live 2003 is a live album by English alternative rock band Coldplay, first released in November 2003. The set features concerts filmed at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on 21 July 2003 and 22 July 2003....
.
The song was used by the WWE in a video tribute to "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
that aired on WWE Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
and WWE SmackDown a week after his death on May 20, 2011.
Background
Vocalist Chris MartinChris Martin
Christopher Anthony John "Chris" Martin is an English song-writer, who is the lead vocalist, pianist and rhythm guitarist of the band Coldplay. He is married to actress Gwyneth Paltrow.-Early life:...
wrote "The Scientist" after listening to George Harrison's
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
"All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass (song)
"All Things Must Pass" is a song written by George Harrison. It is the title track to his triple album of the same name.During The Beatles' Get Back sessions in January 1969, this was one of many songs the group rehearsed to be part of their new album...
." In an interview with Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Martin revealed that while working on the band's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head
A Rush of Blood to the Head
A Rush of Blood to the Head is the second studio album by English rock band Coldplay. Released on 26 August 2002 in the UK through the label Parlophone, the album was produced by the band and British record producer Ken Nelson...
, he knew that the album was missing something. One night, during a stay in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Martin found an old piano that was out of tune. He wanted to work on Harrison's song, "Isn't It a Pity
Isn't It a Pity
"Isn't It a Pity" is a song by George Harrison from his 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass. It was written in 1966 but was rejected by John Lennon. It was released as the B-side of "My Sweet Lord" in the United States on November 23, 1970....
", but he could not manage to do so. When the song came to Martin, he asked that the recorder be turned on. He concluded by saying that he came across this chord sequence and noted that the chord was "lovely." Martin recorded the vocals and piano takes in a studio in Liverpool.
When asked about the development of the song, during a track-by-track reveal, Martin said: "That's just about girls. It's weird that whatever else is on your mind, whether it's the downfall of global economics or terrible environmental troubles, the thing that always gets you most is when you fancy someone."
However, the liner notes from A Rush of Blood to the Head stated: "The Scientist is Dan." 'Dan' refers to Dan Keeling, the A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
man who signed the band to Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
.
Composition
The song is a pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
-driven ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
; the song also contains a piano riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
. Chris Martin
Chris Martin
Christopher Anthony John "Chris" Martin is an English song-writer, who is the lead vocalist, pianist and rhythm guitarist of the band Coldplay. He is married to actress Gwyneth Paltrow.-Early life:...
opens the song and is joined by the rest of the band after the first chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
. The song begins with a four-chord piano melody, with Martin singing. The track also includes a string
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
arrangement. Towards the end of the song, an electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
can be heard. The song follows a repeating Dm7/C, Bb/D, F/C, Fsus2/C chord pattern, briefly featuring the C7 chord prior to the line "I'm going back to the start".
The lyrics to the song allude to a man's powerlessness in the face of love. The song implies that he wants to go "back to the start." The first lines of the first verse emphasize an apology: "Come up to meet you/tell you I'm sorry/you don't know how lovely you are." The song's title also alludes to science in question in verse three: "I was just guessing at numbers and figures/pulling the puzzles apart/questions of science, science and progress/do not speak as loud as my heart."
Release
Clocks (song)
"Clocks" is a song by English alternative rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. Built around a piano riff, the song features cryptic lyrics of contrast and urgency themes. Several remixes of the track exist and its riff...
" as the second single in the US. The single's cover, created by Sølve Sundsbø, as with the album's and its other singles, features drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Will Champion
Will Champion
William "Will" Champion is an English musician and the drummer of rock band Coldplay.-Early life:William Champion was born in Southampton, Hampshire, England, and was brought up in Highfield, Southampton, where his father, Timothy Champion, is a professor of archaeology...
. The song was released on 15 April 2003 in the US.
"The Scientist" appeared on Australia Singles Chart at number 40 on 1 November 2003. It appeared on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Modern Rock Tracks at number 18. The song peaked at number six at Canada Singles Chart. The song peaked at number 10 in UK Top 75
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
on 17 November 2002.
Reception
Critics were positive towards the song. Rob Sheffield of Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, in his review of the album, wrote: "The fantastic piano ballad 'The Scientist' ... [has] a cataclysmic falsetto finale that could raise every hair on the back of your neck." Nick Southall of Stylus
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
magazine wrote: "The piano that chimes through 'The Scientist' is captured perfectly, the warm depression of each individual key caught rather than a shrill ringing as is so often the case." Ian Watson of NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
wrote: "'The Scientist' is a song inexorably linked with the endless night sky and the secret hopes and regrets of a hundred thousand strangers."
In October 2011, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
placed it at number 37 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".
Other versions
In 2003, "The Scientist" was featured on Coldplay's live albumLive album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
Live 2003
Live 2003
Live 2003 is a live album by English alternative rock band Coldplay, first released in November 2003. The set features concerts filmed at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on 21 July 2003 and 22 July 2003....
. The song was covered live by Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann is an American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and bassist.-Early life:Aimee Mann grew up in Bon Air, Virginia, graduated from Open High School in 1978 and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, but dropped out to sing with her first punk rock band, the Young Snakes...
and released on a special edition of her album Lost in Space
Lost in Space (album)
Lost in Space is an album by singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released on her own label SuperEgo Records in 2002 . A special edition released in 2003 featured a second disc containing six live recordings, two B-sides and two previously unreleased songs.Mann performed the songs "This Is How It Goes"...
. Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
, Eamon, and Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
covered the song on Jo Whiley
Jo Whiley
Johanne "Jo" Whiley is a British radio disc jockey and television presenter. She was the host of the long running weekday Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1.-Early life and education:...
's Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
radio show. Also, Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Jo Carlisle is an American singer who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female bands and the first such group whose members wrote their own songs and played their own instruments...
did a live rendition on the ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
reality show Hit Me Baby One More Time
Hit Me Baby One More Time
Hit Me, Baby, One More Time was a 2005 reality show first aired by ITV on British television and later, as a new version, by NBC in the United States; both were presented by Vernon Kay. During each programme, five former pop stars sing their biggest hit along with a cover version of a contemporary...
, and Johnette Napolitano
Johnette Napolitano
Johnette Napolitano is an American singer, songwriter and bassist best known as the lead vocalist/songwriter and bassist for the alternative rock group Concrete Blonde.- Solo career :...
included the song on her album Scarred. The British female quartet All Angels
All Angels
All Angels are a British classical crossover group formed in 2006, consisting of Daisy Chute, Rachel Fabri, Melanie Nakhla andCharlotte Ritchie....
did a choral arrangement of the song on their album Into Paradise which was released in 2007. The chords to this song are replicated by Sum 41
Sum 41
Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of members Deryck Whibley , Tom Thacker , Jason McCaslin and Steve Jocz .In 1999, the band signed an international record deal with Island Records...
in their song "Pieces." In addition, the American television show MADtv
MADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
did a parody of the video, called "The Narcissist." The track was featured in the 2004 film Wicker Park
Wicker Park (film)
Wicker Park is a 2004 American psychological drama/romantic mystery film directed by Paul McGuigan and starring Josh Hartnett. The film is a remake of the 1996 French movie L'Appartement...
. Allison Iraheta
Allison Iraheta
Allison Iraheta is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, Iraheta won the Telemundo competition Quinceañera: Mamá Quiero Ser Artista. Following the conclusion of Idol, Iraheta was signed to a record...
and Kris Allen
Kris Allen
Kristopher Neil "Kris" Allen is an American musician and singer-songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of American Idol...
performed an acoustic duet of the song at Oprah's "No Phone Zone" rally in Los Angeles, California.
In 2011, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
covered it for a Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. is a chain of restaurants in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada specializing in burritos and tacos, founded by Steve Ells in 1993 and based in Denver, Colorado...
-sponsored short film titled "Back to the Start", highlighting the problems of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.
Music video
The popular music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "The Scientist" was notable for its distinctive reverse narrative
Reverse chronology
Reverse chronology is a method of story-telling whereby the plot is revealed in reverse order.In a story employing this technique, the first scene shown is actually the conclusion to the plot...
, which employed reverse video. The same concept had been previously used for Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze is an American director, producer and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television...
's 1996 music video for The Pharcyde's
The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde are an alternative hip hop group based in South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani , Slimkid3 , Bootie Brown and Fatlip . DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla...
"Drop
Drop (song)
"Drop" is a single by alternative hip-hop group The Pharcyde, released in 1995 as the first single for the group's second album, Labcabincalifornia. The single contains a vocal sample of the Beastie Boys song "The New Style", using the titular "mmm.......
." The reverse video style had first been seen in 1989 for the video for the song "The Second Summer of Love
Bebop Moptop
Bebop Moptop was the second album from Scottish pop group Danny Wilson.- Track listing :# "Imaginary Girl"# "The Second Summer of Love"# "I Can't Wait"# "If You Really Love Me "# "If Everything You Said Was True"# "Loneliness"...
" by Scottish band Danny Wilson
Danny Wilson (band)
Danny Wilson were a New Wave group formed in Dundee, Scotland.-History:Having been initially formed in the early 80's performing under the names Perfect Strangers and then Dream Kitchen, brothers Gary Clark and Kit Clark formed a band with friend Ged Grimes in 1984, initially under the name...
. In order for Martin to appear to be singing the lyrics in the reversed footage, he had to learn to sing the song backwards, which took him a month. The video was filmed at various locations, including London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and at Bourne Wood
Bourne Wood
Bourne Wood is an area of predominantly coniferous woodland just south of Farnham, Surrey, England. It is named after The Bourne, a ward of Farnham. A promontory above a large heathland clearing provides views over the surrounding woodland...
s in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, before the first leg of the A Rush of Blood to the Head tour. It was directed by Jamie Thraves
Jamie Thraves
Jamie Thraves is a British film writer and director.Jamie Thraves began making early short experimental films in 1989 at Hull University, having previously studied illustration . His graduation film Scratch and The Take-Out both went on to win numerous awards at short film festivals worldwide...
. The video premiered on 14 August 2002.
The video opens, looking down on Martin who is singing, as he lies on his back on a mattress. As the camera shot pulls back, the mattress is revealed to be outside. A cyclist cycles past in reverse and Martin leaps up from the mattress. He walks in reverse through a city, out into the suburbs and eventually crossing a railway line and into woods, picking up his suit jacket as he goes. Upon arriving at his car, a black BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, he gets in and briefly passes out
Unconscious
Unconscious might refer to:In physiology:* unconsciousness, the lack of consciousness or responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuliIn psychology:...
. His girlfriend, at first shown lying dead on the ground in front of the car, is shown flying back in through the shattered windscreen of the car. The car rolls back up a hill in the woods and through a broken fence, which mends itself as the car passes back through it. As the video closes, the couple are shown driving back up the road. It is revealed that Martin's girlfriend had removed her seat belt, in order to put her jacket on, just before the car accident, causing her death. Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
actress Elaine Cassidy
Elaine Cassidy
Elaine Cassidy is an award-winning Irish actress and is best known for playing the lead character Abby Mills in the American CBS TV series Harper's Island, Felicia in Felicia's Journey opposite Bob Hoskins, Runt in Disco Pigs opposite Cillian Murphy, and Lydia in The Others.-Early life:Elaine...
is featured as Martin's girlfriend
In 2003, "The Scientist" won multiple MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
for Best Group Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video was first given out at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards; and in 2007, going along with how the VMAs were revamped that year, the award was renamed Best Group, as it awarded the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video...
, Best Direction
MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Direction in a Video. In 2007, the award was briefly renamed Best Director, but it returned to its original name for the 2008 awards....
, and Breakthrough Video
MTV Video Music Award - Breakthrough Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Breakthrough Video was first awarded in 1988, replacing the award for Most Experimental Video. Along with Best Direction in a Video, this award was considered to be one of the most important professional categories at the VMAs, as every once in a while it was even...
. It was also nominated at the 2004 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s for Best Short Form Music Video
Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video
The Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos...
but lost to Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
's video for "Hurt".
The video was taped in London, United Kingdom.
Track listing
- "The Scientist" - 5:11
- "1.36" - 2:05
- "I Ran Away" - 4:26
- "1.36" features Tim Wheeler of AshAsh (band)Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
on guitar.
DVD
- "The Scientist" (Edit)
- "The Scientist" (video running backwards)
- "Lips Like SugarLips Like Sugar"Lips Like Sugar" is a single by Echo & the Bunnymen which was released in August 1987. It was the second single from their 1987 eponymous album. It reached number 36 on the UK Singles Chart and number 24 on the Irish Singles Chart...
" (Live) - Interview with band members
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
6 |
| Australia ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
40 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 20 |
| Italy Singles Chart | 23 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
15 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
10 |
| US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 18 |
| Chart (2009) | Peak Position |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
8 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
26 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 84 |
External links
- "The Scientist" music video on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.