Fix You

Coldplay has been revered for its popular music and meaningful songs for the last decade and a half. When we had to find a song and argue that it is poetry, the first lyrics that came to my mind were by Coldplay. Their song Fix You is one of their older but most popular and meaningful songs. At first, it was the lowest charting single from the album, but has since become on of its most well known and played song behind Viva la Vida. It has been played at Steve Jobs memorial service and parts of it are used as introduction of players at hockey games. The theme or meaning of the song can be taken in a few different ways, but it is most easily conveyed that everyone goes through tough times and events, but that does not mean you should hide away from people and help. The song signifies that life is going to be tough and bad things can happen, whether it is losing a loved one or battling a disease, but there should always be hope, something that can fix you. The song was said to be written for someone close to the band who lost a loved one. In the song lyrically, there are multiple pieces of literary devices that help enhance the meaning. In the second line of the song "When you get what you want, but not what you need", there is alliteration with the w's. This alliteration fits in nicely with the feel of the song and also engages the listener. The stanzas that go "Lights will guide you home / and ignite your bones / and I will try to fix you" have many significant devices and meanings to the song as a whole. First, it is a hyperbole when it talks about igniting your bones. The exaggeration is meant to show the power the lights will have on you. Their is a lot of reassurance and encouragement in that line, letting the listener know that people will help you out and save you from your despair. It is also a symbol, because the lights can represent us as bystander, we are willing to help fix the person in need. The line "When you love someone, but it goes to waste  / could it be worse?". They are posing a rhetorical question within the song, making the listener think deeper on their situation. It helps the overall meaning because it can be taken that their are other people feeling just as bad or worse, and it is not impossible to be helped.