Like Bob Dylan on 1975’s “Blood on the Tracks” and Bruce Springsteen on 1987’s “Tunnel of Love,” Chris Martin has coughed up the pain of his “conscious uncoupling” from Gwyneth Paltrow and put it into his lyrics. Coldplay’s sixth album, “Ghost Stories,” lands on Monday — and almost every track carries a relationship reference. Martin hasn’t tried to deny the influence of his separation, either. In a recent BBC radio interview, he appeared to admit his own emotional shortcomings. “If you don’t let love in, then you can’t really give it back,” he said. “So what ‘Ghost Stories’ means to me is . . . you’ve got to open yourself up to love, and if you really do, of course it will be painful at times, but then it will be great at some point.” Here are his most candid lyrics from “Ghost Stories.”
Heartbreak cause: Neglect
“And so my mouth waters to be fed . . . ” (from “Always in My Head”)
The opening track features this line, which could be a metaphor for Martin’s post-Gwyneth emotional famine . . . or it could be a reference to an actual hunger suffered under his ex’s strict dietary regime. No gluten can sure leave you feeling famished.
Heartbreak cause: Withholding affection
“And I wish you could have let me know/What’s really going on below . . . Tell me you love me/If you don’t then lie” (from “True Love”)
If you’re gonna steal, you might as well steal from the best. Martin references Leonard Cohen’s sexually charged lyrics to “Hallelujah” before going on to beg his lover for fake affection. Horny and needy; not a combination that’s going to look good on his OKCupid profile.
Heartbreak cause: Adultery
“When the pain just rips right through me/Another’s arms another’s arms/And that’s just torture to me/Another’s arms another’s arms” (from “Another’s Arms”)
Since Chris and Gwyneth announced their conscious uncoupling, rumors have been rife about infidelity on both sides. This mournful track seemingly addresses that, but stops tantalizingly short of revealing which side was to blame.
Heartbreak cause: Martyrdom
“You’ve got to find yourself alone in this world/You’ve got to find yourself alone” (from “Oceans”)
The old cliché that rings true for Martin: You have to love yourself before you can love anyone else. The Coldplay singer finds this more upbeat lyric toward the end of the album, and hints at a future of self-discovery in which he’ll no longer pine for his Gwyneth-dominated past. There’s no Coldplay tour planned to support “Ghost Stories,” so maybe he’ll go backpacking through Machu Picchu for a spell. Awww . . .