One of rock ‘n’ roll’s most appealing and also disagreeable elements is its subversive lyrics towards Christianity. Upon the introduction of such lyrics, the youth raved about how this tore down what they believed to be antiquated structures in order to progress modern thought. On the other side of the paradigm were folks who believed this was detrimental to the cultural foundation of Christian citizens and traditional thought. Frankly, it is a redundant story, as the battle of ideals has seemingly been transpiring since the dawn of time. One example of rock’s ideological battle involves Chris Martin, The Rolling Stones, and either Fleetwood Mac or Santana.
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Given the introduction, your mind might have shot to “Sympathy For The Devil” and “Black Magic Woman”. If so, then you are correct, as Martin refrained from singing these songs as a child out of fear. Both singles heavily allude to Satanic undertones; hence, the apparent controversy surrounding them. As a kid, Chris Martin wanted to stay away from this controversy, but as he grew older, his worldview shifted.
Why Chris Martin Feared Singing These Songs
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Chris Martin acknowledged the framework that led to this certain fear. “I grew up with the prospect of heaven and hell looming ever large,” said Martin. “What I grew up with was, if you even think about boobs, you’re going to hell. It was drilled in: These things are wrong. It was black and white…I spent a year thinking I would be punished if I sang ‘Sympathy for the Devil,’ by The Rolling Stones.”
“When I was about 14, the first band I was in wanted to play ‘Black Magic Woman,’ and I was like, ‘I can’t sing that, because I will get bad karma.’ As a kid, you don’t know any better,” added Chris Martin. As this story often goes, Martin started to counter-argue the thoughts, and formed his own. (Martin didn’t specify whether the “Black Magic Woman” cover was by Mac or Santana.)
“But then as you go on, the cracks begin to appear… and I’m not sure whether we’re right and they’re wrong,” he continued. Martin’s internal arc is familiar, and while he may have digressed from traditional spirituality, he has certainly not abandoned it. If you listen to any of Coldplay’s songs, then you know that preaching and spreading good sentiments are part of their core mission.
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