Songful Style: “Humankind”

As I write this, would you believe it is about 60 degrees (15.6C) warmer than it was last week? We had an Arctic freeze, polar vortex, whatever you want to call it, it was frigid!! And, today, we had a high of 53 (11.7C)! The night before, we had such dense fog, it was a good thing I knew my way home because I would have been lost. What’s next? I’m predicting thunderstorms! Update: I obviously wrote this a few days ago as it has now reverted to being just cold and damp. I almost think those days are colder than the ones closer to zero. Anyway, welcome to the last Monday in January and another edition of Songful Style! Suzy and Shelbee decided to riff (see what I did there) on Style Imitating Art only with music! Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Suzy of The Grey Brunette, and I make up the bloggers in this group. You can find all of us on our blogs and Instagram.  Our ensembles (pun intended) may be inspired by the lyrics of a song, the artwork of the album cover, maybe the MTV video, or even a memory the song evokes. Suzy chose this month’s song. Last November (our last Songful Style post), I selected “Flowers are Red.” Oh, and there’s a link party, too!

The artists…

I’m not really familiar with Coldplay. I googled their songs to refresh my memory, and I still don’t recognize many of their songs. The band formed in 1997 when Chris Martin and Johnny Buckland met during orientation at University College London. The two began to write music and added a third member, Guy Berryman. In 1998, they added drummer, Will Champion, who wasn’t a drummer at all. But, he filled in when the guy they expected didn’t show up! By 1999, they were appearing at Glastonbury!

A little more…

In 2000, the release of the album, Parachutes, saw the release of their first big hit, “Yellow.” It rose on many charts, hitting #48 in the US. Parachutes would go on to win the band their first Grammy for “Best Alternative Music Album.” Over the years, the group has racked up over 790 nominations and 324 wins for various industry awards. That’s an impressive record! Coldplay has released nine studio albums, six live albums, twelve compilation albums, as well as several singles. Having sold over 100 million albums worldwide, the group is definitely one of the best selling bands in history. Interestingly, they are also considered “polarizing cultural icons.” I don’t have a clue what that means. I’m guessing someone somewhere doesn’t like their style or their music!

Still more…

The band puts their money where their mouths are. They donate 10% of all their profits to charity. The money goes into a bank account that none of them can touch! They currently support more than thirty organizations. Considering the band is worth about $450 million, that’s a lot of money going to charity. You can read more about Coldplay here.

The song…

What does it mean…

I dug around on the interwebs trying to find the ultimate article/post about the meaning of this song. Before I get to that, I want to issue a little disclaimer. Since I’m really not that familiar with Coldplay, I can’t say with 100% certainty that this song is in line with any kind of message they put out. But, what I do think is this song is about hope. Over and over again, we hear the line “I know, I know, I know we’re only human.” That seems to say, “Yep, we make mistakes. We do the wrong thing. But, we try to change that and make it better.” There are several lines reinforcing that idea of hope. I guess they would be the verses in a traditional song with the “I know” parts being the refrain. I think the last two lines sum up the song and the hope perfectly.

The video…

Interesting covers…

I think this band recorded this song in different parts of the world and then mixed it. The members live in the UK, the Netherlands, Brazil, and the US. It’s a little more pop sounding than Coldplay with a bit more emphasis on technology (but what do I know)!

This man has a beautiful voice, plays the same guitar, but two parts, and manages to make a pretty cool video, too!

A keyboard and this voice…that’s all you need. Another pair of Norwegians I like!

My interpretation…

Initially, I was going to go quite literal with this. Then, I remembered this was supposed to be about style and fashion. That led me to thinking about how the song made me feel as well as its message. So, I chose this outfit. I wore this to the Friendship Bible Study class I help to teach (I should actually be writing my lesson right now). Our students are all adults with various learning difficulties. They are among the most kind and loving people I know. They make me laugh and feel a part of their world. And, that, my friends, makes me feel like a part of humankind! My Woodstock Duster Dress has appeared on the blog before for Style Imitating Art (here). This time, I left it unbuttoned and knotted the sides to draw it up a little bit. I’m also wearing a merino wool mock neck sweater and the jeans I hemmed.

The Lewk!

Yep! It’s my beat up but beloved pair of Sofft sneakers. I know I need to replace them and should check on Poshmark to see if I can find this exact pair! They are just the best shoes now that the white around the bottom is sufficiently grungy! If only the sole wasn’t coming apart. They don’t leak yet so I’m going to keep wearing them. My necklace has appeared on the blog many times. I like the colors and the unique metal thingamabob (can’t for the life of me think of what those are called and can’t even think of anything to google). The earrings and bracelet are from World Finds. I love the unique quality of their jewelry. This is a woman-owned and “woman-powered” business. You can read more about it here. I have loved everything I’ve gotten from them. And, there’s a sale going on right now. I don’t receive any commission from them, but the code is LOVE20.

Wrap it up, Marsha!

I have to admit I had absolutely no clue about this song. I’d never heard it before, and I was really stumped when it came to coming up with an outfit. I decided to listen to the song a few times and just get the feel of it. And, I like the way I interpreted it. So, can we talk? Are you a fan of Coldplay? How would you interpret the song’s meaning? How do you feel about my style interpretation? Please leave me a comment, and we can talk. I promise to respond as soon as I can.

Thank you!

Thank you so very much for reading today’s post. I hope you enjoyed it. I also very much appreciate those of you who comment, email and/or subscribe. It’s what keeps me going! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.

Affiliate links, discount codes and such:

Just a reminder that Marsha in the Middle may use an affiliate link. Those links are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link I provide, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. I am an April Cornell Brand Ambassador for another season. You can use my code, MARSHA15, for $15 off any order over $100. Use Marsha12 for 12% off any order of $65 or more at Buykud. I also have an affiliate code for Kantha Bae! Use MarshaintheMiddle in the promo code box for $5 off any order (excluding Bestie restocks)! I have also become a Halftee Partner. Use the code, MARSHA2098, for 20% off any purchase. I am also an affiliate with Clara Sunwoo. You can use my code, MARSHA10, for 10% off your entire order. For the Zuvi Halo Hair Dryer, use Marsha12 to get 12% off your order at this link: https://www.zuvilife.com/products/buy-zuvi-halo-hair-dryer?sca_ref=4039595.v4RNNsWxxF. If items are on sale, you can use Marsha5 for an extra 5% off sale prices. In case you didn’t know, bloggers must disclose the use of affiliate links. That’s why I include this in each post.

Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style,  Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World and A Fresh Cup of Coffee. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, and Style Splash. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, and Sue. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

And, now, it’s your turn!

Please link up your favorite posts, DIY, baking, gardening, fashion…you name it…as long as it’s family friendly! Link up with me, visit a couple of others, and leave a comment or two! No worries if you don’t have a blog, just look around! You may find a new blog just waiting for you!

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