The song that opens Coldplay’s A Rush of Blood to the Head is “Politik.”
It is the album’s first track and makes a striking entrance with heavier guitars, forceful drums, piano, and urgent vocals. The arrangement signalled a deliberate move beyond the softer, more atmospheric sound associated with the band’s debut, Parachutes.
Chris Martin wrote “Politik” on 11 September 2001, and Coldplay recorded it two days later, on 13 September. The song’s urgency reflects the atmosphere surrounding the September 11 attacks, although its lyrics address broader concerns about politics, society, and human priorities.
Listeners sometimes choose “In My Place” because it was the album’s lead single, or “Daylight” and “Amsterdam” because they are prominent later tracks. Neither is the opener: “In My Place” is track two, while “Daylight” and “Amsterdam” appear near the album’s end.