"True Love" is a song by Coldplay for the band's sixth studio Ghost Stories, where it appears as the fourth track. It was released by Parlophone as the third single from Ghost Stories on 14 August 2014. The song was written by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Chris Martin and Will Champion, with production being done by Coldplay, Paul Epworth,Daniel Green and Rik Simpson, while American record producer Timbaland provided additional drums.
The song's main instrumentation consists in heavy rhythms, dancing synths and wallowing strings. It also features a guitar solo. Lyrically, the song talks about heartache and how the protagonist can't bear the pain of losing his lover. The song's lyrics were addressed to be about Martin's divorce from his wife Gwyneth Paltrow, a recurrent theme on the whole album. Martin has claimed that "True Love" is the band's favorite track it has ever written.
The song generally received positive reviews from most music critics, who commended the song's raw honesty and its lyrics, which were seen as haunting and painfully truthful. Commercially successful in Belgium and the Netherlands, "True Love" did not chart on the UK Singles Chart. The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who also directed the "Magic" video. It was shot in Los Angeles, choreographed by Blanca Li and centres around a tale of two ballet-loving outsiders, played by Martin and Canadian actress Jessica Lucas.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
For a second I was in control
I had it once, I lost it though
And all along the fire below
Would rise
And I wish you could have let me know
What's really going on below
I've lost you now, you let me go
But one last time
[Chorus]
Tell me you love me
If you don't, then lie
Oh lie to me
[Verse 2]
Remember once upon a time
When I was yours and you were blind
The fire would sparkle in your eyes
And mine
[Chorus]
So tell me you love me
If you don't then lie
Lie to me
Just tell me you love me
If you don't then lie
Oh lie to me
If you don't then lie
Oh lie to me
[Bridge]
And call it true
Call it true love
Call it true
Call it true love
Oh, uh, uh
Oh, uh, uh
[Outro]
Oh, uh, uh
Oh, uh, uh