The Scientist

Chris Martin wrote "The Scientist" after listening to George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass". In an interview with Rolling Stone, Martin revealed that while working on the band's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, he knew that the album was missing something. One night, during a stay in Liverpool, Martin found an old piano that was out of tune. He wanted to work on George Harrison's song "Isn't It a Pity", but he could not manage to do so. When the song came to Martin, he asked that the recorder be turned on. He concludes with saying that he came across this chord sequence and noted that the chord was "lovely". Martin recorded the vocals and piano takes in a studio in Liverpool. When asked about the development of the song, during a track-by-track reveal, Martin said: "That's just about girls. It's weird that whatever else is on your mind, whether it's the downfall of global economics or terrible environmental troubles, the thing that always gets you most is when you fancy someone." However, the inside cover to A Rush of Blood to the Head stated: "The Scientist is Dan." 'Dan' refers to Dan Keeling, the A&R man who signed the band to Parlophone.

[Verse 1] Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry You don't know how lovely you are I had to find you, tell you I need you Tell you I set you apart Tell me your secrets, and ask me your questions Oh, let's go back to the start Running in circles, coming up tails Heads on a science apart [Chorus] Nobody said it was easy It's such a shame for us to part Nobody said it was easy No one ever said it would be this hard Oh, take me back to the start [Verse 2] I was just guessing at numbers and figures Pulling the puzzles apart Questions of science, science and progress Do not speak as loud as my heart Tell me you love me, come back and haunt me Oh, and I rush to the start Running in circles, chasing our tails Coming back as we are [Chorus] Nobody said it was easy Oh, it's such a shame for us to part Nobody said it was easy No one ever said it would be this hard I'm going back to the start [Outro] Oh-ooh ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh Ah-ooh ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh Oh-ooh ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh Oh-ooh ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh