Coldplay's 2000 video for "
Yellow" (lyrics above) is one of the most captivating and
beautiful music videos I have ever experienced. There's just an
simple,
honest,
earnest, spontaneous yet spectacularly
amazing quality about it.
Directed by the UK directing duo James & Alex, the music video 'stars' Coldplay frontman Chris Martin in a rain-drenched stroll (or perhaps drunken stumbling) along St. Andrews beach in Scotland. The video is one continuous shot of Martin singing the song. The other band members were supposed to be in the shot as well, but inclement weather (and rumors are also swirling of the funeral for the dummer's mum being at the same time as the shoot) kept them and the other planned extras out.
The video was released after the song's single (Coldplay's first in the U.S. but second to "Shiver" in the U.K.). Capitol Records distributed it in the U.S. as an EPK (electronic press kit) also containing live performance and documentary segments. There is no commercially available copy of the video as of yet.
Winner of the award for Best Video of 2000 at the Plug-in Awards--a part of the Sundance film festival, it was also nominated for a Brit Award in 2001 for Best British Video, but did not win.
It is occasionally played on (American) VH1's Insomniac Music Theater, as well as late night MTV (They'll tell you they popularised it on M2). You're better off getting it from the numerous websites serving it up, including rollingstone.com and the band's own website coldplay.com.