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"A Whisper" is a song by Coldplay from their second studio album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. It is the ninth track of the album.

Background and recording[]

The song was written and recorded at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool, the same studio where some Parachutes songs were also recorded. Other songs such as "Daylight" and "Clocks" were also originated in the Liverpool sessions. About the recording sessions, Chris Martin said: "We were listening to a lot of Echo & the Bunnymen and The Cure and things with a bite to them at the time. And I think it showed during our time at Parr Street; the new songs had a bit of edge to them". Chris explained about the inclusion of the song on the album: "No one really likes this song, but we put it on because of a very nerdy, technical thing that we did with the synthesizer sound." He added: "This one won the award for 'Most Likely to Have Been a B-side'."[1]

In an exclusive interview with Debs Wild, Chris explained the song is covered in stuff like not proper sentences and mumblings "because it was just us messing around and didn't change it".[2]

Composition[]

The song was described by PopMatters as "rough-around-the-edges".[3] About its lyrics, The Independent said the track - along with "Clocks" - is "replete with imagery of loss and regret".[4]

Lyrics[]

[Hook]
A whisper, a whisper, a whisper, a whisper
A whisper, a whisper, a whisper, a whisper
I hear the sound
Of the ticking of clocks
Remember your face
Who remembers you when you are gone?
I hear the sound
Of the ticking of clocks
Come back and look for me, look for me
When I am lost
Just a whisper, a whisper, a whisper, a whisper
Just a whisper, a whisper, a whisper, a whisper

[Bridge]
Night turns to day
And I still have these questions
Bridges will break
Should I go forward or backwards?
Night turns to day
And I still get no answers

[Hook]
Just a whisper, a whisper, a whisper, a whisper
Just a whisper, a whisper, a whisper, a whisper
I hear the sound
Of the ticking of clocks
Remember your face
Remember to see when you are lost
I hear the sound
Of the ticking of clocks
Come back and look for me, look for me
When I am lost
Just a whisper, a whisper, a whisper, a whisper
Just a whisper, a whisper, a whisper, a whisper
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah

Official Audio[]

A_Whisper

A Whisper

Critical Reception[]

Rolling Stone praised Jonny Buckland's guitar work and called the song a "excellent psychedelic rocker".[5] Jules Willis of BBC Music said the song - along with "Daylight" - "find the band back at their best with epic, yet simple melancholic tunes. Here repetitive choruses and hypnotic, violin sounding guitars take the listener on an exciting journey that you wish wouldn't end."[6] In a ranking of the band's entire discography, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the release of Parachutes, NME reviewed it: "Some more paranoid, Radiohead-esque guitarwork from ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head’, but with enough of a release and bursts of subtle euphoria to make it feel truly Coldplay".[7]

References[]

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