Words for My Enjoyment

I Sound Just Like Chris Martin

July 24th, 2006

If you’re a fan of the band Coldplay, please read on.

This past weekend I made a startling discovery while listening to the latest Coldplay CD in my car. As I slowly played the song “Fix You” over and over and over again, the words became almost second nature for me. And as time flew by, the lyrics were burned into my brain like that medallion was burned into that guy’s hand in Raiders of the Lost Ark. And then I started singing freely. Performing. Exuding. And I realized one very stunning thing.

I sound just like their lead singer Chris Martin.

I was in the car with someone else, and I felt it was only fair of me to lay it all on the line so that years from now when I was performing in Coldplay after Chris Martin decided to move to the South of France with his wife Gwyneth and his kids Apple, Moses and Tripthelightfantastic, it wouldn’t be like I had been hiding my talents over all these years.

Me: “I totally sound like Chris Martin.”
Her: “You don’t sound like Chris Martin.”
Me: “No, I totally do.”
Her: “No, you totally don’t.”
Me: “Here. Play the first line of the song, then listen to me.”

[10 seconds later]

Me: “See?”
Her: “Well you were trying to sound like Chris Martin.”
Me: “But did I sound like him, when I was trying to sound like him?”
Her: “Yeah, I guess.”
Me: “Well… There you go.”

But as soon as the song “Fix You” stopped wafting through the air, tweaking our inner ear drums with a musical cacophony of tones, another song by a completely different artist came on. It was the classic 80’s song “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield. And as I sang along I realized one very stunning thing.

I totally sound like Chris Martin and Rick Springfield.

Me: “I totally sound like Chris Martin and Rick Springfield.”
Her: “Like a combination of their voices, you mean?”
Me: “No. I can sound like Chris Martin. Or I can sound like Rick Springfield.”
Her: “You don’t sound like either of them.”
Me: “But you just said a second ago that when I tried to sound like Chris Martin I sounded like Chris Martin.”
Her: “Right.”
Me: “Here, listen.”

[10 seconds later]

Me: “See?”
Her: “You sounded like Chris Martin trying to sing like Rick Springfield.”
Me: “But when I was singing as Chris Martin, trying to sing like Rick Springfield, did I sound like Rick Springfield?”
Her: “Yeah, I guess.”
Me: “Well… There you go.”

And there you go.

A few minutes later another song popped up onto the CD player. It was “Karma Police” by Radiohead. And while inside, as I sang, I sort of heard my voice come close to sounding like Thom Yorke, I decided to keep it to myself.

Years from now, when everyone sees me open up for the band, there’s got to be at least one surprise in store for them.

Don’t you think?

Posted under Coldplay, Me, Music, Radiohead, Rick Springfield, Thom Yorke. |