A song, alone, has the ability to produce a strong emotional response in the listener, but this effect is amplified when the song is paired with a visual text that also appeals to the audience’s pathos. “The Scientist” by Coldplay is a sentimental song that is matched with an emotive music video to create an overall work of art. The fact that the director of the music video, Jamie Thraves, had the idea for the visual text for a year, but waited until he found the perfect song to accompany his idea supports this ideal pair. The video, as a whole, depicts a terrible car accident and the loss of a loved one in a unique manner. However, by looking at the elements of chronology, scenery, and the accompaniment of song lyrics, we can see how one is regretful because they did not appreciate what they had until it was gone, which is not obvious to most viewers. This is important because the audience is being cautioned not to take the people in their lives for granted. 

The main aspect of “The Scientist” music video is the chronology, which is crucial in warning the audience to appreciate the people present in their lives before they disappear. The motion picture flows in a reversed manner, creating a sense of mystery as the audience anticipates how the story will progress. The audience eventually finds out that in forward motion, the story is of a couple driving and the girlfriend takes her seatbelt off to put on her jacket, resulting in her being ejected from the car after it swerves off a ravine to avoid a car. She loses her life, while her boyfriend survives her, grieves her loss, and walks around aimlessly until he ends up lying on a mattress with no further direction in life. The way Chris Martin is on a journey to the time in his life where he still had his girlfriend expresses one’s longing to go back to the way things once were after that time has already passed. That is why it is extremely important to value people while they are still present, because one never knows when they could be taken away. The quick and unexpected removal of a loved one in Chris Martin’s life in “The Scientist” music video shows exactly this, reinforcing the concept of appreciating what one has before it is too late to the audience. 

There are numerous instances where the lyrics of “The Scientist” by Coldplay directly reflect how one regrets not valuing what they had before it was gone, serving to make sure others don’t make this same mistake. The very second line of the song reads, “You don’t know lovely you are” (Martin). The girl that Chris Martin is singing about in this lyric isn’t aware of how lovely she is because he never told her, even though he always thought so. This is a prime example of how he didn’t appreciate her while he still had the chance to. Martin realizes his fault after it is too late as he repeats throughout the song,” Oh, let’s go back to the start” (Martin), “Oh, take me back to the start” (Martin), “Oh, and I rush to the start” (Martin) and finally, “I’m going to back to the start” (Martin). These lyrics are paired up with the scenes in the visual text where the main subject is rushing to the beginning of the music video which is metaphorically the beginning of his relationship. These scenes include when he first jumps off the mattress to start his trek, when he is running through the forest, and finally when gets into the car right before the car accident is revealed. The lyrics paired with Martin’s journey throughout the video depict how he desperately wishes to go back to where his relationship began, so he could do it over and show the appropriate gratitude for his girlfriend. The listener experiences Chris Martin’s extreme longingness for the past and his feelings of wanting to do things over, which many can relate to. The lyrics of “The Scientist” connect to the audience in order to make sure they express their gratitude to their loved ones before they regret not doing so.  

The scenery incorporated in the visual text appeals to the audience’s emotions so Coldplay’s warning to express admiration to the significant people in one’s life while they are still present has a greater impact. The scenery adds to the already emotional song and plot of the music video through color. The dull blues and greys aid in setting the somber mood of the video, which compliments the saddening melody of the song and the tragic tale that is portrayed. The landscape is gravest right after the car crash, where Chris Martin is seen grieving in the middle of the woods at night. The scenery here is reflecting his darkest moment, when he is in the most pain. The scenery also drastically changes from an urban setting in the beginning of the motion picture to a forest setting at the end, symbolizing how Martin is at a point in his life without his girlfriend, yet he is seeking to go back to the completely different time period where she was still in his presence. The subliminal messages within the scenery of the music video act to accentuate the regret Chris Martin feels about taking his loved one for granted, making it a point for the viewers to learn from this character flaw. 

A music video brings a song to life, visually expressing the story within the lyrics. There are many elements that can be analyzed to provide a deeper meaning to the visual text than what is simply on the screen. It is easy not to acknowledge these small details while enjoying a music video. The chronology, accompaniment of song lyrics, and scenery, are all factors of “The Scientist” music video that produce the message that one will suffer internally if they fail to appreciate the important people in their lives before they are gone. This message is being relayed to the audience to ensure that they don’t make this grave mistake and that they, in turn, appreciate the ones they love while they are still able to.  
