Psychology Essay Clocks by Coldplay

“Clocks” Song Psychology Analysis The popular song, “Clocks,” was released in 2002 on British alternative rock band Coldplay’s album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. Written predominantly by Chris Martin, this song intentionally reveals the thoughts and state of mind of a person undergoing an issue where he must deal with his emotions in his life. Martin’s cryptic lyrics supposedly represent the utter helplessness of the person being in a dysfunctional relationship and not wanting to escape from it. Furthermore, the lyrics of “Clocks” seem to be very contradictory in the narrator’s expression of feeling towards his dismal situation/relationship. Also, the themes discussed in this song include: urgency of living life to its fullest; contrast, as the person struggles to remedy the persistently difficult relationship; and contradiction in regards to his emotions about his role and worth in life and in his lover’s life. “Clocks” also brings about the ideas presented in psychology. For example, the name of Coldplay’s song metaphorically alludes to world’s obsession with time and its government of life, and simultaneously connecting it to the idea of making full use of the time in a lifespan. Fixation, a concept developed by Sigmund Freud, justifies people’s obsession with an attachment to time. Also, time perception is the field of study in psychology that applies to one’s own understanding of the duration of the unlimited unfolding of life’s events. William J. Friedman created the strength model of time memory by which a memory trace is bolstered the more the memory influences emotions. In the song, Martin is losing time to set things right in his relationship before he is mentally consumed by “closing walls and ticking clocks.” In addition, the lines, “The lights go out and I can’t be saved. Tides that I tried to swim against, have brought me down upon my knees,” manifest the psychological concept of self –worth or self-esteem. American psychologist