In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Those who are dead, are not dead
They're just living in my head
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well, oh
Time is so short and I'm sure
There must be something more
Those who are dead, are not dead
They're just living in my head, oh
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well, oh
Time is so short and I'm sure
There must be something more
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh
You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven, but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven, but you made it close
You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Those who are dead, are not dead
They're just living in my head
Ooh
They're just living in my head
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well, oh
Time is so short and I'm sure
There must be something more
Those who are dead, are not dead
They're just living in my head, oh
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well, oh
Time is so short and I'm sure
There must be something more
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh
You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven, but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven, but you made it close
You thought you might be a ghost
You thought you might be a ghost
You didn't get to heaven but you made it close
You didn't get to heaven but you oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Those who are dead, are not dead
They're just living in my head
Ooh
Lyrics submitted by rorow1, edited by FistMountain
42 Lyrics as written by Guy Rupert Berryman Christopher Anthony John Martin
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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To me this song is about falling into depression due to some sort of disappointment or loss in life.
"Those who are dead, are not dead. They're just living in my head." "The dead" is meant to symbolize lost memories, hopes, loved ones, etc. Even though they seem dead they're still alive inside his mind because he can't let them go.
"Since I fell for that spell I am living there as well." To me the spell= depression or whatever led to the depression. It's causing him to live in his head because he doesn't want to face reality.
"Time is so short and I'm sure there must be something more." He knows there's more to life than what he's lost, but he just can't seem to find it.
"You thought you might be a ghost. You didn't get to heaven but you made it close." The music starts to sounds upbeat and the narration POV seems to change from him talking to someone else to either someone talking to him or him talking to himself. I think this new voice is supposed to be positive.
"You thought you might be a ghost." He felt dead inside and started to forget he was even actually alive.
"You didn't get to heaven but you made it close." He didn't quite get where he wanted in life, but he did at least make it close and had the chance to feel happiness because of that which is something to be thankful for.
Great interpretation i think it really conveyed the message Chris was trying to get through the listeners but I still baffle into what 42 means. if you any idea that would be great! Thank you!
@neverpanic @castlearro The title "42" is a reference to The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy in which a super advanced computer, known as "Deep Thoughts" created by a group of technologically advanced aliens known as the Magratheans was created to find the answer to the ultimate question which is "what is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?". Deep Thoughts then stated that to find such an answer would take 7½ million years <br /> <br /> Bearing in mind that The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is a comedic Sci Fi story which loves to joke about philosophy, the end result was naturally somewhat disappointing in a hilariously typical way....Deep Thoughts completed it's calculations and concluded that the answer to life, the universe, and everything is.....42.<br /> <br /> Now, anyone who is a fan of Douglas Adams' work will know that things get even more ridiculous later on in the sequel stories but his writing has lead to a lot of people stating that the meaning of life is 42, and given the subject matter of this song I'm willing to bet that this is what Coldplay are referencing.
Coldplay is all about the music in this one... How it starts off so serenely and then just surprises you... Ah, it's f**king incredible.
What does 42 mean? from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything?
its cos the album is approx 42 minutes long there were 42 songs discarded from the X&Y sessions and cos of hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.
The guy in this song is trying to figure out the question of life.<br /> "Time is so short and I'm sure<br /> There must be something more".<br /> Or something similar to it. 42 is the best answer anyone can come up with, but almost everyone is sure that there must be something more.
@leafvert In Japanese culture, 42 is an unlucky number, because the words for 4 and 2 when pronounced together sound like the Japanese word for death. That is also what the Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy was, I believe.
If you add up the value of the letters in the word "Japan" (with a = 1, b = 2, c = 3 ... x = 24, y = 25 x = 26) you get 42.
And in Japanese, "4 (shi) and 2 (ni) are together pronounced like 'going to death'" according to Wikipedia.
Could be completely unrelated, but seems like a fascinating coincidence either way, especially given that Japan is already mentioned on the album...
@aparksmusic I think it's related. The song is about death, so it makes sense that they would sneakily name it death.
I think the speaker when he says "those who are dead are not dead, they're just living in my head" means people who've died but who he still thinks about. They are all memories. And he is falling for that spell because he isn't living a full life. All he's thinking about is death. Don't understand the ghost part, but maybe this is how he resolves it. He will just be a ghost so he won't have to miss out on anything, but he made it close to heaven because he was good
Just a personal application probably, but I see the song beginning in Hell narrated by the devil who "fell for the spell" of sin. Then it moves to purgatory with the chord progression and tempo change, a place that's not heaven but where the potential to rise there is possible. Finally Chris speaks for God repeating the same line from the beginning but with a hopeful sounding end falsetto, as if he is speaking for Heaven, a mystery. 42 is the number of the meaning of life, meaning this song might have religious undertones. Completely out of left field, but precisely what I see.
Are you in seminary? Do you think he they might have just wrote the song withoug any religous undertones? He's a songwriter/singer. He doesn't speak for "God". Give me a break!
That's an interesting way of looking at it....but I wouldn't see the Devil and God saying the same thing...<br /> Plus, they wouldn't be living in their 'heads' right?
Neovincci, I think you are actually pretty "dead on" in terms of Martin's thinking. He was a theology major at my alma matter UCL so it's HIGHLY probable that the premise of this song is derived from Martin's examination of religious works. bravo:)
Sorry I think he was in classical greek and latin studies - all largely influenced by religious texts though...
I personally didn't think Coldplay could surprise me any more on this album after i heard Viva La Vida. This album is sooooo good! This song is just one of the high points on what is a fantastic album.
42 is the answer to life, the universe, and everything (according to Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy) , so that must make this song.......?
The title "42" has to be a backward reference to the title "Don't Panic". I think the tone is mocking - questioning both those who are certain of heaven after death, and also those who are certain that this life is all there is. But what an amazing song! Beautifully written, structured, arranged and presented. The best.
Does anyone else sense a vague connection with Romeo and Juliet? After all, the potion Juliet takes that makes her appear to be dead lasts 42 hours. This might be stretching it, but one who is a deeper thinker than I might be able to support this theory.
You've got a very good connection there, and I also did realize that in Romeo and Juliet, the Friar made a potion for Juliet to appear dead and awake in 42 hours so she wouldn't marry Paris and could reunite with Romeo, but we know that didn't happen.<br /> <br /> So in reality, you can see the connection between this song and Romeo and Juliet. However it is in someway a stretch. There could be so many meanings for this song, because honestly I see 42 everywhere I go for some reason, including Romeo and Juliet. But I personally don't think it's about Romeo and Juliet, the reason why is because it doesn't talk about love at all, how they rushed, and it doesn't exactly pin point their deaths, unless you think very hard. Perhaps you could say "you thouhgt you might be a ghost" is a relation because Romeo he was dead without Juliet, when he wasn't, he almost got to heaven but he killed himself which was the gravest sin at that time, and Juliet almost got to heaven as well but she committed the sin as well. That's the best I can do to support that theory.