The Coldplay song that begins with “When you try your best but you don't succeed” is “Fix You.” The opening lyric introduces the song's theme of comfort, failure and trying to help someone through an emotionally difficult moment.
“Fix You” was released in 2005 as the second single from Coldplay's third studio album, X&Y. Chris Martin wrote the song for his then-wife Gwyneth Paltrow after her father died. Its arrangement begins quietly with organ and Martin's voice, then gradually expands into piano, guitar, drums and a large, emotionally charged finale.
The song is sometimes confused with “The Scientist” because both are slow Coldplay piano-led ballads associated with regret and emotional vulnerability. “The Scientist,” however, opens with the lyric “Come up to meet you,” while “Fix You” starts with the much-quoted “When you try your best…” line.
“Fix You” became one of Coldplay's most enduring live songs. Its rising structure and repeated refrain have made it especially prominent at concerts, memorials and other reflective public occasions.